Birchtree Mine is an underground nickel mine, owned and operated by Vale Inco in the city of Thompson, Manitoba, Canada.[1] It lies in the nickel containing Thompson Belt, a geologic feature associated with the Circum-Superior Belt large igneous province throughout the Superior craton.
| Location | |
|---|---|
  Birchtree Mine Location in Manitoba | |
| Location | Thompson |
| Province | Manitoba |
| Country | Canada |
| Coordinates | 55°42′06″N 097°55′37″W / 55.70167°N 97.92694°W |
| Production | |
| Products | Nickel |
| History | |
| Opened | 1965 |
| Active | 1965 - 1978 1988 - 2017 |
| Closed | 2017 |
| Owner | |
| Company | Vale Inco |
| Website | Vale Inco |
History
editBirchtree mine originally opened in 1965 until 1978 when it was put in "standby" until 1988.[1] The mine reopened again in 1989. [2] In 2000, Inco authorized US$48 million [3] to deepen the mine to 4,100 feet (1,250 m), expanding production to 3,800 tons per day.[1] The Deepening Project allowed Inco to access ore between the 3950 level and 2300 level. In 2002,[4] Birchtree Mine started producing ore from between 2750 level and 2300 level. In 2003, the first ore was extracted between the 3950 and 3450 level.
Safety
editIn 2005, Birchtree mine was the recipient of the John T. Ryan Trophy for having achieving the lowest accident frequency of all Canadian metal mines. In 2008, it received the regional John T. Ryan trophy for the Prairies & Northwest Territories.
Footnotes
edit- ^ a b c Hersey, Carolyn (November 2008). "Safety, above all else". CIM Magazine. 3 (7). Montreal, Quebec, Canada: 5140–43. ISSN 1718-4177.
- ^ Canadian Mines Handbook 2003-2004. Toronto, Ontario: Business Information Group. 2003. p. 550. ISBN 0-919336-60-4.
- ^ "Inco approves $48 million to deepen BT mine (select 2000s)". Archived from the original on 2007-06-01. Retrieved 2007-06-12.
- ^ "BT Mine Shaft deepening". Archived from the original on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2007-06-12.
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