IOCC History - Mapping Carol Lake

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While still looking for proven reserves in the Knob Lake area, Joe Retty sent a team of geologists to the Wabush area without the knowledge of the IOCC partners. While this 7-man team was mapping the area, they landed on an unnamed lake. The team leader, Buzz Neil, named the lake Carol after his girlfriend. Thus, the name Carol Lake Project became synonymous with all future work in this area.

The money for the Carol Lake survey came from the surveying budget for the Knob Lake area. While visiting the Knob Lake area for a progress report, the IOCC partners were informed of the Carol Lake venture. This information was not well received and one man in particular, George Humphrey, walked to the display that had been set up, picked up a chunk of ore, turned to Joe Retty and said, "Joe, this is for our grandchildren." Hindsight is always 20/20, and although the information regarding the money spent mapping Carol for reserves was not well received, it proved in later years to be the life-line for IOCC. The Carol Lake deposits were known within the industry as "lean ore" and at that time there was no way to profitably separate the crude ore. Because of the rapid development of new technologies, this statement became obsolete a scant nine years later.

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Core samples from diamond drilling. These samples are brought the chemical laboratory located in the mill for further testing. They are tested for iron, mag and silica content; they are also tested for hardness and sizing after the core samples are run through a rotary crusher. The results of these tests determine where the minable reserves are located.