Harvest from the Rock: A History of Mining in Ontario

Harvest from the Rock: A History of Mining in Ontario recounts the development of the mining industry in Ontario, and in passing traces the development of settlement in the province, for they  are closely linked together.

Harvest from the Rock brings together in one place an overview of a large part of  the history of Ontario. Chapters are arranged more or less  chronologically, from early recordings of Jesuit priests in the 17th century to recent discoveries in the Hemlo gold field. The story criss-crosses the province, moving from the shores of Lake Superior near  Sault Ste. Marie, to Gananoque, off again to Thunder Bay, to Sudbury, Cobalt, Timmins, Red Lake, Atikokan, Elliott Lake, and on to the Hemlo. Smith also records the early days of the Bureau of Mines, and some snippets of mining legislation.

All this makes an absorbing account of the mining industry, and  includes enough social commentary and vignettes of extraordinary characters and episodes to whet the appetite for further reading. The book contains a good selection of photographs to illustrate the action  along the way, and a bibliography to help readers “pursue their interests in a fascinating aspect of Ontario’s history.”

Philip Smith has worked on newspapers and magazines in many parts of the world. He is the author of several books relating factual accounts  of Canadian achievements in engineering, medicine, and business.