ODDS’N’SODDS — Safeguarding a rich Boylen orebody

I worked as a mine geologist at M.J. Boylen’s Key Anacon mine in New Brunswick for a year in the mid-1960s.

In late 1965, I took a leave of absence for one month. When I reported back to work, Boylen was visiting the mine. “Mr. Boylen would like to see you,” the mine manager told me.

When I went to Boylen’s desk, he was smiling as he handed me an envelope. “This is for you,” he said. “You are doing good work. Keep it up.” When I opened the envelope, it turned out to be one month’s full pay for the time I had taken off.

On a recent visit to Bathurst, N.B.,

I ran into Les Davies, former recorder at the Bathurst office in the 1960s. We talked about the time when Boylen’s 1,000 claims covering the No. 6 and the No. 12 orebodies were converted from mining claims into provincial mining grants by Order-in-Council.

The position, size, shape and plunge of the No. 12 orebody was common knowledge to the local geological confraternity. One day on a routine visit to the recorder’s office, I noticed a map on the wall showing the position of the new mining grants. It was clear that about one quarter of No. 12 orebody, including its north plunge, was on open ground — not covered by the area granted to Boylen’s company.

I immediately left the office to gather a staking crew. But somebody in the office must have noticed my intent. When the staking crew was ready (it took about an hour or two), I found that I had no claim tags. Reluctantly, I returned to the recorder’s office for the tags.

When I got there, Les called me into his office. “Look at this,” he said and he showed me a copy of the claim map at which I had been looking. In an instant it was clear that my only chance of owning 25% of one of the world’s richest base metal deposits had gone forever.

Les must have phoned Fredericton and had the staff quickly extend the Order-in-Council to the north so as to adequately cover the expected northward plunge of No. 12 orebody.

I made the suggestion (and Les tentatively agreed) that Brunswick Mining and Smelting should endow a scholarship in geology at one of New Brunswick’s universities in commemoration of the quick actions of Les and his staff in preventing loss of a good part of its main orebody.

— Martin Kierans, a mineral explorationist and currently a consulting geological engineer, lives in Vancouver.