Tom Hébert, a young lumberjack from Hull, Quebec, was working for the JR. Booth Lumber Company in the nearby Montreal River area. He learned of new job openings with the T. & N. O. Railway and decided to walk to Long Lake and inquire. While hiking along a high rocky ridge on the east side of the lake he stumbled on some loose rock fragments the pink and green colouring on these rocks attracted his attention.

Photo by: Hank Lafleur (2000)

Cobalt (1904)

 He placed several specimens in his packsack and proceeded northward to Haileybury and the Matabanic Hotel. He showed the rocks to hotel owner Arthur Ferland who called in some friends known for their prospecting expertise.

The group immediately suspected cobalt and nickel minerals and along with Hébert formed a syndicate to stake claims. In all they staked claims totalling 846 acres and in the process made two new discoveries of native silver. Thrilled at this overnight success Tom Hebert accepted a lump sum for his share in the syndicate and returned to his home in Hull. Shortly thereafter the syndicate sold the claims to the Nipissing Mining Company of New York for $250,000. in cash. The Nipissing would soon become the largest producer in the Cobalt Camp. By the time it closed down in 1932 it had produced 92,000,000 ounces of silver.

In 1908 veins 96 and 102 were discovered by trenching on this hilltop. Tunnel 96, the adit at Site # 4, was driven to access these veins for mining. The two veins were mined upwards to surface and downwards by means of a winze. By 1932 the veins had produced over 3,000,000 ounces of silver.  In 1968 the property was acquired by Agnico Eagle Mines who opened the 96 shaft to connect with the levels below. In 1972 all work at this site was discontinued