While Canada has had many prolific gold producing regions over the years, including many famous gold rushes, lately the Gold Capital of Canada rests in Red Lake, Ontario. Like much gold in Ontario and Quebec, deposits are found in a greenstone formation at Red Lake. Most of the gold production in the district has come from structurally controlled vein-type gold deposits near regional mafic volcanic-sediment contact or ‘breaks.
In 1938, the mill started at the Madsen Mine. It would produce for the next 36 years.
In 1948 and 1949 respectively, the Arthur White Mine (later Dickenson and Red Lake) mine and then the Campbell Mine went into production.
In 1989, Rob McEwen gained control of an underperforming mine previously known as the Arthur White Mine and then the Dickenson Mine. McEwen, the CEO of Goldcorp, knew the mine could have similar grade and potential to the surrounding mines such as the Campbell Mine.
In 1995, the High Grade Zone was discovered. Nine drill holes averaged 9.08 ounces of gold over 7.5 feet, but the company still found the overall geology to be challenging.
In July 2017, Great Bear Resources entered into a purchase agreement with Newmont Mining to acquire Newmont’s 33% stake in the Dixie Project in Red Lake and in 2018 Great Bear completed the purchase of 100% royalty-free interest in the Dixie Gold Project. Rob McEwen and McEwen Mining participated as part of a $10 million financing completed in September 2018.
Since 1925, 28 operating mines and 28 million oz of gold produced at Red Lake.