Cantung

Producer in Northwest Territories, Canada with commodities Tungsten, Copper
Sections on this page
  1. Identification information
  2. Geographic coordinates
  3. Site location context
  4. Geographic areas
  5. Commodities
  6. Materials information
  7. Nearby scientific data
  8. Ore body information
  9. Economic information about the deposit and operations
  10. Mining district
  11. Mineral rights holdings
  12. Land status
  13. Ownership information
  14. Production statistics
  15. Reserves and resources
  16. Workings at the site
  17. Links to other databases
  18. Bibliographic references
  19. General comments
  20. Reporter information

Geologic information

Identification information

Deposit ID 10133705
MAS/MILS ID 1220300004
Record type Site
Current site name Cantung
Alternate or previous names Cantung Mine

Geographic coordinates

Point of reference Ore Body
Geographic coordinates: -128.25208, 62.96665 (WGS84)
Elevation 1200
Location accuracy 1000(meters)

Site location context

Political divisions (FIPS codes)

Alaska(state)

United States(country)

North America(continent)

Land(continent)

Geographic areas

Country State
Canada Northwest Territories

Commodities

Commodity Importance
Tungsten Critical Primary
Copper Tertiary

Materials information

Materials Type of material
Calcite Unknown
Chalcopyrite Unknown
Pyrrhotite Unknown
Quartz Unknown
Scheelite Unknown

Nearby scientific data

Ore Body (1) -128.25208, 62.96665

Economic information

Ore body information

  • Strike N90E
    Dip 20S
    Thickness 12M
    Length 900M
    Field Value
    Type of Orebody #1 REPLACEMENT
    Shape of Orebody #1 LENTICULAR
    Type of Orebody #2 STOCKWORK
    Shape of Orebody #2 IRREGULAR
    Type of Orebody #3 OTHER
    Primary mode of Origin CONT METASOMATIC
    Primary Ore Control CONTACT ZONE
    Secondary Ore Control LITHOLOGY
    Degree of Wallrock Alter. INTENSE
    Type of Wallrock Alter. #1 CARBONATE SILIC
    Strike And Dip N90E:20S
    Date of Last Modification 830902

Economic information about the deposit and operations

Operation type Underground
Development status Producer
Commodity type Metallic
Significant Yes
Discovery year 1958
Mining method Open Stope - Room and Pillar
Year of first production 1962
Milling method Gravity

Mining district

District name Selwyn Mountains

Mineral rights holdings

Type of mineral rights Unknown

Land status

Ownership category Unknown

Ownership information

  • Type Operator
    Owner Canada Tungsten Mining Corp. Ltd. (56% Amax)
    Interest 100
    Home office Canada
    Year 1992
  • Type Owner
    Owner Amax Inc.
    Interest 56
    Home office Connecticut
    Year 1992

Production statistics

  • Year 1966
    Description 115568 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major WO3 Tungsten Tungsten 115568mt
  • Year 1967
    Description 7778 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Tungsten Tungsten 7778mt
  • Year 1968
    Description 116558 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Tungsten Tungsten 116558mt
  • Year 1969
    Description 167389 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Tungsten Tungsten 167389mt
  • Year 1970
    Description 1768 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Tungsten Tungsten 1768mt
  • Year 1971
    Description 181596 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Tungsten Tungsten 181596mt
  • Year 1972
    Description 172826 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Tungsten Tungsten 172826mt
  • Year 1973
    Description 164900 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Tungsten Tungsten 164900mt
  • Year 1974
    Description 170614 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Tungsten Tungsten 170614mt
  • Year 1975
    Description 179032 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Tungsten Tungsten 179032mt
  • Year 1976
    Description 188934 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Tungsten Tungsten 188934mt
  • Year 1977
    Description 185629 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Tungsten Tungsten 185629mt
  • Year 1978
    Description 194740 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Tungsten Tungsten 194740mt
  • Year 1979
    Description 271550 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Tungsten Tungsten 271550mt
  • Year 1980
    Description 349000 Mtpy
    Importance Item Commodity Group Amount recovered Grade Recovery percentage
    Major Tungsten Tungsten 349000mt

Comments on the production information

  • THREE CONCENTRATES ARE PRODUCED: PRODUCT A IS A GRAVITY CONCENTRATE AT 75% W03, PRODUCT B IS A GRAVITY CONCENTRATE AT 25% W03, PRODUCT C IS A FLOTATION CONCENTRATE AT 25% W03.

Reserves and resources

  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1974
    Measured 124000mt ore
    Demonstrated 124000mt ore
    Total resources 124000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Tungsten Wo3 1.55 wt-pct Tungsten Major 1974
    Copper Cu 0.2299 wt-pct Copper Trace 1974
  • Type In-situ
    Estimate year 1989
    Measured 1400000mt ore
    Demonstrated 1400000mt ore
    Total resources 1400000mt ore
    Commodity Subtype Grade units Group Importance Year
    Tungsten Wo3 1.2 wt-pct Tungsten Major 1989

Comments on the reserve resource information

  • RESOURCES AS OF 1/83 OTHER NAME FLAT RIVER 08/92: TEMP SHUTDOWN AS OF MAY, 1986. CLOSURE ORIGINALLY DUE TO A LABOR DISPUTE. IT HAS REMAINED CLOSED DUE TO LOW SCHEELITE PRICES. PUBLIC RESERVE AND GRADE IS FROM ROSKILL, QUOTING COMPANY REPORTS ON 1985 (LAST FULL YEAR ) PRODUCTION.
  • PUBLIC RESERVE/GRADE INFO FROM: THE ECONOMICS OF TUNGSTEN 1990 , SIXTH EDITION. BY ROSKILL INFORMATION SERVICES LTD.

Workings at the site

  • Type of workings Underground
    Field Value
    MAS Development Schedule # 1
    Mining Record # 1
    Status of Mining Method PROPOSED
    Mining Method ROOM AND PILLAR 10-34
    Hardness of Rock UNKNOWN
    Rock Characteristics UNKNOWN
    Rock Support Chars. UNKNOWN
    Mine Support Chars. UNKNOWN
    Number of Inclines 1
    Avg. Length of Adits (m) 670
    Number of Adits 1
    1st Condition of Workings UNKNOWN
    Capacity 1094
    Capacity Units MT ORE/DAY
    Unit Production Cost 18.63
    Units of Production $/MT ORE
    Operating Days per Year 320
    Operating Shifts per Day 2
    Year of Information 1981

Reference information

Bibliographic references

  • Production

    VEZINA, J.A., W.A. GOW, A PROCESS FOR PREPARING TUNGSTIC

  • Production

    TRIOXIDE OF HIGH PURITY FROM A CANADIAN SCHEELITE

  • Production

    CONCENTRATE, CIM BULL., DEC., 1966, P.1418-1422.

  • Geology

    BROWN, C.J., THE GEOLOGY OF THE FLAT RIVER TUNGSTEN

  • Geology

    DEPOSITS, CANADA TUNGSTEN MINING CORP., LTD., CIM BULL.,

  • Geology

    JULY, 1961, P.510-513.

  • Reserve-Resource

    CANADIAN MINES HANDBOOK 1979-80, NORTHERN MINER PRESS LTD.,

  • Reserve-Resource

    1979, P.56,57.

  • Reserve-Resource

    CANADA TUNGSTEN MINING CORP. LTD. 1989 ANNUAL REPORT.

  • Workings

    CUMMINGS, W.W., D.E. BRUCE, CANADA TUNGSTEN- CHANGE TO

  • Workings

    UNDERGROUND MINING & DESCRIPTION OF MINE-MILL PROCEDURES,

  • Workings

    CIM BULL., AUG., 1977 (REPRINT FOR THE DEISTER CONC. CO.

  • Workings

    INC.) 8P..

  • Deposit

    WESTERN MINER, EXPANSION AT CANADA TUNGSTEN MINE: PREPARING

  • Deposit

    TO CONTINUE WORK IN WINTER; OCT., 1977, P.29,30.

  • Deposit

    WESTERN MINER, CANADA'S ONLY TUNGSTEN PRODUCER, OCT.,1974,

  • Deposit

    P.36.

  • Deposit

    MINING MAGAZINE, NEW CANADIAN TUNGSTEN MINE NEARS

  • Deposit

    PRODUCTION, FEB., 1974, P.73.

  • Deposit

    ROBERTS, RICHARD J., BUSY ON $10M EXPANSION- CANADA TUNGSTEN

  • Deposit

    OUTPUT AT HIGH LEVEL, THE NORTHERN MINER, AUG. 18, 1977,

  • Deposit

    VOL. 63, NO. 23.

  • Deposit

    ELLERMAN, ROY, OPERATIONS OF CANADA TUNGSTEN MINING

  • Deposit

    CORFORATION LIMITED, DECO TREFOIL, SUMMER ISSUE, 1969,

  • Deposit

    P.9-24.

  • Deposit

    WALKER, C.S., M.A. THOMAS, AN UNUSUALLY HIGH THERMAL

  • Deposit

    EFFICIENCY POWER PLANT FOR THE CANTUNG MINE, CIM BULL.,

  • Deposit

    FEB., 1965, P.199-205.

  • Deposit

    WHITE, L.G., THE CANADA TUNGSTEN PROPERTY, FLAT RIVER AREA,

  • Deposit

    NORTHWEST TERRITORIES; CIM BULL., MAY, 1963, P. 390-393.

  • Deposit

    PAZOUR, DONALD A., CANADA TUNGSTEN TO DOUBLE PRODUCTION;

  • Deposit

    WORLD MINING, APRIL, 1979, P.50-54.

  • Deposit

    PRODUCTION; FEB., 1974, P.73.

  • Deposit

    GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA, TUNGSTEN, G.S.C. ECONOMIC

  • Deposit

    REPORT NO. 1, GEOLOGY AND ECONOMIC MINERALS OF CANADA,

  • Deposit

    1969, P.515-516.

  • Deposit

    BOTTOMLEY, PAMELA, CANADA TUNGSTEN ON TOP OF THE WORLD,

  • Deposit

    NORTHERN MINER, AUG. 16, 1979, P.A1,A2.

  • Deposit

    NORTHERN MINER, CANADA TUNGSTEN EXPANSION PROGRAM IS ON

  • Deposit

    SCHEDULE; JUNE 22, 1978, P.1,8.

  • Deposit

    ANNUAL REPORTS, CANADA TUNGSTEN MINING CORP., LTD. 1975-80.

  • Deposit

    TUNGSTEN, PROCEEDINGS OF THE FIRST INTERNATION TUNGSTEN

  • Deposit

    SYMPOSIUM, STOCKHOLM, 1979, EDITED MINING JOURNAL BOOKS.

  • Deposit

    CANADA TUNGSTEN MINING CORP., LTD., INFORMATION CARD, THE

  • Deposit

    FINANCIAL POST CORP. SERVICE, TORONTO MSW1A7 CANADA

General comments

Subject category Comment text
Deposit 76-RCD-601&611-OPEN PIT OPERATION CLOSED LATE 1973 BUT STILL 3,175,000MT @ .65% WO3 AND 124,000MT @ 1.60% WO3 REMAININ THE OPEN PIT RESOURCE. THE CANTUNG MINE AT TUNGSTEN, NORTHWEST TERRITORIES REMAINED ON A CARE AND MAINTENANCE BASIS THROUGHOUT 1989. THE PLANT FACILITIES AND OREBODY REMAIN IN GOOD CONDITION, AND DEPENDING ON CIRCUMSTANCES PRODUCTION COULD RESUME WITHIN A FOUR MONTH PERIOD. (CANADA TUNGSTEN MINING CORPORATION LTD. ANNUAL REPORT FOR 1989).

Reporter information

Type Date Name Affiliation Comment
Reporter 18-APR-95 Bleiwas, Donald U.S. Bureau of Mines

Beyond USGS

Supplemental information added by qvyshift.com. Not part of the original USGS MRDS record.

Operator history (post-MRDS)

MRDS records operators as of each record's last update (≤ 2019). Some of the operators listed here have since changed hands or dissolved:

Curated by qvyshift.com from publicly-reported M&A activity (SEC filings, press releases, USGS Mineral Yearbooks). Not authoritative — verify against primary sources before relying on it. The MSHA panel above is the current authoritative source for actively-permitted mines.