The white plume of vapour was visible in the daylight for miles around.  The sound of hammers, heard constantly in the background day and night.   Every hour, every day, every month, every season, every year from 1929 to 2002, with few interruptions sodium sulphate was harvested by Horseshoe Lake Mining and Smelting Co. Ltd, later renamed Ormiston Mining and Smelting Co. Ltd. 

It’s over now; the old plant was torn down in 2009.  For 70 years it employed the men and a few women of Ormiston and District.  The bull gang, the day shift, 4 to 12, and the midnight crews were like clock work as the designated driver picked up the others at their homes and headed south out of town to the salt mine. 

The reunion will be a time for stories of evaporators, draglines, dryers and dredges.  A 70 year saga of a factory that was built in the 20’s, and survived the depression, a world war and provided good jobs, full time or temporary for Ormiston and surrounding communities.  Dynamite boxes, hot water showers, mud augers, D8 dozers, you name it.  Don’t miss the Reunion in August 2012.

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