AME BC History - 1950s

The fifties were opened by the discovery of what became the Cassiar Asbestos Mine by four prospectors, one of which, Hiram Nelson, was a graduate of the Prospector Training School.  In 1951 AME BC records state that “For quite a number of years past, much of the speculative capital from Vancouver and other centres in this province has been going into the development of Ontario gold mines” and concluded that “at last a goodly portion of this money, plus considerable more from other parts of Canada and the United States, is invested in the development of base metal deposits in this section of Canada.”  During 1951 AME BC vigorously and successfully opposed a proposed act that would amalgamate the Department of Mines Act, Mineral Act, Placer Mining Act and the Mines Right-of-Way Act.

In 1952 Professor Harry V. Warren became the president of AME BC, Tom Elliott the acting manager and large mining companies continued to move into British Columbia.  That same year Charlie Aird, president  in 1986, Charles Hankins and Wally Green staked the Wellgreen Nickel deposit.  The next year, 1953, two graduates of the Prospectors’ School, Tom McQuillan and Einar Kyale, staked what later developed into the Granduc Mine.  AME BC, along with representatives from the Yukon began a successful opposition to the substitution of the Yukon Quartz Mining Act with regulations similar to that of the Northwest Territories Canada Mining Regulations.  By the end of 1953, declining base metal prices and the continuing low price of gold clouded the British Columbia and Yukon mining scene.

By 1954, Tom Elliott was pleased to report that 35 large companies were actively exploring for minerals in British Columbia. AME BC was once again forced to move and relocated at 751 Dunsmuir Street.  Frank Woodside officially retired in 1955 as manager to be replaced by Tom Elliott who shortly after hired Miss Mitchell, the first of two stenographers.  In 1956 Henry L. Hill, who succeeded S.J. Crocker as president, reported that general interest in mining was at a record level.  This was rapidly confirmed in February by the beginnings of the Highland Valley copper boom.  Good news also came from Ottawa that year with the shelving of Bill 482, a bill to amend the Yukon Quartz Mining Act and the removal of all restrictions on the export of gold.

Two provisional bills, 87 and 91 were introduced in 1957 which AME BC vigorously opposed.  The first would allow the government to levy an annual tax of up to 10% on the assessed value of producing iron ore deposits and the second would grant a number of discretionary powers to government which would jeopardize mineral title.  That same year, AME BC entertained the Japanese steel mission visiting Canada.  Under President James A. Pike in 1958, AME BC consulted with the provincial government on Bill 70, a much improved version of Bill 91.  Bill 87, passed into law as the controversial Mineral Property Taxation Act was later disallowed by the Supreme Court of British Columbia.

Early in 1959 President Dr. Christopher Riley, faced with the need to find a new location for AME BC, stuck a special committee “to investigate the financial feasibility of purchasing a building to serve as a permanent headquarters.” The “Dukes Building” at 840 West Hastings Street was bought for $85,000 with $15,000 down and the remainder over twenty years at 7%. AME BC moved into its new premises on March 5, 1959 and Hill, Stark & Associates rented the upstairs section.