Historical Glimpse of Placer Mining on the Greater Tulameen River

The Tulameen River, historically renowned for its placer mining, originates in the Cascade Recreation Area of southwestern British Columbia. From its headwaters in Paradise Valley, its course flows substantially northward for 30 kilometres to Grasshopper Mountain, thereafter, veering eastward for 10 kilometres to where it then flows through the hamlet of Tulameen. From Tulameen, the river strikes southeast for 25 kilometres, terminating at the Town of Princeton, where it merges with the Similkameen River.

The upper portion of the river runs through a wide valley, then continues through a narrow rock-walled canyon between Grasshopper and Olivine Mountains, to the mouth of Olivine (Slate) Creek. Here, the valley floor, with its deep gravel deposits, broadens, as it continues past the towns of Tulameen and Coalmont, to a point two kilometres downstream from Granite Creek. The river then cuts through a canyon, where extensive gravel deposits are relatively scarce. About five kilometres west of Princeton, the river then enters a broad, gravel-bed valley, with gravel benches on either side, thence extends onward to its mergence with the Similkameen River.

Gold and platinum deposits have been found over the lower 40 kilometres of the river. Most recorded production and exploration has occurred along two stretches. The upper stretch begins approximately 2 kilometres west of Tulameen and continues up the river for 12 kilometres to the mouth of Champion Creek. The lower stretch begins at Coalmont, slightly upstream from the mouth of Granite Creek, and continues southeast for 19 kilometres to Princeton.

Precious metals found along the Tulameen River tend to occur in old sinuous channels. Gold occurs in rough, angular or slightly flattened form and rarely as well-flattened nuggets. Some of the nuggets contain abundant white quartz. Platinum forms small rounded grains of uniform size, are commonly pitted, and are generally smaller than the gold nuggets. Larger platinum nuggets often have a coating or included crystals of cumulate chromite, sometimes with intergrown magnetite and inclusions of olivine. The gravels worked along the river also yielded black sands containing fine platinum, in addition to gold. The ratio of gold to platinum recovered in this part of the river is about 4:1, but decreases upstream. Black sands produced four kilometres above Princeton, assayed 251 grams gold per tonne and 40.1 grams per tonne platinum (Minister of Mines Annual Report 1925, page 216). Further upstream, about three kilometres below Coalmont, a sample of panned black sand assayed 27 grams gold per tonne and 21 grams/tonne platinum (Minister of Mines Annual Report 1929, page 281). A series of shafts and pits at this location (below Coalmont) encountered gravels averaging 1.1 grams of gold equivalent per cubic metre for combined gold and platinum (Minister of Mines Annual Report 1929, page 281). Similar workings at Petersen Flat, 5 kilometres west of Princeton averaged 1.2 grams of gold equivalent per cubic metre for combined gold and platinum (Minister of Mines Annual Report 1924, page 176). Measured geological reserves on the Ruby lease, 6 kilometres below Coalmont, are 268,000 cubic metres grading 1.38 grams of gold equivalent per cubic metre for combined gold and platinum (Property File - N.C. Stines, 1929, page 6). Bulk sampling in the immediate vicinity produced 77.8 grams of coarse gold from 15.3 cubic metres of gravel (Property File - R.B. Stokes, 1980, page 1). Two samples of platinum from the Ruby lease analyzed as follows (in per cent): Gold 0.58 3.54, Platinum 68.74 60.37, Palladium 0.31, Iridium 2.22 15.99, Osmium 6.81, Rhodium 0.48 6.06, Ruthenium 7.23, and Insoluble metals (osmiridium, etc). 8.1 - - - Statistic’s Source: Minister of Mines Annual Report 1930, page 212; N.C. Stines, 1929, pages 43, 44.

Production of placer gold from the area was first reported in 1877, and may have commenced as early as 1860, but began to wane by 1887. High platinum prices during the mid to late-1920's prompted a revival of placer mining along both the upper and lower sections of the river. Three prominent operations were active along the lower part of the river between 1924 and 1929, one located three kilometres below Coalmont (the Guest lease), another at six kilometres below (the Ruby lease), and the third four kilometres above Princeton (National Holdings Ltd.).

Production from the Ruby lease for 1926 amounted to 778 grams of gold and 280 grams of platinum (Minister of Mines Annual Report 1926, page 230). Minor production occurred during the 1940's and 1950's, largely within 5 kilometres of Princeton. This activity was centered three kilometres west of Princeton, where for example, R. Haigh recovered 1534 grams of gold and 420 grams of platinum from 760 cubic metres of gravel in 1941 (Minister of Mines Annual Report 1941, page 92). The adjacent Ashley deposit produced 900 dollars in gold and platinum weekly in 1941 from a paystreak up to 0.9 metre thick, comprised of well-bedded, partly cemented gravels, overlain by 3 metres of glacial material (Geological Survey of Canada Memoir 243, page 59). Gold production for the entire river between 1885 and 1945 is estimated at 297,000 grams.

Since its earliest days of discovery, the greater Tulameen River region has always proven a favored location for placer miners. Tenures rarely become available as most operators hold tightly to their claims. Gold and platinum recovery stories are many, and the name it has built for itself is world renowned.

While many geology scholars believe the majority of an area’s placer gold and platinum originates as fractured segments from local outcrops and vein-work, it is GPEX’s hypothesis, based on extensive physiological and other data research, and field trips, that a considerable proportion of British Columbia’s placer material has been transported for great distances, through glacial action. In the majority of cases, this appears to stand true, as many of those attempting to trace back to the Mother Lode origin, generally, keep coming up empty-handed. Yet, placer miners are now marveling at discoveries in some of the most amazing places. A prime and local example of this, stems from one of the multitude of prospecting tales shared by Bill Barlee, British Columbia's most renowned historian and antiquarian, mining historian and himself, a life-long placer miner, writer, self-publisher, TV host and lecturer. Well known by many, Mr. Barlee’s story is as follows:

Two, shall we say, “Sometimes Miners,” who evidently found greater haven in spending considerably more time in the historic (now burned down) Princeton Hotel, rather than in the field, proved to be quite the Merry Men. For when both their whiskey bottles and pockets ran empty, they’d head up the Coalmont Road approximately 5.5 miles (9+ kilometres) to a slope overlooking the river, slightly downstream from the old Ruby mine. And there, on the elevated bench, they’d shovel out a few more buckets of gravel in the namesake of their “tavern habit,” then make their way to water’s edge where they’d pan out enough gold to keep them “afloat” a little longer. Elevations in the area ranges from 700 metres at river level, to, 780 metres to 840 metres on the upper bench (slope) areas. Source: Bill Barlee - - story featured on his TV series and in his book publications flagged under “Gold Trails and Ghost Towns” by NL Barlee.

A further report of a “high-ground” placer also relevant to the local Tulameen region, and as also shared by Barlee, relates to the Director of the Princeton Hospital. who’d spend the majority of his lunch-breaks panning gold from the (then) graveled basement floor of the hospital. His endeavors were reported as being quite successful. The hospital occupies land on the Third Bench, at the 700 metre elevation, with the river’s level at 640 metres.

A Little About Princeton

The town of Princeton, with a population of approximately 3,024, once served as the hub to several communities during early mining days. This bustling hamlet is located along the southern corridor of British Columbia on the Crow's Nest Highway (BC Highway #3). The mergence of the Tulameen with the Similkameen River, serve as the southern gateway to the British Columbia Interior. The mountains and valleys anointing the greater Princeton area landscape make it a natural setting for fabulous, year-round outdoor activities, and an outstanding vacation destination. In the early 1800s the town was called Vermillion Forks by the fur traders traveling the Hudson Bay's Brigade Trail from the west coast to the interior of BC. In 1860 the name was changed to Princetown by Governor James Douglas, in honor of the Prince of Wales who was visiting that year.

One of the more legendary characters from Princeton's colorful past was the greatly admired and respected Mr. George Edwards. Turns out Mr. Edwards robbed trains for a living, counting the Canadian Pacific Railway, Wells Fargo, and other American railways amongst his victims. The notorious Bill Miner was the first train and coach robber in North America before settling into his hideout in the hillside near Princeton Castle. Rumors have it that his unfound treasure still resides there The downtown core of Princeton would be considered somewhat small by metropolis standards, yet there remains many interesting shops, restaurants, cafés, several fast food outlets, a supermarket, clothing stores, banking facilities, realtors, vehicle parts and repair shops, hardware store, building supply outlet, sporting goods store, numerous gas stations, a hospital and ambulance service, private and provincial campgrounds, several motels, lodges and guest ranches - - to list but only some of the Princeton's commerce. The area is also serviced by a national bus company, local mini bus and taxi, with an airport nearby, for serving small private planes. Surrounding communities served by Princeton commerce include, Tulameen, Coalmont, East Manning, Allison Lake, and Osprey Lake. Though Princeton once held a colorful mining history, today, agriculture, tourism and cattle ranching are mainstays of the local economy.

Downtown Princeton

Recreation Facilities & Activities: golf course, rodeo grounds, pool, bowling alley, curling and skating rinks, ski hill, cross country ski trails, baseball diamonds, fitness centres, community and provincial parks, camping/ RV parks , canoeing, wildlife viewing, kayaking, rafting, bird watching, horseback riding, hunting, fishing, hiking, mountain biking and golfing.

Local Attractions: Heritage Museum, China Creek Ski Area, Historical Tours, mill tours, demolition derby, Princeton Castle, Manning Park (45 min. west of Princeton), rodeo, Pony Express Friendship Ride, Princeton Racing Days.

Climate:

Annual Rainfall: 218.3 mm • Annual Snowfall: 150.4 cm

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