Talk:Big Dan Mine

Review

Lead

• Big Dan was the site of a disaster during its years of operation, after which it never had active mining again. - Years of operaion is a bit of a stretch, it operated between 1906-1907, the disaster was a forest fire, not a typical mining disater (fall of ground, explosion, etc.), so it should be clarified. The fire closed the mine, so it didn't hapen during the operation, it was more like "at the end", or something like that.
• A number of commodities were mined at Big Dan, such as gold, silver and arsenic. - Was the number 3? The infobox shows 3, and the lead shows 3. If so it maybe should read "Gold, silver and arsenic were mined at Big Dan", if not than the commodities should be added to the infobox, but the sentance in the lead can stay the same.

Background

• Is this just about the Cobalt region? If so then the title should say as much, and maybe hatnote the Cobalt Silver Boom.
• Production peaked in 1911, but most of the mines were closed by the 1930s. - Clarify that this is the region, as it reads like the mine, however the mine was closed in 1907.

Production and Exlploration

• Ore was being shipped out of an inclined shaft and a 15 m (49 ft) vertical shaft with 8.5 m (28 ft) of crosscutting. - Up till now everything is reasonably easy for someone not in mining to understand, or is wikilinked, however crosscutting is not, is there an easier to understand term or can it be explained?
• Who owns the claim now? Even I could make money these days at 10 g/t gold less than 15m from surface.
• How much (tons, ounces, or both) was mind during the year of operation?

Geology

• I had a quick read through, very extensive (not surprising given the authour), and much better than most articles on individual mines. Everything is well wikilinked, so uncommon terms can be understood as required.
• Should have an expert of sorts go through it, and that is not me.

Overall

• Well written, some copyediting required, in my opinion, I haven't had a look through the references though.
• Pictures are a great addition, I would love to see something during operation (although I don't think that will be possible)
• There is a comment that reminants of the mining and milling operation are present, but all that the picture shows is cleared land, that is more like "evidence" than reminants. Unless there is still a building of sorts.

--kelapstick^(bainuu) 23:33, 3 February 2012 (UTC)

I have revised your two lead points. The Background section probably needs to be rewritten because it is mostly about the Cobalt Silver Rush and not the Temagami area; Cobalt is at least 35 km north of Big Dan. The crosscutting bit could probably be replaced with something like drifting. I have been having a hard time to find out who the mine owner is. If there is a website with that kind of information it would be probably useful. There is no available data for how much the mine produced, even though ore was shipped between 1906 and 1907. No buildings are present at Big Dan, but there are structures that appear to be foundations. The picture of cleared land is between them. Remains is probably a better word than remnants. I think a picture of the adit would be a good thing to add in the article because they are somewhat unique in the Temagami area. However, as far as I am aware of it is buried under lots of rock and dirt. Volcanoguy 08:05, 4 February 2012 (UTC)

Have you seen the MNDM claim map, it is fascinating, I have found the claim numbers (I think) I am going to search them. Pretty slick tool they have, there is also historic stuff, previously only available on mylar (treasure map style). I will get back when I find more info.--kelapstick^(bainuu) 08:23, 4 February 2012 (UTC)

• TRT6448 - Leased by Xstrata until 2016
• TRT6922 - Leased by Xstrata until 2020
• TRT6923 - Leased by Xstrata until 2020

Shame, here I was thinking we could stake them and make a fortune! Must have gotten picked up when they bought Falconbridge. Those three have what looks to be mines and pits shown on them, so I am guessing that is where they are. I would call my reasearch "less than a reliable source" however. Interesting though. --kelapstick^(bainuu) 08:32, 4 February 2012 (UTC)

The Big Dan area is on the claims WD261, WD262 and WD271. How do you know Xstrata is the owner of Big Dan? Volcanoguy 10:50, 4 February 2012 (UTC)

Hmmm, I couldn't find any claim numbers with that format. I opened the MNDM map online, and looked in the area, using the railway, and lakes as references, based on the Google map and your coordinates. There were three claims (the TRT) that were in "disposition". I ran those numbers through here, and the three came up with Xstrata. Then I looked at the "green" claims (active, and have a 6 or 7 digit claim number) in the area, and ran them through the MNDM site again (here this time), most were owned by Xstrata, with the exception of a few that are owned by a company called Stroud Resources Ltd. (probably just a guy called Stroud). I also looked at all the claims in Strathy Township, between 1/2 and 1/3 are owned by Xstrata, the rest are small companies or private individuals. --kelapstick^(bainuu) 22:13, 4 February 2012 (UTC)

Yes, Stroud Resources owns the Leckie Mine claims on the eastern shore of Arsenic Lake. Their project page can be found here. Volcanoguy 00:24, 5 February 2012 (UTC)

Is it possible nobody owns the claims WD261, WD262 and WD271? Volcanoguy 00:53, 5 February 2012 (UTC)

Looking at the MNDM claim map, I can see WD271, WD261, and WD262, and they are most certainly "dispositions" whatever that means. Although when I look them up on the register, they show up as non-existant. Rather curious I reckon. So I guess we aren't really sure who owns them...maybe nobody. Xstrata most certainly owns the other three I listed above.--kelapstick^(bainuu) 00:55, 5 February 2012 (UTC)

I just fixed the coords to the mine. Volcanoguy 01:41, 5 February 2012 (UTC)