Ontario to close Cobalt laboratory

Ontario’s Ministry of Northern Development and Mines will place its Temiskaming Testing Laboratory in Cobalt on a care-and-maintenance basis effective Sept. 1.

Demand for the lab’s service has dropped off to the point where it is no longer useful to the northeastern Ontario mining industry, said John Gammon, assistant deputy minister responsible for the mines and minerals division. Seven employees will be affected by the closing.

The lab has provided bulk-sampling and assaying services to government agencies, exploration companies and the mining industry for more than 80 years. During the past seven decades, it has been run by the Ontario government. Historically, it served area silver producers.