The Pronto Mine is an historical uranium mine located approximately 20 km south of
Elliot Lake
Elliot Lake is a city in Algoma District, Ontario, Canada. It is north of Lake Huron, midway between the cities of Greater Sudbury, Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Sault Ste. Marie in the Northern Ontario region. Once dubbed the "uranium ca ...
,
Ontario
Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...
near
Spragge. The site is owned and operated by
Rio Algom Ltd, has been rehabilitated and is currently undergoing
environmental monitoring
Environmental monitoring is the processes and activities that are done to characterize and describe the state of the environment. It is used in the preparation of environmental impact assessments, and in many circumstances in which human activit ...
.
The mine was in operation from 1956 to 1960,
during which time it produced 4,643,835 pounds of
U3O8. Upon closure of the mine, the mill was converted to a copper concentrator to process ore from the nearby
Pater Mine and operated until 1970.
History
The Pronto mine is located on lot 3, concession II, Long township. It is located 11 miles east of
Blind River, it is near the
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway () , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canadian Pacific Kansas City, Canadian Pacific Ka ...
and
highway 17.
The Pronto deposit was discovered in 1953, by geologist Franc R. Joubin,
becoming the first uranium deposit discovered in the
Algoma region.
The prospecting was grubstaked by a J. H. Hirshhorn, a hotel owner.
They formed Peach Uranium Syndicate, which later became Peach Uranium and Metals Limited and started diamond drilling.
Messrs. Joubin and Hirshhorn, aided by staff from Preston East Dome gold mine, staked 1,400 claims and discovered more locations with uranium ore.
The summer 1953 publication of the success of Messrs. Joubin and Hirshhorn caused "the greatest staking rush in the history of Ontario"
In 1954, after establishing the size of the find, a contract for the sale of the uranium to the value of $55 million was signed and Pronto Uranium Mines Limited was formed as a subsidiary company to operate the mine.
A shaft 650 feet deep shaft with four levels at 100 feet apart was sunk.
Production started in September 1955.
There was an ore treatment plant that could process 1,250 tons per day.
bought Hirshhorn's share of the mine in 1956.
1958 the shaft was dug deeper to a seventh level and the treatment plant was upgraded to be able to process 1,500 tons per day.
In 1958, Pronto Uranium Mines Limited declared dividends of $0.75 per a share.
1960 four companies, including Pronto Uranium Mines Limited, merged to form Rio Algom Mines Limited. Pronto Mine closed in April 1960, although the mill continued operating.
Other mines in the area
*
Stanleigh Mine
The Stanleigh Mine is an abandoned uranium mine located approximately 3 km northeast of Elliot Lake, Ontario, owned and operated by Rio Algom Ltd. The site has been rehabilitated and is currently undergoing environmental monitoring.
The mi ...
*
Spanish American Mine
The Spanish American Mine is a historical uranium mine located approximately northeast of Elliot Lake, Ontario, owned and operated by Rio Algom Ltd. The site is southeast of the Denison Mine.
The mine was in operation from 1958 to 1959, wh ...
*
Can-Met Mine
The Can-Met Mine is an abandoned uranium mine located approximately 12.5 km northeast of Elliot Lake, Ontario, owned by Denison Mines Ltd. The site has been rehabilitated and its tailings facility (shared with the Stanrock Mine) is current ...
*
Milliken Mine
*
Panel Mine
*
Denison Mine
Consolidated Denison Mine, or the Denison Mine is an abandoned uranium mine located approximately 12.5 km north of Elliot Lake, Ontario. The site is bordered north by Quirke Mine and New Quirke Mine; on the east by Panel Mine and Can-Met ...
*
Stanrock Mine
*
Quirke Mine(s)
*
Buckles Mine
*
Lacnor Mine
*
Nordic Mine
See also
*
Quartz-pebble conglomerate deposits
*
Uranium mining
Uranium mining is the process of extraction of uranium ore from the earth. Over 50,000 tons of uranium were produced in 2019. Kazakhstan, Canada, and Australia were the top three uranium producers, respectively, and together account for 68% of w ...
*
List of uranium mines
Uranium production is carried out in about 13 countries around the world, in 2017 producing a cumulative total of 59,462 tonnes of uranium (tU). The international producers were Kazakhstan (39%), Canada (22%), Australia (10%), Namibia (7.1%), Nig ...
*
List of mines in Ontario
This is a list of mines in the Canadian province of Ontario and includes both operating and closed mines.
*Adams Mine
*Agnew Lake Mine
*Amalgamated Larder Mine
*Argonaut Mine
*Armistice Mine
*Associated Goldfields Mine
*Barber Larder Mine
*Barto ...
References
External links
*
{{Uranium mining in Ontario
Uranium mines in Ontario
Mines in Elliot Lake
Underground mines in Canada
Former mines in Ontario
Rio Algom