In
1968, Brian Turner and Abby Seagren formed a company called S & T Enterprises
to mine silica sand at Cape Flattery. They built a small wharf, stockpile
area and a loading conveyor to handle the unrefined sand. After sending samples
to Mitsubishi in Japan, they got their first order of 10,000-15,000 tons.
After
two years, Mitsubishi asked the company to put in a treatment plant to clean
the sand of heavy metal and vegetation, in return, the Japanese agreed to
increase the amount of sand they would take. The plant was erected at Mt Mitchell
which had the amount of water required readily available. Approximately 1,000,000
tons of pure sand was taken from this area over the next few years.
In
the early 80's Mitsubishi bought the whole mine.
A larger treatment plant, a new power station and a conveyor system were then built nearer to the waterfront. Up to this time , all shipments of sand by bulk carriers had been loaded by barges and this proved to be too slow for loading the increasing amounts required by Japan. A new wharf was built for larger ships and the conveyors from the mine face were replaced by a slurry line.
A larger treatment plant, a new power station and a conveyor system were then built nearer to the waterfront. Up to this time , all shipments of sand by bulk carriers had been loaded by barges and this proved to be too slow for loading the increasing amounts required by Japan. A new wharf was built for larger ships and the conveyors from the mine face were replaced by a slurry line.
