Port Belmont facts for kids
Port Belmont, also known as Belmont or Surf Inlet, was once a busy gold-mining town. It was located on the northern part of Princess Royal Island along the British Columbia Coast in British Columbia, Canada.
The area where Port Belmont was built became important during a time when people were searching for copper in the 1910s. This was happening near the Alaska Panhandle. The town was set up on the ocean side of a remote area called Surf Inlet. Getting to Surf Inlet was quite difficult because it was on the rough Pacific Ocean coast.
The Mine's Operation
The mine at Port Belmont started working in 1918. It continued to operate for eight years, until 1926. During this time, the mining site grew into a small community.
What Was There?
- A wharf where ships could dock.
- A camp where the miners and their families lived.
- A mill that could process about 20 tons of ore every hour. This mill helped separate the valuable gold from the rock.
- A special aerial tramway built by Riblet. This was like a cable car system that moved the ore from the mine down to the mill.
- A diesel plant that used Fairbanks-Morse diesel engines. This plant provided power for all the mining operations.
Gold Production
Over the eight years the mine was active, it produced a lot of gold. The total value of the gold ore mined was about eight million dollars. After 1926, the mine stopped operating, and Port Belmont eventually became a ghost town.
