A heritage resource — what does it mean? To most people “heritage” means a birthright, a tradition, culture or characteristic inherited from the past. Why preserve the Britannia Mines, and specifically, why the mill — that dilapidated structure with broken windows, leaking roof and flood-damaged interior?
The Britannia mining operation (1904-1974) was a marvel in its day. It was the first mine to successfully exploit a low grade underground copper orebody over such a long time span. More than 62 million tons of copper ore were mined from which more than six million tons of copper concentrate were extracted. The gravity- fed concentrator still stands as the main surface feature of the old mining operation. It is symbolic of the innovations and economies achieved in all facets of the operation, and it is a distinctive coastal landmark. As the value of this heritage resource cannot be appreciated until the story is told, the following is a brief history of the Britannia Mines. Brief history
The Britannia Mines were discovered by chance in 1888, but the prospect was slow to attract local attention. George Robinson, an American mining engineer from Butte, Mont., visited the property in 1899. He was able to convince New York financiers of the immense potential of the property. Access was by tidewater, a mere 30 miles from the burgeoning city of Vancouver, B.C.
A 4-mile horse trail had been hacked through the dense mountain forest from Britannia Landing up to the Jane Basin prospects. One million tons of high grade copper ore were estimated. There was ample timber, water and a favorable climate.
The Britannia Syndicate was formed, of which Robinson secured controlling interest in 1903. The next year a new company, the Howe Sound Co., was formed and it gained controlling interest in the syndicate. Then in 1905, the Britannia Smelting Co. was formed to purchase the Crofton Smelter on Vancouver Island. Now operations could begin in earnest. (Incidentally, the Smelting Co. and the Britannia Syndicate merged in 1908 to form the Britannia Mining and Smelting Co., the operating arm for Howe Sound. The success of the Britannia mining operation was largely due to the stable, long-term ownership by Howe Sound). Development begins
Meanwhile, under Robinson’s direction early development work began. Mine service buildings and employees’ housing were constructed at the Jane Basin. New adits were driven. A true community grew up around the mine. A 4-mile gravity Riblet aerial tram was constructed in two sections to transport the ore down the mountain to Britannia Landing, or the “Beach.” Here two mills were built, one for crushing and one for concentrating. Transportation facilities were constructed and a community grew up to service both the mill and mine.
The first ore was shipped to the Crofton smelter in 1904, and in the next year full production was achieved. The early years were beset with difficulties, however. Robinson died suddenly in 1906, copper prices fell, and there were problems separating the minerals in the ore using the experimental new Elmore bulk oil flotation process.
During this trying period, we gain rare insight into life and work at Britannia through an eyewitness account by young Harriet Backus, the wife of the company assayer. In her book “Tomboy Bride,” we experience her delight when she first inspected her 6-room “palace,” with electricity and running water. She not only entertains, but also provides useful and keenly preserved details about the well- equipped company store; the segregated housing for the Chinese, Japanese and the white crews; and the crusher house and mill. Crusher house and mill
On the top of the crusher house, ore was dumped from the tram buckets into bins and fed into large crushers, after which it was washed and the fines fed directly into the mill for separation and concentration. The coarse ore (2 1/2 inch) was carried on a picking belt under lights which colored the copper sulphide in the ore black. The fines which had passed into the mill from the crusher house passed through trommels, jigs, rolls and screens until they reached 20 mesh, at which point they were ready for the Frue Vanners and Whifley Tables.
In 1912, production at Britannia was given a boost by the arrival of a demanding and skillful mining engineer from Ontario, James Dunbar Moodie. The company of operators had given him the authority and capital (about $5 million) to revamp every aspect of the operation. During the next 10 years, he successfully expanded operations and thereby brought Britannia Mines into the first rank of world copper-producers.
Although Mill No. 1 had been modified and its production capacity increased to 850 tons per day, increased ore production from the mine and improvements in the mineral separation process stimulated plans for a new mill and a change in the smelting arrangements.
Mill No. 2 was started in 1913 and completed in 1916. Built on the side hill overlooking Howe Sound, it consisted of six stories and was capable of processing 2,000 tons of ore per day. The mill crew numbered 83, of whom 25 were Japanese. The improved milling practices and the lack of custom ore made it more economical to ship the concentrates by water to the asarco smelter at Tacoma, Wash.
The transportation system was also revamped. A tunnel was driven from the mine through the mountain at the 2,200-ft level to connect with switch-backs on the mountainside. The railway connected with an incline and a skipway which transported ore to the mill. Disaster strikes
The outbreak of the First World War in 1914 increased demand for copper, and so the price rose sharply; this, in turn, funded further development.
Then disaster struck. On March 21, 1915, an avalanche of mud, rock and snow crashed through Jane Camp, just as the men were coming off the midnight shift. Between 50 to 60 men, women and children were killed outright and another 22 people were injured. The owners ordered construction of a new and safer town at the 2,200-ft level which came to be known as “The Townsite” or “Mt Sheer.”
Moodie’s drive and vision directed the broad and far-seeing program that made Britannia one of the world leaders. He, and George Robinson before him, had received strong support and financial assistance from the Howe Sound Co. But with the end of the war, copper prices became uncertain and Howe Sound issued orders to tighten up operations. Moodie was recalled to home office, after which time he resigned, in 1920.
Further setbacks ensued. During a brief period of shutdown in 1921, Mill No. 2 burned to the ground. Just seven months later, on Oct 29, a flood unleashed itself on the unsuspecting Beach community. This time, 37 persons died and 15 were seriously injured. Once again, a new mill had to be constructed and a new town had to be built. A third mill
The person to direct operations for the next 25 years through a period of both peak and decline of production was Carleton Perkin Browning, a 1913 graduate of Columbia University. Under his direction, Mill No. 3, the mill that stands today, was constructed in 1929.
The million-dollar structure was designed on lines similar to the No. 2 mill, with refinements and improvements. It was constructed of steel on concrete foundations and comprised eight roof levels. Equipped with the latest machinery, including 26 ball mills and apparatus for differential froth flotation, it was ready for the great industry that was to be carried on within its walls. It rapidly became a prominent feature on the coast landscape — a thing of beauty.
By 1929, the Britannia Mines were attracting attention as the largest copper-producer in the Commonwealth. Britannia was isolated and linked to the outside world by steamer alone, but with Browning and his wife Mary at the helm, community life flourished. The social and recreational activities were directed by the community clubs in both townsites. Everybody belonged. Everybody participated. Everybody was employed.
The onset of the Great Depression in 1930 signalled another downturn in fortu
nes. But despite the depression, operations continued without interruption. Browning was awarded the Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy’s Randolf Bruce Gold Medal in 1931 for his technical skill, organizational ability and remarkable leadership.
Zinc production was started at the East Bluff and, in 1933, the first shipment of zinc concentrates (containing gold) was shipped to the smelter.
Meanwhile, within the walls of Mill No. 3, the mill superintendent A. C. Munro carried on a constant search for better and more efficient methods and machinery. In 1935, two units of the elevation-type classifier, designed by Munro, were installed. Six years later, the primary crushing process was improved by the installation of a Buchanan jaw crusher. In 1938 and 1939, a total of 122,000 tons of pyrite was shipped to Japan.
Copper prices rose during the Second World War. As the war progressed, the mine continued to produce minerals for the war effort, but the work force fell off drastically to about 400 because of men enlisting in the armed forces and the lure of better jobs in wartime industries. The Britannia Mines became unionized and suffered through its first strike in 1946.
After some boom years in the early 1950s, when the Korean War created a demand for zinc from No. 6 “Fairview” mine, copper prices sank to an all-time low.
The outside world came to Britannia when the rail line was completed from Squamish to North Vancouver in 1956. Two years later, the Squamish highway was completed. Community life could not compete with outside attractions. Mt Sheer was emptied and eventually all the buildings were destroyed. For reasons of economy, all operations for the mine were moved to the Beach. The once-proud Britannia Mining and Smelting Co. was down to seven employees and in 1959 went into liquidation, its assets being taken over by the Howe Sound Co. Anaconda buys mine
This is not the end for Britannia Mines, however. In 1963, the Montana-based Anaconda Mining Co. purchased the property from Howe Sound Co., intending to use Britannia as a base for its exploration programs in western Canada.
Anaconda launched an aggressive search for new ore at Britannia. A labor dispute intervened just as the drills were intersecting mineralization in a new ore zone. This new orebody proved to be the carrot that brought the company and the union to the bargaining table.
The mill was not left behind in the renewed activity. The fine grinding circuit was remodelled. By increasing the horsepower and adding rubber liners, the capacity of each ball mill was increased and the number of mills decreased to six from 15. The coarse ore bins were rehabilitated to accommodate the coarse ore now being crushed underground. In addition, the silica contained in the coarse sands of the tailings was recovered and sold to cement companies in the area. A new precipitation plant to remove copper from the mine water was installed at the townsite to replace the very successful smaller ones that had operated there and at several other places on the surface and underground since 1924.
Although 300 employees continued to produce an average of 60,000 tons of concentrate annually, the new ore reserves were limited, and rapidly rising costs and increased taxation combined to defeat efforts to keep the mine operating.
The rumors of shutdown became a reality and on Nov 1, 1974, the whistle blew a 3-second requiem blast for the 55 men who went underground on the last shift.
During the 70-year life of the mining operation, about 60,000 employees with their families called Britannia their home. Their story is representative of the key role of hardrock mining in the Western Cordillera. Determined to preserve their story, Britannia people commissioned a history of the mining operation and planned a mining museum. In the spring of 1975, The British Columbia Museum of Mining opened its doors to the public. Since that time, a great deal of energy has been spent on developing the museum and the old mining property. In the words of Olive Baxter, a Britannia old-timer: “as long as the museum remains open, the old mines will always be with us.” Marilyn Mullan is curator of the British Columbia Museum of Mining. Dr. Dianne Newell is with the Dept. of History, University of British Columbia.
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