Capelton Mine is a 155 year old copper mine that offers a captivating look at the harsh but economically advantageous life of copper mining in Quebec.
History of Capelton Mine
The copper boom in the region began in 1863 a result of the cessation war in the United States. Copper was needed for making ammunition. At it’s peak the mine employed 200 workers. While women were not allowed to be miners, young men could start working as of 14 years old. The newcomers were given the awful task of emptying out the toilet carts. Suddenly my summer job at a fast food chain looks pretty grand!
The conditions for the miners were pretty brutal with a one hour hike up the mountain to the cave entrance followed by 12 hour days working by candlelight on the tip of their hats, six days of week.
The trade off to the harsh working conditions was a salary of 1.10$ per day. To provide an economic context, it cost 3$ a month to rent a house in the town.
The Capelton mine closed in 1907 when it was no longer economically sustainable to mine the copper.
Visiting Capelton Mine
To get to the cave entrance visitors sit on a trailer that is pulled by the tractor up to the top of the mountain which is a fun experience in of itself.
While the entire mine is roughly 1500 metres deep, the visit only brings you 5 metres below the surface. This is due to the fact that the remainder of the mine is flooded with water.
Divers and drones have been sent down to see what lies below the water but because of all the dust the moment there is movement in the water it gets murky and vision is obstructed.
Capelton mine is one of three mines in the area. The Eustis mine is actually twice as deep measuring 3000 metres. Until 1990 it was the deepest mine on earth. See the maps of the mines pictured above.
Interestingly, the deeper down you go the warmer the air gets. It increases at a rate of roughly one degree celsius for every 100 meters because you are approaching the hot core of the earth.
Heading below the surface
Visiting the mine was a little nerve wracking as you make your way down and realize that the structures of the mine are still the original from over a hundred years ago. However, Capelton mine is safe to visit because they used black powder to break the rocks and this explosive does not damage the schist of the rock. Moreover, the ph of the mine is fairly neutral compared to others with dynamite that will be highly acidic.
The group was a great mix of adults and children. There are lots of steep stairs, so beware if mobility is a concern or if you are bringing small children. The guide was really dynamic and did a great job making history engaging and keeping the attention of the children.
At the end of the tour the guide closed all the lights so that we could experience what it was like to work as the miners did while we made our way out of the mine. It was a thrilling (and a tad terrifying) to walk out.
I think this is a great outing especially if the weather looks to be rainy or cold since most of the time is spent underground. There is also a viewing tower to snap a few pictures of the valley below.
For more information check out their website.
Looking for other activities to keep busy in the Eastern Townships?
Try local food products and go wine tasting.
Check out this free art museum in downtown Magog
