Hudsons Bay building 2008
Manson Creek Historic Society

Photos

Hydraulic Mining

Hydraulic mining peaked during the late 1930s in the Omineca goldfields

 

Hydraulic at Germansen VenturesHydraulic at Germansen Ventures 2

monitor #1 pit 1939monitor #1 pit 1939

Most of this Hydraulic mining occurred on the Germansen River. Larger pipes were choked down to smaller nozzles and this high pressure water was aimed at the gravel to expose deep tertiary channels at low cost.

 

3Cleaning bedrock #1 pit

On some of the larger pits channels where cut deep into the bedrock in the bottom of the pit (upper left). Large sluices were then placed in the bottom of these channels. Water monitors were used to direct the gravels through these sluices. After the bedrock on the pit bottom was washed clean by the monitors it would be cleaned by hand. The nooks and crannies were cleaned after being split open by chisels and jack hammers (upper right). This bedrock was very rich and large quantities were recoverd this way. Modern miners have ripped this bedrock again with large ripper equiped bulldozers.

 

Washing away tailings #7Hydraulic discharge

After gravels were washed through sluices the tailings were sent directly into the rivers by more monitors. Millions of metres of gravel were sent down the Germansen River by this method.

 

Hydraulic at Twin CreekTwin Creek

Hydraulic mining at Twin Creek (upper left and right)

 

Hydraulic Manson CreekHydraulic at Manson Creek 2Hydraulic Manson Creek Herb Porter

Upper three photos show hydraulic mining on Manson Creek.

 

Hydraulic elevatorHydraulic elevator Slate

Another form of hydaulic mining was the "hydraulic elevator". The 43rd Company used this at Slate Creek. With a hydraulic elevator the pressure of water was used to lift the gravels from a pit or shaft bottom.

 

Hydraulic elevator 2000Hydraulic elevator 2

The same hydraulic elevator used by the 43rd Col. was discovered by L. Worthing mining at Slate Creek in 2000.