Kiena Mine

 mine, mining, gold mine

On March 7, 2013, Wesdome announced the suspension of mining activities at Kiena, by June 30, 2013. Facing decreasing recovered grades, persistent industry cost pressures and uncertainty in the Canadian dollar gold price, Wesdome management determined that mining operations at the Kiena mine were not currently economically feasible and operations should be suspended.

The first gold discoveries were made on Parker Island (site of the present Kiena Mine surface infrastructure) during the period 1911 to 1914. Kiena Gold Mines Ltd. was established in 1936 as part of the Ventures group of Thayer Lindsley. A shaft with four levels was developed. The Parker Vein had limited extensions. The North Zone was identified by surface drilling and a drift was extended north from the shaft on the 120 metre level. This drift encountered the VC Zone and continued north to provide a drilling platform to test the continuity of the North Zone.

In 1940, the operation was abandoned due to limited reserves, economic conditions and the war effort. Twenty years later, the property’s potential was re-examined by G.K. Polk for Falconbridge. Drilling in 1961 based on this work discovered the S-50 Zone. By 1963 exploration work had outlined a resource of 4.5 million tonnes averaging 6.34 gAu/tonne for the S-50 Zone. Shaft No.1 (the current shaft) was sunk to a depth of 400 metres and extensive underground exploration and development was completed. In 1965, the project was again abandoned due to adverse mining conditions and the low gold price of $35US per ounce. In 1979, with soaring gold prices, the project was successfully developed with commercial production commencing in October, 1981. In 1986 Kiena Mines was sold to Campbell Red Lake Mines, which subsequently merged with Dome Mines Ltd. and Placer Development Ltd. to form Placer Dome Canada Ltd. In 1997 Placer Dome sold Kiena to McWatters Mines Inc. In December 30, 2003 Wesdome acquired the Kiena Mine property and related infrastructure.