Maine Reenters Mining Picture

At a special inaugural ceremony in Blue Hill, Maine on August 3rd, Governor John H. Reed detonated the first blast to signify the beginning of development work on a new copper-zinc mining venture that seems destined to focus increased interest in the mineral potential of that State. The property which is the first new base metal mine to be discovered in the northern Appalachians in 30 years, is owned by Black Hawk Mining Co., a subsidiary of Denison Mines Ltd. of Toronto. When it goes on-stream in 1966, it will join Ducktown, Tenn., as the only active copper producing region, east of the Mississippi River. According to official reports submitted by the Company to Robert G. Doyle, Maine's State Geologist, Black Hawk has found ore reserves totalling 4.5 million tons. Assays show 2.8 million tons of 2.0'; copper and 0.4 oz. of silver per ton; 1.2 million tons of 16.75% zinc and 0.58% copper; and 0.5 million tons of 6.75% lead with 4.25 oz. of silver per toil and some zinc.