Umisk Island facts for kids
| Geography | |
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| Location | Saskatchewan |
| Coordinates | 59°31′50″N 108°28′50″W / 59.53056°N 108.48056°W |
| Administration | |
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Canada
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| Province | Saskatchewan |
Umisk Island is a small island located in Beaverlodge Lake. You can find it in Northern Saskatchewan, Canada. It's a neat spot because it has a public picnic area where people can relax and enjoy the outdoors.
Contents
Island History and Mining
Umisk Island has an interesting past. Years ago, people explored the island's west side. They were looking for a special metal called uranium. This metal is used for many things, including making energy.
Early Exploration for Uranium
The first searches for uranium on Umisk Island happened a long time ago. Between 1946 and 1947, a company named Eldorado Mining and Refining explored the area. They marked off a specific spot, calling it "BEAVER Claim No. 4." This was their way of claiming the land for mining.
Digging a Prospect Shaft
Later, in 1953, another company bought this claim. It was called Meta Uranium Mines Ltd. They started more serious work in 1954. They built a deep hole, known as a prospect shaft. This shaft went down about 115 meters (377 feet) into the ground. It was like a giant tunnel to see if there was enough uranium to mine.
Mining Operations and What Remains
The mining work on Umisk Island stopped in November 1955. Even though the mining ended, you can still see parts of the old mine site on the island today. These remnants are like clues to the island's past.
New Interest in the Island
Many years later, in the spring of 1994, a new company became interested in Umisk Island. The Greater Lenora Resource Corporation staked a new claim on the island. This means they also wanted to explore the island for its resources.
