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Black Donald Mines, Ontario
Black Donald Mines is a ghost town located in Renfrew County, Eastern Ontario, Canada. In the first half of the 20th century, the town was known as Canada's largest producer of Graphite ore, and one of the largest producers in the world. Graphite was first discovered along the eastern shore of Whitefish Lake on the Madawaska River in 1889, and at its peak the town's mine produced as much as 90% of Canada's graphite. The mine ceased production after a catastrophic collapse in November 1950, and the adjacent mining village was completely abandoned by 1965. The remnants of the town and mine are now buried under the waters of Black Donald Lake after the area was flooded as part of a hydroelectric project in 1967.

History
The first settlement in the region near Whitefish Lake was a tiny hamlet named Black Donald Creek, established by loggers around 1870. By 1875, logging was a booming regional industry, where timbers were cut, skidded down to the Madawaska River and then driven down to the Ottawa River, a process that took nearly three-quarters of a year. Besides this, subsistence farming and cattle ranching were the only other means of making a living for the community's inhabitants.

Discovery of Graphite
The graphite deposit at Whitefish Lake was discovered by accident in 1889 when a local farmer named John Moore kicked an odd looking rock.