Cannon Gold Mine
Wenatchee, Washington USA

Asamera Minerals (U.S.) Inc. & Breakwater Resources Ltd.

 
 
Site Index:
Intro Cannon Mine Facts
Location and the Climate.
The Gold Mine History...
The Gold Mine Geology...
The Gold Mine Operation
Concentrator Operations
About This Website Page
News Happings With The
Gold Belt Explorations.....
And + Resource Links......
 

** History of the Cannon Gold Mine **

Photo - The Cannon Gold Mine Headframe Tower
over looking Wenatchee Click here for big Photo.

Cannon Gold Mine Facts

The Cannon Mine in Wenatchee, Washington - was operated by a Joint
Venture of Asamera Minerals (U.S.) Inc. & Breakwater Resources Ltd.


( 1985 through 1994, )

The mine produced 1.25 million ounces of gold and 2 million ounces of
silver. The underground Cannon Gold Mine operatings closed in 1994,
was "plugged," regraded and replanted. The mine buildings were converted
into offices and an equipment maintenance facility for the local school district.

The reason for the Cannon Mine to close down was that the orebody
was running dry, and the city of Wenatchee commissioners blocked
anyother exploratory drilling in to the city limits.

* The Cannon Mine was a major producer of gold and the
second largest underground gold mine in the United States.

* The land package was 5000 acres.

* Some 185 people were employed at the Cannon Gold Mine.
of which 72 were salaried and 113 were paid on an hourly basis.


Photo - Cannon Mine Personnel ( Click photo for full size )

The Cannon Mine had two deaths with in its mining operations.
( In the memory of John Husband & George Duncan )


( Click a photo for full size )
Photos - Dedicated plack and thanks from the mine.

* Some 6000,000 LBS of explosives where used on the project.

* Mining Method = Overhand cut & fill & room & pillar with daily production
scheduled at 2,000 tons per day.

* Rubber tired equipment operated in approximately 9,000 feet of drift.

* The shaft was 18 feet in diameter, concrete lined with a minimum wall
thickness of 1 1/2 feet & was 620 feet in depth.

* The hoist utilzes 2 seven ton skips & hoists at 1,000 feet per minute.

* Primary crushing was done underground by a jaw crusher, wich took the
ore down to 5 inch minus.

* Vetilation was supplied by a 96 inch diameter fan which was powered by
an 800 H.P. motor.

* Drifts at full production advanced at 500 feet per week.

* The Mill Designed to process 2,000 tons of ore per day which resulted in
approximately 100 tons of concentrate.

* Ore crushed by cone crusher to walnut size then fed to rod mill & then
ball mill resulting in talcum powder size material.

* Flotation separates the gold from the other minerals, This is accomplished
in a reagent solution.

* Concentrate was dryed & then put in to truck then shipped to the railhead.

* Concentrate was being shipped to Germany for smelting.

* Tailings Impoundment: ( Dry Gulch Tailings Dam )
It is the largest earthen structure in the state of Washington.
It is designed to hold the worst possible weather event.
It is 300 feet in height, 980 feet in width on top ( canyon wall to wall )
& 1600 feet in length. The structure contains approximately 3,000,000
cubic yards of material. The dam still sits in place today but capped.


Location and the Climate

The Cannon Mine was located southwest of the town of Wenatchee, Washington at the
corner of Miller and Circle Streets. Wenatchee is located on Interstate Highway 2 on
the Columbia River approximately halfway between Seattle and Spokane. Access to
Wenatchee is by road, rail or air.

The Cannon Mine project area comprises some 5000 acres located in Chelan County,
Washington. The Cannon Mine site is located at the 1000 foot elevation in Dry Gulch
at the base of the Cascade Mountains.

The local climate is semi-arid with average annual precipitation of nine inches
and annual extremes in temperature ranging from -10F to 110F

The relatively mild climate and abundance of water for irrigation has contributed
to the development of Wenatchee as a major agricltural ( fruit ) center.
The city is known as the "Apple Capital of the World".


Maps of the area. ( Click a map for full size )


The Gold Mine History

The discovery of gold in the Wenatchee area dates back to the 1880`s,
when early prospectors staked gold bearing quarts veins and silicified
sandstone outcrops, known at the time as "reefs". Initial gold production
occurred in 1894 from a stamp mill, but processing of the fine material
proved difficult and production did not resume until 1910, continuing for
only a short time.

Mining occurred intermittently in the 1930`s and 1940`s until 1949 when
Mr. E.H. (ED) Lovitt began mining in earnest what is commonly referred
to as the D reef mine.

In the early 1950`s, Anaconda Copper Company explored the area known
as the B reef. During the 1960`s, Mr. Lovitt did some exploratory drifting
and metallurgical test work on the B reef and adjacent outcropping of reef
type materials. Unfortunately, low gold prices and operating difficulties
combined to make these orebodies subeconomic. Additional exploration
was conducted in the area of the B reef by Cyprus Mines Corp. in the
mid-1970`s leading to the discovery of the B west reef.

In 1981 Goldbelt Mines, Inc. and Asamera Minerals (U.S.) Inc. began
assembling a core land package that was necessary to undertake a modern
exploration program. In 1982 Breakwater Resources Ltd. acquired control
of Goldbelt thereby becoming a full participating partner in the venture.
Joint venture ownership is currently constiuted with Asamera as operator
with a 51 percent interest and Brakewater with a 49 percent interest.
Total land holding now approximate 5,000 acres.

Diamond drilling in 1982 confirmed the quality and quantity of reserves
in the B and B west orebodies with a total of 1.5 million tons of ore with
an average grade of 0.15 ounces of gold per ton. A feasibility study conducted
in that year indicated that a 1,000 ton per day mine-mill complex was viable.

In early 1983 exploratory drilling identified the high-grade B north ore zone.
After a successful followup exploration program completed in 1983, the joint
venture embarked on a full scale development program at the Cannon Mine.

During 1984, diamond drilling confirmed and extended known ore reserves,
a feasibility study was completed and environmental permits for construction
of facilities were received. At year 1984, drilling had estabished geological
ore reserves of approximately 5,256,000 tons with an average grade of 0.214
ounces of gold per ton, thereby marking the Cannon Mine one of the most
significant discoveries in North America.

1. - 2. - 3. -
( Click a Photo for full size )

1 - Mine and mill construction..
2 - Excavation for mill site........
3 - Cannon Mine workings site.


The Gold Mine Geology

Gold mineralization at the Cannon Mine "B" Reef deposit occurs primarily
as free gold and electrum. These ore minerals are accompanied by minor
amounts of pyrite and trace amounts of arsenopyrite, marcite and chalcopyrite.
The gold is predominantly very fine grained, but visible coarse grained gold
is occasonally observed within distinctly banded quartz veinlts.

The mineralization is directly related to pervasively silicfied host rocks
and to these high grade veinlets developed within the silicified envelope.

The northwest striking elongate orebody is hosted within a squence
of Eocene (+40 million years old) continental fluvial and lacustrine
sediments that have been folded, faulted and intruded by later Tertiary
rhyodacites and andesite. ( The mine portal, decline, shaft and main
access working are driven in the competent Wenatchee Dome rhyodacite
located to the immediate east of the orebody; the prominent Saddle Rock
andesite can be seen just west of the mine site. ) Alteration/silicification
and mineralization appear to be associated with the rhyodacite intrusive
event. The role of this intrusion during mineralization was probably to
provide a heat source and focusing mechanism for the hydrothermal fluids
which deposited the silica and gold; the porous and fractured sediments
providing structural control and physical limits to the mineralizing system.

The "B" Reef orebody is divided into three zones in order of discovery
as "B", "B" West, and "B" North zone. This approximately tabular zone
has a strike length of about 800 feet, and is about 400 feet wide by 200
feet high. The top of the southward pluging zone ranges from 200 to 400
feet below the surface. Drill demonstrated reserves are estimated to be
3,600,000 tons at 0.248 ounces of gold and 0.4 ounces of silver per ton.
The combined "B" and "B" West zones are estimated to contain
1,600,000 tons at 0.140 ounces of gold per ton.

Exploration for new deposits is presently being conducted in the greater
Wenatchee area on the 5,000 acres of mineral leases controlled by the joint
venture partners. Diamond drilling is currently underway on one of the
leases south of the Cannon Mine. Geologic mapping and lithogeochemical
sampling is underway on several of our leases north of the mine site.

1. - 2. -
( Click a Chart for full size )

1 - Isometric of ore bodies.
2 - Stratigraphic Column General Cannon Minesite.


The Gold Mine Operation

The Cannon Mine is serviced by both a vertical shaft and decline ramp.
The shaft is 18 feet in diameter and concrete lined to a depth of 620 feet.
The automated skip loading station is located at the 550 level.
The shaft is equipped with two 7-ton skips and automated drum hoist.

The main decline ramp is 12 feet by 15 feet at a 15 percent grade.
The decline serves all of the main production levles with access
and as the primary ventilation system. The main decline, as well
as the shaft, shop, crusher room and sumps, is located in the
rhyodacitic Wenatchee Dome which is a highly competent, long term
stable rock. Access from the main decline ramp to the orebody is
by horizontal cross-cuts. There is an additional 15 percent ramp
within the orebody itself connecting the various levels.

Current mine planning calls for overhand cut-and-fill to be primary
method and room-and-pillar with delay backfill to be used in lower
grade areas. Present plans call for the mine to be producing 2000 tpd
by year end.

1. - 2. -
( Click a Photo for full size )

1 - Cannon Mine main shaft opening.
2 - 550 level shaft station.


( Click for full size )
Chart - Cannon Mine Isometric Underground Workings.

The mining cycle consists of four main phases: drilling, blasting, mucking,
and roof control. Drilling and blasting will be by conventional methods
utilizing the latest available technology for both the electorohydraulic
jumbos and the explosives utilized. Mucking will be by a combination
of standard roof bolting shotcreting and wire meshing as required.

Blasting ore will be moved to an internal ore pass system feeding a
primary jaw crusher which will reduce the ore to a miinus 5 inch size.
The crushed ore is then convyed to the shaft for hoisting to the surface.

Underground geological delineation drilling and mine planning are
on-going activities to maximize ore extraction and minimize mining
costs. Surface geological exploration continues in an effort to locate
additional orebodies.

1. - 2. - 3. - 4. - 5. -
6. - 7. - 8. -
9. - 10. - 11. -
( Click a Photo for full size )

1 - Tamrock 2-boom electric, hydraulic drill jombo.
2 - Charging a round prior to blasting.
3 - 5-yard scoop tram picking up ore in heading.
4 - Crusher control panel and chute and apron feeder feeding crusher.
5 - Underground jaw crusher with conveyors.
6 - Artist concept of underground mine concrete backfill system.
7 - Access tunnel to the underground mine backfill project.
8 - A working crew underground on a hydraulic drill.
9 - Hagby drill, B-west orebody.
10 - Delineation drilling at the Cannon Mine.
11 - The use of remote control muckers (loaders) resulted in
the safe extraction of ore from stopes over 100 feet in height.


Concentrator Operations

The objective of the Cannon Mine concentrator is to recover as much
of the gold and silver from the ore into as small a quantity of saleable
concentrate as possible. Metallurgical tests show that 85-92 percent of
the gold and 60 percent of the silver can be recovered in a concentrate
weighing 5 percent of the ore. The concentrator is designed to prossess
2000 tpd of ore.

( Click for full size )
Chart - Cannon Mine Concentrator.

The ore is partially crushed underground, then further size reduction
is accomplished by a cone crusher and screening out the minus 3/4 inch
fraction which is stored in the fine ore bin. Oversized material is returned
to the crusher circuit.

Ore from the fine bins is conveyed to the concentrator, is combined with
water and ground in a rod mill. Four inch diameter by 14 foot long steel
rods are used to break the 3/4 inch rocks into fragments smaller than
table salt. If coarse gold is present it is removed in a jig located at the
rod mill discharge. Final size reduction is accomplished in a ball mill
where 2 inch balls grind the rock to the size of talcum powder.

Size separation is accomplished by cyclones.

In the flotation circuit chemicals are added which attach to the gold
and silver minerals. By agitating the ore slurry in the presence of air
the gold-bearing minerals attach to the air bubbles and float to the top
of the flotation cell. The resulting black concentrate is refloated to
remove as much waste as possible.

The conentrate is then dewatered with thickeners, filters and a thermal dryer.
About 100 tons of concentrate are produced from each 2000 tons of ore processed.
Cannon Mine concentrate is sold and shipped to smelters in Germany for processing
into gold bullion.

1. - 2. - 3. - 4. -
5. - 6. - 7. -
( Click a Photo for full size )

1 - Ball mill and rod mill.
2 - Flotation section.
3 - Final concentrate production.
4 - Assayer pouringslag from a lead button.
5 - Vacuum filter that segregates water from solids in the concentrate.
6 - Pressure filter concentrate dryer.
7 - Cannon Gold Mine concentrate dryed, This is a ore sample. The dryed black
concentrate ore was put in to a truck then shipped to the Wenatchee railhead,
then it was shipped to Germany for smelting and processing into gold bullion.

The residual 1900 tons of solid wast, or tailings, is pumped 6000 feet to the
tailings dam. Water is returned for processing more ore. The tailings dam was
built from over 4 1/2 million tons of rock, clay, sand and gravel. It was built to
withstand and contain possible major floods thereby helping protect Wenatchee.

1. - 2. - 3. - 4. - 5. - 6. -
( Click a Photo for full size )

1 - Tailings impoundment looking up Dry Gulch.
2 - Some excavation work at the tailings dam ~Selland Construction Inc.
3 - Equipment spread of Caterpillar scrapers working on the tailings dam.
4 - 631-D Caterpillar scraper moving dirt on the tailings dam.
5 - Excavation at the tailings dam.
6 - Wenatchee Silica Products.


Photos of the current propertys of the Cannon Gold Mine, today:


( Click a Photo for full size )
Tailings impoundment looking up Dry Gulch today 2003.


( Click a Photo for full size )
Looking at the area where the mine was today 2003



Photos - Gold in Quartz found at the Cannon Gold Mine.
2.1 x 1.5 cm specimen of massive quartz literally shot
through with gold. The two photos show the extent
fairly cleary to which this rock is made of gold!.......


* Some Other Random Photos Of The Cannon Gold Mine - Hosted On Webshots.
Showing Cannon Gold Mine Tailings, Building, Underground and Lovitt Mine....

Photos hosted on and by: - www.flickr.com/photos/scrooged - See Photos:
~ ( Cannon Gold Mine Gallery 01 -And- Cannon Gold Mine Gallery 02 ) ~
Showing Cannon Gold Mine Tailings Dam and the Dry Gulch Canyon Area.

About This Website Page

The Cannon Mine in Wenatchee Washington played a big part of
Wenatchee`s history and the growth of the town the way it is today.
The average day to day person when asked about the Cannon Mine
does not even know that the Cannon Gold Mine existed in Wenatchee,
or its massive underground process to find gold bullion in Wenatchee.

This website was made to show the History of the Cannon Gold Mine
and its operations in the Wenatchee Washington gold belt exploration.

All of the material and facts on this website page about the Cannon Gold Mine
was gathered from Asamera Minerals (U.S.) Inc. & Breakwater Resources Ltd.
stock and share reports and annual shareholder reports when the gold mine was
in production 1985 through 1994 in Wenatchee, Washington USA.

The local city of Wenatchee public library has more references / facts
about the Cannon Mine and the Lovitt Mine on South Methow Street.
Sources: - Cannon Gold Mine, Wenatchee, Chelan County Washington
Wenatchee District Mineralogy, and the Washington State Mineral.
Asamera Minerals (U.S.) Inc. & Breakwater Resources Ltd.

News Happings With The Gold Belt Explorations.

03/16/2010 - News - Lovitt Board Announces Private Placement.jpg
03/15/2010 - News - Company Update - Lovitt Gold Mine Wenatchee.jpg
01/19/2010 - News - Lovitt Board Announces Private Placement - marketwire.
12/22/2009 - News - Deal Means Lovitt Mine Gets Cleanup
12/08/2009 - News - Lovitt Board Appoints New Director - marketwire.
11/17/2009 - News - Lovitt Resources Acquires Key Mineral Lease - marketwire.
09/17/2009 - News - Sampling Results I-49 Area Lovitt Gold Mine - marketwire.
09/10/2009 - News - Lovitt Gold Mine Fall Exploration Detailed
01/20/2009 - News - Grass Valley Ca Talks Of Cannon Mine
09/09/2008 - News - Wenatchee Lovitt Mine Change In Focus
09/21/2007 - News - Appleatchee Buys Cannon Mine Property
08/13/2003 - News - Mine Cleanup Job Rewarded

Kimberly Gold Mines, Inc. Exploration Wenatchee`s Gold Belt - Archived.
Kimberly Secures Property Lease up on Matthews & Compton properties.
In early 2003, Kimberly Gold Mines began assembling the land package.
2003 Kimberly Gold.com-Wenatchee Map.jpg = .JPG Photo File.

~~ Other Sources, References, Facts, - Links About The Cannon/Lovitt Mines:

* Asamera Minerals Inc. - Archived Info Mine
* Asamera-Cannon Mine Class II Inspection; March 10-11, 1987
* Agapito.com Gold Projects - Cannon Mine
* Agapito.com Gold Projects - Cannon Mine - Backfill Projects
* Agapito.com Gold Projects - Cannon Mine - Hard Rock Abstracts
* Appleatchee Riders.com - Wenatchee, Washington.
* Breakwater Resources Ltd.ca - British Columbia, Canada.
* Canadian Mining Journal - Re-Claiming A Dream - 06/01/2004.
* Conoco Phillips.com - AKA - Gulf Oil Canada Resources Ltd.
* Consulting Geologists & Engineers WGM Projects
* Environmental Excellence Awards (NMA) - December 06, 2000
* EPA.gov - Wenatchee Silica Products, Facility Detail Report.
* Geology Of Lovitt Gold Mine, Wenatchee, Wash. Summary
* Gulf Canada Resources To Acquire Asamera - NY Times March 29, 1988
* Goodfellow Bros.com - Wenatchee, Washington
* Historylink - East Wenatchee Prehistoric Clovis Point Artifacts May 27, 1987.
* Historylink - S. Wenatchee Flash Flood Kills 16 People September 5, 1925.
* Info-mine - Cannon Mine Environmentally Responsible Mining Feb. 1997
* Lovitt Resources.com
* Lovitt Resources.com/History
* Lovitt Resources.com/Photos Gallery
* Lovitt Resources Inc Public, CVE:LRC Portfolio
* Mark Anderson, Manager Cannon Mine - dolbear.com
* Mineral Information Institute - Cannon Mine Reclamation Successes
* Munson Engineers - Crawford Street Improvements Project
* Raw Materials Data - Cannon Gold Mine, USA
* Selland Construction.com - Wenatchee, Washington.
* Wenatchee Public Library- Wenatchee, Washington.
* Wenatchee Sand And Gravel.com - Wenatchee, Washington.
* Wenatchee School District - Wenatchee, Washington.

* Dry Gulch Preserve - Wenatchee, Washington: justgetout.net

* Geocaching - Cannon Mine, Wenatchee, Wa: geocaching.com

* Geologic Information about Washington
* Mining Strategy - The Pacific Northwest
* Northwest Mining Association.org - ( Links )
* U.S. Department of the Interior
* Washington Prospectors Mining Association

InfoMine Inc. [ Cannon Mine Publications ] - infomine.com
* 1986 ( .PDF ) -
Engineering Geology and Soils Engineering
in the Development of the Cannon Mine.
* 1985 ( .PDF ) -
Environmental Geotechnical Considerations in
the Design of the Cannon Mine Tailing Impoundment.
* 1985 ( .PDF ) -
The Design of the Cannon Mine Tailings Impoundment.
* 1985 ( .PDF ) -
Construction of the Embankment for
the Cannon Mine Tailings Impoundment.
* 1984 ( .PDF ) -
Impoundment Design for Cyanided Tailings
- Case History of the Cannon Mine Project.

R Frechette, Optimization of Cannon Mine Tailings Dam Closure Cap Design.
A Case Study, Randol Gold and Silver Forum, April. 1998. Frechette (author)
Presentation: ( www.unr.edu/mines/mlc/conf_workshops/tailings/Elko_8.pdf )
_______________________________________________________________



A WARNING PLEASE NOTE:- To The General Public, May That
Be For Recreational And Or Just Curiosity About The Gold Mines:
The Cannon Gold Mine and Dry Gulch property is well plugged up
and sealed with no underground mine shaft openings today. But the
Lovitt Gold Mine property on South Methow Street, the Squilchuck
side of the mountain does have a few old underground mine shaft
openings today. PLEASE STAY OUT! of them for your own safety.
We do not want to be adding in news clips to this page that someone
has been hert, trapped or killed. So, PLEASE STAY OUT! of them.

_______________________________________________________________

***** This Web Site Page URL Stats *****
Gene`s BMX launched this Cannon Gold Mine web page on June 21st, 2001
on ( www.geocities.com/cannon_mine ) Due to Geocities.com closing down on
October 26th, 2009 this web site page was moved to Hostrator.com and due
to Hostrator.com closing down on February 26th, 2010 this web site page was
moved on to T35.com. Due to high web traffic, Gene`s BMX has moved this
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This Cannon Gold Mine web page Information, Contents, Materials
Was Last Updated By Gene`s BMX.com On:-- April 15th, 2010.

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