Usk- Columario Mine

Columario Mine

Omineca Mining Division
Skeena Section

LAT- 54 34 42,
LONG- 128 23 02

Name formed from British Columbia and Ontario Provinces where the finances, and men came from

Valhalla and Kleanza Groups

Located on the west slope of Kleanza Mountain about 4 miles southeast of Usk

Columario Gold Mines Limited, incorporated in Ontario, was formed in 1927, and carried out active development work for several years.Capt. John Willman was the BC Representative, (bio below) and he was in charge of the development.
All the original investors were based in Toronto. Company issued $1,000,000 in shares.

This company was succeeded in 1933 by Columario Consolidated Gold Mines Limited, also incorporated in Ontario.
Between 1933 and 1935 Columario Consolidated Gold Mines, Limited, made an effort to develop their mining property into a paying mine.

1937 this company went bankrupt

A 75-ton daily capacity flotation mill operated for about nine months in 1934 and 1935.

A 12-bucket aerial tramway, 4,800 feet long, carried the ore from the mine workings to the mill, close to the Terrace-Usk highway.

The Columario property consisted of a total of about thirty-five claims.
Work was first done on these, and the Golden Crown group, by the Kleanza Mining Company in 1919.

Kleanza Company received most of its capital from North Dakota, They operated a sawmill at Usk as well as mining ventures.

1930- Copper River Exploration Co. had under option or bond, the Ptarmigan Group, as well as the Toulon Group, of 5 crown granted claims, also the Northwest Group.
51 claims were taken over, between Kleanza Lake and Copper River.
Company owned by an English syndicate, H. L. Batten, Mining Engineer, was the Secretary, and a Director John Willman was a Director, (see below)
Head Office was Stewart, Batten and Associates, Vancouver BC
Company had $1,000,000 in shares.

Photos and some Info from McRae Collection, Terrace

Harold Leslie Batten

• b- Dec 18, 1886, Singapore
• d- July 9, 1958, the Crescent, Qualicum Beach, age 71
• son of William Townsend Batten and Sarah Amelia Barker

1988 Mine was owned by Hillsborough Resources Ltd, Brampton ON

Argonaut Exploration owned and mined this property (2013), they also owned the Lucky Luke Mine Group, and the Cordillera Mine group

Captain Johan “John” Willman

• b- Oct 30, 1872 in Statsbygden, Norway
• (born 1867 per cemetery transcription)
• d- Jan 11, 1937 in Usk, age 69
• buried in Kitsumgallum Cemetery
• Immigrated in 1909, naturalized in 1913
• In 1921 shown as Mining and Lumber Manager
• I believe his wife was Karen Hogan also born in Norway.
• a Bernt Willman is buried next to Johan in Kitsaumgallum Cemetery, was this a relative?
• John enlisted in WWI in Winnipeg, Apr 29, 1916
  • Reg # 913496
• Surveyor, living in Edmonton when he enlisted.
• He was in the Norwegian Army for 3 1/2 years, in military school as Private and Corporal, and 9 years as Officer in the Infantry.
• His wife was next of kin, and she still lived in Norway

John Willman was also involved in a new Copper find, on the Toulon Group owned by Major McConnell from England.
It was on the left bank of the Chimdemash Creek, about 4 miles from Usk.
John Willman worked with the Kleanza Mining Co. as well

Note sure if I have the right John Willman for the next set of info.

• I believe he immigrated in 1907 on the steamship King Oscar from Norway to New York.
• He came to Canada thru Seattle/Vancouver Jan 10, 1924.
• ca July 1925, He contributed a 99 year lease on frontage of part of his land in Usk subdivision for a new Union Church

Nephew in some records, ( I think it was his son),

• Erling Willman, was in Usk as well
  • b- Nov 1, 1903, age 17 in 1921, in Norway
  • d- June 15, 1972 in Campbell River Hospital,
  • he married May Agnes Williams in USK

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