Cuniptau Mines

Cuniptau Mines was a short-lived Canadian mining company active in northeastern Ontario during the 1930s. Its name combined the chemical symbols for copper, nickel, platinum, and gold, reflecting the polymetallic character of the ore deposits it sought to develop. The company was incorporated in December 1933 under the leadership of B. W. Watkins and maintained its headquarters in Toronto, Ontario. The company's principal project was the Cuniptau Mine in Strathy Township, in the Temagami area of northeastern Ontario. Development began in 1933 with the sinking of a shaft to approximately 115 feet and the excavation of underground workings at the 100-foot level. In 1934, the shaft was deepened to about 240 feet, a new level was established at approximately 225 feet, and the company continued drifting, crosscutting, and raising. These activities were characteristic of an exploration and mine-development venture rather than a large-scale producing operation. Work patterns changed over the following years. In 1935, activity at the Cuniptau property was concentrated mainly on surface mineral exploration. In 1936, the company undertook additional underground development and both surface and underground diamond drilling. It also rebuilt the site's smelter to investigate whether the mined ore could be processed into a suitable matte. High-grade quartz vein material from the Cuniptau Silica Deposit in Best Township was used as flux in the smelting tests. The mine office was located at Goward, a locality now within the Municipality of Temagami. Cuniptau Mines expanded its property interests in 1936 by reopening the Alexo Mine near Porquis Junction in the Cochrane District. Work there consisted of partially dewatering the mine and sampling the property. To support metallurgical testing at the Cuniptau operation, the company shipped two railcars of Alexo ore to the Cuniptau Mine, where the additional material was intended to increase the nickel content of the smelting feed. The company did not remain independent for long. On January 10, 1937, its shareholders ratified a proposal to merge with the newly formed Ontario Nickel Corporation. The merger transferred the Cuniptau and Alexo mine properties to Ontario Nickel Corporation and brought Cuniptau Mines' independent corporate existence to an end. Cuniptau Mines is therefore best understood as a historical Canadian mining company associated with early exploration, underground development, property consolidation, and experimental processing of copper-, nickel-, platinum-, and gold-bearing mineral deposits in Ontario.

Cuniptau Mines was incorporated in December 1933 as a Canadian mining company headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. It was led at incorporation by B. W. Watkins and took its name from the chemical symbols Cu, Ni, Pt, and Au: copper, nickel, platinum, and gold. The name reflected the range of metals associated with the company's exploration interests. The company's main undertaking was the Cuniptau Mine in Strathy Township in northeastern Ontario. Initial development started in 1933 with the sinking of a shaft to approximately 115 feet and underground drifting at the 100-foot level. During 1934, the shaft was deepened to approximately 240 feet. A new working level was established at roughly 225 feet, followed by further drifting, crosscutting, and raising. These works were intended to evaluate and develop the polymetallic ore deposit. Activity at the mine was focused largely on exploration rather than sustained commercial production. In 1935, the company's work was concentrated mostly on surface mineral exploration. The following year brought a broader technical program. Cuniptau Mines continued underground drifting, crosscutting, and raising, while also carrying out surface exploration and underground diamond drilling. The company's mine office was located at Goward, a locality that is now part of the Municipality of Temagami. Metallurgical testing was another important part of the 1936 program. Cuniptau Mines rebuilt the smelter at the Cuniptau site to assess whether ore from the mine could be converted into a suitable matte. Quartz vein material from the Cuniptau Silica Deposit in Best Township was used as flux for the smelting work. This effort indicates that the company was investigating not only the geological potential of its properties but also practical methods for processing the ore. Cuniptau Mines also broadened its property portfolio in 1936 by reopening the Alexo Mine near Porquis Junction in the Cochrane District. Work at Alexo included partial dewatering and sampling. The company shipped two cars of Alexo ore to the Cuniptau Mine, where the material was used to increase the nickel content of the feed being tested in the smelter. This linked the company's separate Ontario properties through a common metallurgical-development program. The independent company was short-lived. On January 10, 1937, Cuniptau Mines shareholders ratified a proposal to merge with the newly formed Ontario Nickel Corporation. The transaction transferred the Cuniptau and Alexo mines to Ontario Nickel Corporation. Cuniptau Mines consequently ceased to exist as an independent company after only several years of exploration and development. Its historical significance lies in its association with the early development of northeastern Ontario polymetallic properties and in its attempt to combine mine development, property acquisition, and on-site metallurgical experimentation.

• 1937

  Merged into Ontario Nickel Corporation

  [1]Cuniptau Minesen.wikipedia.org

  Shareholders ratified a merger with Ontario Nickel Corporation on January 10, 1937; Ontario Nickel acquired the Cuniptau and Alexo properties.

• 1936

  Smelter rebuilt for matte testing

  [1]Cuniptau Minesen.wikipedia.org

  The company rebuilt its smelter to test the feasibility of producing a suitable matte from Cuniptau ore, using quartz as flux.

• 1936

  Alexo Mine reopened

  [1]Cuniptau Minesen.wikipedia.org

  Cuniptau Mines reopened the Alexo Mine near Porquis Junction, undertaking partial dewatering and sampling.

• 1935

  Exploration concentrates on surface work

  [1]Cuniptau Minesen.wikipedia.org

  Operations at the Cuniptau property were focused mainly on surface mineral exploration.

• 1934

  Cuniptau shaft deepened

  [1]Cuniptau Minesen.wikipedia.org

  The shaft was deepened to about 240 feet, a new level was established near 225 feet, and underground development continued.

• 1933

  Company incorporated

  [1]Cuniptau Minesen.wikipedia.org

  Cuniptau Mines was incorporated in December 1933 under the leadership of B. W. Watkins, with headquarters in Toronto.

• 1933

  Development of the Cuniptau Mine begins

  [1]Cuniptau Minesen.wikipedia.org

  The company began developing the Cuniptau deposit by sinking a shaft to approximately 115 feet and driving underground workings at the 100-foot level.

A historical Canadian mining developer focused on polymetallic deposits and related exploration and metallurgical testing in northeastern Ontario.

• Polymetallic mine development project · 1933

  Cuniptau Mine

  The Cuniptau Mine in Strathy Township was the company's principal development project. Work included shaft sinking and deepening, underground drifting, crosscutting, raising, surface exploration, and diamond drilling. The property contained polymetallic mineralization associated with copper, nickel, platinum, and gold interests. In 1936, the site also supported smelting experiments intended to determine whether the ore could produce a suitable matte.

• Nickel-bearing mine property · 1936

  Alexo Mine

  The Alexo Mine near Porquis Junction in the Cochrane District was acquired or reopened by Cuniptau Mines in 1936. The company's work consisted of partially dewatering the workings and sampling the property. Two railcars of Alexo ore were shipped to the Cuniptau Mine to increase the nickel content of the material used in smelting tests.

• Silica deposit and metallurgical flux source

  Cuniptau Silica Deposit

  The Cuniptau Silica Deposit in Best Township supplied high-grade quartz vein material used as flux in the company's smelting tests. It supported the technical evaluation of ore processing at the Cuniptau Mine rather than representing a separately documented consumer product or finished commercial offering.

• 1937

  Merger with Ontario Nickel CorporationM&A

  Background

  Cuniptau Mines held interests in the Cuniptau and Alexo mine properties after several years of exploration, underground development, and metallurgical testing. A newly formed Ontario Nickel Corporation proposed combining the businesses and properties.

  Action taken

  Shareholders ratified the merger proposal on January 10, 1937. Ontario Nickel Corporation acquired the Cuniptau and Alexo mines through the transaction.

  Aftermath

  The merger ended Cuniptau Mines' independent corporate existence and transferred its principal properties to Ontario Nickel Corporation.

  Source

1. 1Cuniptau Minesen.wikipedia.org