Saturday we (Paul Trudel, Ed Barnstaple, and Gord Clark) left about 9:30 AM to find the old Holwood Mine north west of Firth Lake. We knew the road ended in a large beaverdam so the only way to cross was on the top of the dam. It streched about 80m. across the end of the beaver pond, we cut some staves to help with our balance across the narrow top with some places the water running over the dam. Once over the dam we headed into the bush where we found a trail that took us right to the mine. The buildings had all collapsed in one way or another, we counted at least 3 but the way one area had fallen down there may have been another 1 or 2.In 1969, J.R. Stirrett held five leased claims about 1 1/2 km (1 mile) northwest
of Firth Lake and numbered as follows: GG4724, HR453, HR454, HR458, and
HR459.
The property was first staked in the early days by E.J. Thompson and after
a few years of intermittent prospecting it was acquired by Alpine Silver Mines
Limited in 1920.
Development work for the next two years consisted of about 300 m (1,000
feet) of trenching, sinking two shallow shafts, and driving an adit. The adit was
driven west into a diabase ridge for 176 m (575 feet) to intersect an aplite dike at
a depth of 51 m (170 feet); the dike was drifted along for 24 m (80 feet) (Burrows
1921, pAl). The location of the shafts is not known but they are reported to be 9
m (30 feet) and 15 m (90 feet) deep (Burrows 1921, pAl).
The property then became dormant until 1951 when it was acquired by Holwood
Mines Limited; some effort was made by this company to bring the property
into production. A 50 tons per day mill was erected and seven diamond drill
holes totalling 370 m (1,200 feet) were put down. There was no recorded production
and no further work was recorded after 1953.
Jaylac Mines Limited took an option on the property in 1960. They cleaned
out old trenches and did further surface work. No further recorded work has been done on the property since then. (from Geology of the Gowganda Lake-Miller Lake Silver Area. Report 175 Ont. Geological. Survey.
a few years of intermittent prospecting it was acquired by Alpine Silver Mines
Limited in 1920.
Development work for the next two years consisted of about 300 m (1,000
feet) of trenching, sinking two shallow shafts, and driving an adit. The adit was
driven west into a diabase ridge for 176 m (575 feet) to intersect an aplite dike at
a depth of 51 m (170 feet); the dike was drifted along for 24 m (80 feet) (Burrows
1921, pAl). The location of the shafts is not known but they are reported to be 9
m (30 feet) and 15 m (90 feet) deep (Burrows 1921, pAl).
The property then became dormant until 1951 when it was acquired by Holwood
Mines Limited; some effort was made by this company to bring the property
into production. A 50 tons per day mill was erected and seven diamond drill
holes totalling 370 m (1,200 feet) were put down. There was no recorded production
and no further work was recorded after 1953.
Jaylac Mines Limited took an option on the property in 1960. They cleaned
out old trenches and did further surface work. No further recorded work has been done on the property since then. (from Geology of the Gowganda Lake-Miller Lake Silver Area. Report 175 Ont. Geological. Survey.
All and all a good find for adventure in the Gowganda Area.
