Kanichee Mine Temagami

During the year 1910, land was staked out and mineral exploration began just north of the town of Temagami. In 1929 continuing exploration efforts resulted in the discovery of platinum. In 1934 Cuniptau Mines sunk a 245-foot deep shaft with lateral mining taking place at the 100 and 200-foot levels. Cuniptau also constructed a pilot smelter, which would process copper-nickel matte.

By 1937 the company had milled 3,318 tons from the underground mine as well as an open pit. Other deposits eventually found in the area would include gold, silver and palladium.

Both the Ontario Nickel Corporation Limited and Trebor Mines Limited took interest in the mineral deposits but all indications show that the area remained inactive from 1937 until 1973.

In 1973 the Kanichee Mining Company and Jack Koza Limited enlarged the open pit mine (now known as Ajax Mine), removed the shaft and began mining the area. The production was more substantial than past efforts, resulting in 1,393,144 pounds of nickel and 3,117,490 pounds of copper.

The Ajax mine closed on February 6, 1976 when weak nickel prices caused Falconbridge Nickel to terminate their contract for concentrates.

The open pit mine and equipment was eventually flooded during the same year of closure.

The site has changed ownership with Northern Platinum Limited originally purchasing the area and with Amador Gold Corporation currently owning the site as of 2007. Amador is currently working on a 4000 metre diamond-drilling operation.

The Kanichee Mine can be found just past Temagami, along the road named after it.