It will be 10 years on December 21, 2011, when the big machine went silent on the surface soil and deep beneath Sullivan Hill here at Kimberley. It was the event of a lifetime for those who lived and worked here.

It has been ten years:

Since Sullivan salaries averaged around $68,000 per year, for those who worked the Sullivan claim (payroll was 41.5 million a year).

The last ton of ore at 2. silver, 6. lead, 5.7 zinc, 28. iron and .03 tin would be the average total of 163,111,830 tons produced.

The last of the silver produced was to the tune of 286,678,711 troy ounces.

The lead produced was 9,0545,673 tons.

The zinc produced was 8,455,828 tons.

The iron produced was 41,217,624 tons.

The value to the provincial economy would be $20 billion dollars.

In retain services, indirectly, it was $60 billion.

It would be the last of mining development that would equal 397.1 miles of broken ground.

It would be the halt to 42.23 miles of track haulage drifts.

It would be the closure of 60.25 miles of underground roadways.

There would be a halt to the extraction of minerals like anitmony, bismuth, cadmium, copper, indium, thallium and gold.

Also the end would come to employment for an average of 1000 people for 91 years, in a workplace that was considered a home.

Since that day in 2001, 10 years ago, Kimberley has weathered the storm, beat the odds, fought the battles and moved along.

Many have retired 10 years back, many are working elsewhere, back east, up north. It's the coal, diamonds, gold, oil, tungsten, moly or uranium that keeps that Sullivan employee going. They learned their trade here at Kimberley.

Since 2001, the Sullivan Mine has been filling up with water from the 2450- level to just below the 3700 foot level (3630 level)

Three raise pumps control the level, twice a year. After closure in 2001, the 3700 foot level needed repair, 600 supplemental timber sets and 20,000 rock bolts were installed, just in case of a major ground failure. In the last year, as we speak, timber sets are being dismantled and replaced by rockbolts, no new timber sets are installed. There were 1300 original sets and 750 replaced or added.

In 2002, January 20, the underground water level was just below the 2700 foot level.

There were three raises driven from the 3500 foot levels to the 3700 foot level. No. 45 pump raise is 142.9 feet, No. 37 pump raise is 153.8 feet and No. 23 pump raise is 166.5 feet. These three raises when turned on, twice a year, spring and fall, produce 8300 litres per minute. The water goes into a300 foot grid chamber which is situated on the 3700 foot level.

Also that same year, 2002, the 3700 haulage track drift was converted form a rail to a roadway, which is 13,000 feet long.

In 2003, May 30, the water level underground was just below the 3050 level.

That same year, the Fertilizer/Iron steel grounds and the mine office and dry buildings were torn down. Surface shafts were capped and No. 1 shaft headframe was brought down, on August 25.

Also a fence outlining the perimeter of the mine workings was installed. (8 km)

More pit filling was completed near the open pit.

In 2004, Trail would send Sullivan waste slag back to where it once originated, on Sullivan land. Trees and shrubs would be planted in front of the central shop area, wood construction would start. The concentrator foundation and buildings would be brought down.

In 2005 to 2007, many seals were shotcreted underground.

In 2006, resurfacing continued at the Concentrator grounds. Also 12,700 feet of 14 inch pipeline was installed in the 3700 level to handle the pump water from below that level.

A sad note in 2006 would see four people die at a water test site station just below the 4380 level on surface.

In 2007, more seals were shotcreted on 4250, 4150, No. 1 ramp, 4000 and North Ramp.

Between 2007 and 2009 there were 10 big cement pours underground, three in the 501 control room, two on each end of 501 bins, two at the top of 3902 belts, one in the portal of the 3900 foot level and one at the hole-in-the-wall, and one at the 3800 foot level ramp, which goes form the ramp to 39133 drift breakthrough.

Rock bolting continues on 3700 level, replacing old timber sets.

Two refuge stations still exist and are safe haven, at 3800 and 3700 levels.

A crew of six still work at the Sullivan Mine. A crew of eight still work at the Closure Club. A crew of 11 work at the Design Office, with three who do site monitoring and water treatment.

Redding Mining is the contractor for the mine. Sullivan Closure Club is the contractor for maintenance. Other contractors are also on site.

The Sullivan grounds continue to be monitored.

There is still a breathtaking view of the Rocky Mountains and North Star from the Sullivan outcrop high on the eastern flank of the Purcell Mountains.

In 2010, some new Teck staff were hired to work at Kimberley, with the recent retirement of Brian McKenzie and Bruce Dawson.

It has been 10 years since we travelled in and about he Sullivan Mine. We knew that place better than most people would know. Names, numbers and people, what a place.

This is one mans' opinion. With the metal market at an all time high, and climbing over the last 10 years, somebody might have made a mistake in flooding the mine, with metals the way they are today. Ore still has a presence in the water filled mine.