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No 4 Collar. This was the entrance to the No 4 Mine.
9 May 2004
Bell Island, Newfoundland and Labrador

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On April 19, 1966, an announcement was made that the mines would close. While it came as a shock to many it was not entirely unexpected. New methods of production had developed in the iron industry requiring a different grade of ore. Bell Island's huge deposits of ore were no longer viable to mine. Three generations of Islanders had enjoyed steady income from the mines. People had heard rumblings that the mines were to close but no one truly believed it would come to pass. After the closure of the mines, Bell Island's population declined. Many people who had left their own communities to seek work on the Island returned to their homes. Bell Islanders moved to other areas including the mainland of Canada. For many of them, the connection to Bell Island has always remained strong. Numerous former residents return home regularly to see their beloved Island.