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GOLD
PRODUCED |
|
By Police Escort |
Ounces |
| 1868 |
84,792 |
| 1869 |
70,852 |
| 1870 |
44,159 |
| 1871 |
44,712 |
| 1872 |
48,964 |
|
(The latter from 20,500 tons of
stone, equal to 2 ozs. 8dwts. 13grs. per tons). From 1872 to end of 1877 the fields produces approximately 331,521 ozs.
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Warden's Returns |
By 1898 the Warden's returns for 12 months to the 31st of
December were:-
- Total quartz crushed .............. 90,787 tons.
- Total gold..................................105,472 ozs.
- Men employed, quartz reefing 1860 men.
- Men employed alluvial ............29 men.
- Costs of crushing 7/6 to 8/- (shillings) per tons.
- Total No. of companies on register 142.
- Total No. of shares ................6,985,800 shares
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|
GOLD PRODUCED |
|
During |
Ounces |
| 1878 |
41,564 |
| 1879 |
38,453 |
| 1880 |
43,072 |
| 1881 |
67,862 |
| 1882 |
50,312 |
| 1883 |
64,818 |
| 1884 |
112,051 |
| 1885 |
89,600 |
| 1886 |
88,600 |
| 1887 |
102,149 |
| 1888 |
107,119 |
| 1889 |
115,590 |
| 1890 |
78,366 |
| 1891 |
60,714 |
| 1892 |
82,939 |
| 1893 |
78,967 |
| 1894 |
111,168 |
| 1895 |
78,882 |
| 1896 |
73,189 |
| 1897 |
95,584 |
| 1898 |
105,472 |
|
Names of people associated with the early " Mining Era"
|
|
Name |
Occupation |
Comment |
|
Nash, Mr. James. |
Miner |
Discovered gold in Gympie in 1867, |
| Curtis, Mr. George
|
Miner |
Found the famous nugget "Curtis Nugget" in 1868
weighing 975 ozs. (27.69 kg.) |
|
Bracewell, Mr. J. |
Magistrate & Warden |
Acting Police Magistrate and Warden |
| Mowbray, Mr. WM |
Magistrate & Warden
|
Police Magistrate and Warden |
| Mulcahy, Mr. D. |
Chairman
|
Chairman of the Stock Exchange |
| Vaughan, Mr. F. |
Secretary |
Secretary of the Stock Exchange |
| Kidner, Mr. F. |
Proprietor (1st) |
Nashville Times (now Gympie Times) |
| Irwin, Messrs. |
Compositor |
Nashville Times
|
| Rogers, Mr. Herbert |
Compositor |
Nashville Times |
| Chappel, Mr. J. |
Compositor |
Nashville Times |
| Ramsey, Mr. |
Proprietor
|
Nashville Times (now Gympie Times) |
| Boase, Messrs |
Journalist |
The Gympie Miner
|
| Scott, Messrs |
Journalist |
The Gympie Miner
|
| Boote, Mr. H. E. |
Editor |
The Truth (bi-weekly) |
|
Sym, Mr. |
Manager |
Queensland National Bank |
|
Rands Mr. W. H. |
Geologist |
Assistant Government Geologist who made several
elaborate reports on Gympie. |
|
Hansen, Mr. E |
Manager |
Blacks New Zealand mine |
|
King, William |
Manager |
Nicholl's Lease Eastern & Western Mines |
|
Nelson, Thomas |
Manager |
No.7 South Lady Mary |
| Caldwell, Mr. J. |
Manager |
The 7 and 8 Monkland G.M. CO. |
|
Black, Mr. W. |
Manager |
South New Zealand Junction. Mine |
| Hopper, Mr. T. |
Manager |
The New Ellen Harkins. |
| Evans, Mr. D |
Manager |
The North Glandmire |
| Oswin, Mr. T. |
Manager |
The 3 & 4 North Glandmire |
|
Johns, Mr. W. |
Manager |
Manager, Alliance & Sunburst |
|
Casey, Mr. P. |
Manager |
Amalgamated 6,7,8,9 Lady Mary Tribute |
| Saltrick, Mr. |
Manager |
Western Glandmire Mine |
|
Davies, William JP |
Director/Chairman |
Western Glandmire Mine |
| Butler, Mr. I. JP |
Director |
Western Glandmire Mine |
| Menzies, Mr. D |
Director |
Western Glandmire Mine |
| Wallace, Mr. T. B. |
Manager |
Wilmot Extended |
| Couldrey, Mr. |
Principal shareholder |
Phoenix G.M. Co Ltd. |
| Pollock, Mr.
|
Owner |
United Smithfield G.M. Co. |
| Baty, Mr. T |
Manager |
1 North Phoenix (also Director and Chairman of
several companies on the field. |
| Atkinson Mr. J. B. |
Chairman |
Columbia Smithfield G.M. Co. |
| O'Donohue James |
Manager |
O'Donohue's N.Z. Tribute
|
|
O'Connor James |
Manager |
Phoenix Golden Pile |
|
Smith, Bernard |
Manager |
3 North Phoenix |
| James, Mr. R. |
Manager |
Smithfield & Phoenix Golden Pile |
| Davies, Mr. W. |
Chairman of Directors |
Smithfield & Phoenix Golden Pile |
|
Brown, James JP |
Manager |
4 North Phoenix & Vice President Mines Manager
Association. |
| Smyth, Mr. W. MLA |
Director |
4 North Phoenix Mine |
| Stumm, Mr. J. MLA |
Director |
4 North Phoenix Mine |
| Potter, Mr. |
Director |
4 North Phoenix Mine |
| Menzies, Mr. |
Director |
4 North Phoenix Mine |
|
Power, Mr. F. J . |
Director |
Australasian G. M. Co.'s claim & chairman Gympie
Mines Drainage Board. |
| James Mr. J |
Manager |
North Phoenix Mine |
| Power, Mr. F. I. |
Solicitor, Director |
North Phoenix Mine |
| Sym, Mr. T. H. |
Manager, Director |
Manager of the N.Q. Bank, Director North Phoenix
Mine. |
| Groundwater, G. W. |
Manager |
5 North Phoenix Mine. |
| Smith, Mr. H. |
Manager |
6 North Phoenix Mine |
| Bytheway, Mr. |
Director |
6 North Phoenix Mine |
| Nelson, Mr. R. |
Manager |
Phoenix Extended |
| Sibley, Mr. |
Manager |
Crown Reef |
| Potter, Mr. G. A. |
Chairman of Directors |
Crown Reef |
| Burbidge, Mr. W. E. |
Assayer, Chairman |
Chairman of Directors Phoenix Extended |
| Gamble, Mr. W. |
Manager |
The 1 South Phoenix Mine |
| Smerdon, Mr. W.
|
Chairman of Directors |
The 1 South Phoenix Mine |
| Carlyon, Mr. J.
|
Manager |
1 North Columbia Smithfield Mine |
| Fitzpatrick, Mr. P. |
Manager |
North Smithfield Mine |
| Daddow, Mr. S. |
Manager |
2&3 South Smithfield Mine |
| Bradford, Mr. H. |
Manager |
The Eastern 2&3 Smithfield Tribute Mine |
| Lydement Mr. J. |
Chairman of Directors |
The Eastern 2&3 Smithfield Tribute Mine |
| Smith, Mr. T |
Director |
The Eastern 2&3 Smithfield Tribute Mine |
| Potter, George |
Director |
The Eastern 2&3 Smithfield Tribute Mine |
| Calton, Charles |
Director |
The Eastern 2&3 Smithfield Tribute Mine |
| Jones, Mr. T. B. |
Manager |
The 1 South Smithfield Mine |
| Davis, Mr. W. |
Chairman of Directors |
The 1 South Smithfield Mine |
| Lydement, Mr. W. H. |
Manager |
The United Smithfield Tribute Mine |
| Lydement, Mr. J. |
Chairman of Directors |
The United Smithfield Tribute Mine |
| Bathe, Mr. W. Jas. |
Manager |
The 3 North Smithfield Mine |
| Willett, Mr. W. |
Director |
The 3 North Smithfield Mine |
| Rowe, James |
Director |
The 3 North Smithfield Mine |
| Pope, Mr. |
Director |
The 3 North Smithfield Mine |
| Suthers, Mr. B. |
Manager |
The 1 North Victory Mine |
| Humphries, Mr. R. |
Manager |
The 2 North Victory Mine |
| Butler, Mr. D. |
Manager |
The Great Eastern & Orient Mine |
| Tweed, Mr. W. |
Manager |
The 1 North Great Eastern Mine |
| McNamara, John |
Manager |
The Great Eastern G. M. Mine |
| Scally, Mr. D. |
Chairman of the Board |
The Great Eastern G. M. Mine |
| Wallace, Mr. A. B. |
Manager |
2 North Great Eastern Mine |
|
|
|
Trivia |
|
Subject |
Comment |
| First huts |
The aboriginals built the miners huts of bark or
grass for a shilling or a pannikin of rum. |
|
Windlass |
A two handled (two man) winding drum that
straddled the shaft to raise and lower the buckets of rock and gold. used to
50 feet (15 m) |
|
Whim / Whip |
A horse powered winding device used between 50
(15m) and 500 feet (150m) |
|
Poppet Head |
Were constructed when the mine was around 500
feet (150m) deep |
| The Nashville Times |
First published on the 15th. February 1868, by
Mr. F Kidner, the proprietor of the Queensland Times. |
| The Gympie Miner |
Boase & Scott united their high journalistic
attainment and extensive mining experience to manage the newspaper. |
| The Truth |
A bi-weekly paper issued in the interests of
Labour, and contained reliable mining information (Editor Mr. H. E. Boote) |
| Gold ran out |
In 1872 it was thought that the gold had run
out. Shafts were sunk to a deeper depth and a second layer of slate
was found with large amounts of gold obtained at different levels. |
| Peculiar occurrence of gold. |
One of the most interesting features of this
field is the very peculiar occurrence of gold in the reef. The strata
consists of alternation of different sedimentary rocks, such as limestone,
conglomerates, sandstones, shales, & c., with inter-bedded volcanic and
intrusive igneous rocks - the latter becoming very frequent. - Mr. W.H.
Rands |
| Pollock's Folly |
This term was known locally and alluded to a
shaft that Mr. Pollock had dug (200ft) It was purchased by Phoenix G.M. and
yielded 83,453 ounces of gold between 1893 and 1897. |
|
The above information
was taken from the Gympie Times 1898 annual Supplement. More
information from this book can be found at the Gympie Family History Society
Inc. |
Other significant dates since then
relating to the history of minerals in Australia include:
1848 - Discovery of lead in the bed of
the Murchison River, W.A.
1851 - Discovery of gold at Clunes,
Castlemaine and Ballarat which began the Victorian gold rushes
1852 - Payable gold discovered at the
Nook, near Fingal, and at Nine Mile Springs (Tasmania). Gold also discovered at
Gulgong (NSW) and at Beechworth, Daylesford and Ovens River (Vic)
1853 - Riots on Ballarat Goldfields
(Vic). Storming of the Eureka Stockade on 3rd February 15th .
1857 - Brown coal discovered at Lal Lal
in Victoria. Gold discovered at Adelong (NSW).
1858 - Australia's population reaches one
million. Gold discovered at Avoca (Vic) and Canoona (Qld)
1859 - Copper recognised in the Cobar
area of New South Wales.
1860 - Copper discoveries at Wallaroo and
Moonta (SA). Gold discovered at Young( Lambing Flat in NSW).
1862 - Gold discovered at Forbes (NSW).
Also a copper-rich lode found at Clermont (Qld).
1863 - Gold discovered at Walhalla (Vic)
and Warwick (Qld).
1864 - Coal discovered in
Greta-Cessnock-Maitland field (NSW); principal Australian source of gas coal.
Blair Athol coal field (Qld) found; seam is 90ft thick.
1866 - Gold discovered at Rockhampton
(Qld).
1867 - Gold discovered at Gympie (Qld).
1868 - Gold discovered at Ravenswood
(Qld).
1869 - Record gold nugget "Welcome
Stranger" (2,284 oz) found near Dunolly (Vic).
1870 - Gold discovered at Birdwood (SA)
and copper at Cobar (NSW).
1871 - Discovery of tin at Mt. Bischoff (Tas)
and Inverell (NSW).
1872 - Payable gold discovered in Pine
Creek area (NT). Other significant gold discoveries made at Stawell (Vic),
Charters Towers and Ravenswood (Qld) and Lefroy(Tas). Tin found near Inverell
(NSW) and rich deposits of tin found near Warwick (Qld).
1873 - Gold discovered at Palmer River
(Qld).
1874 - Brown Coal deposits found in the
Latrobe Valley (Vic).
1875 - Tin found at Mt. Heemskirk (Tas).
1876 - Gold found at Hodgkinson (Qld).
1877 - Australia's population reaches two
million. Gold discovered at Beaconsfield (Tas).
1879 - Copper and Tin discovered in
Herberton mineral field (Qld).
1881 - Gold discovered at Nebo (Qld).
1882 - Lead, zinc, copper orebody at
Captain's Flat (NSW) first worked. Gold nugget found between Roebourne and
Cossack (WA). Gold found at Charters Towers and Mount Morgan (Qld).
1883 - Lead, silver, zinc discovered at
Broken Hill (NSW). Collie coalfield found in WA (commercial mining began in
1898).
1885 - Opening of Broken Hill Proprietary
silver mines. Gold found at Hall's Creek in the Kimberley District of WA.
Silver-lead discovered at Mt Zeehan (Tas).
1886 - Gold and copper discovered at Mt
Lyell (Tas). Also gold found at Croydon (Qld) and Teetulpa (SA).
1887 - Gold discovered at Southern Cross
(WA).
1888 - Tin found at Greenbushes (WA).
Black coal found at Leigh Creek (SA). Lead ore produced on west coast of
Tasmania. Gold found at Pilbara Creek (WA).
1889 - Australia's population reaches
three million. First mining of brown coal in Victoria. Gold discovered at
Ashburton River (WA).
1890 - Tin discovered at Renison Bell (Tas).
1891 - First discovery of gold at Nannine
in the Murchison district (WA).
1892 - Gold discovered at Coolgardie (WA),
also in areas now known as the Dundas and Mt Margaret goldfields. First bore
sunk in Coorong area (SA) in search for oil.
1893 - Gold discovered at Kalgoorlie.
Gold also found at Wyalong (NSW) and silver at Mt Lyell (Tas)
1893-94 - Copper, lead and zinc
discovered at Rosebery (Tas).
1896 - Gold discovered at Arltunga (NT).
1897 - Gold discovered at Peak Hill,
north of Meekatharra (WA).
1899 - A total of 17 seperate goldfields
and another four mining districts established throughout WA.
1900 - Iron ore from Middleback Ranges
(SA) mined by BHP to provide flux for lead smelting at Port Pirie. Natural gas
encountered in water bore at Roma (Qld). Gold discovered at Philips River
(Ravensthorpe, WA), The Granites and at Tanami (NT).
1904 - Scheelite deposit found on King
Island (Tas).
1905 - Australia's population reaches
four million.
1906 - natural gas reticulated in Roma
(Qld). Uranium discovered at Radium Hill (SA).
1915 - Opening of BHP's steelworks at
Newcastle.
1918 - Australia's population reaches
five million.
1923 - Lead, zinc orebody discovered at
Mt Isa (Qld)
1924 - Oil and gas produced from well at
Lake Bunga in eastern Gippsland, near Lakes Entrance (Vic).
1925 - Australia's population reaches six
million.
1926 - Aberfoyle tin and wolfram deposits
located in Tasmania.
1927 - Copper found at Mount Isa (Qld).
1931 - Mount Isa Mines Ltd. began mining
operations.
1932 - Gold discovered at Tennant Creek
(NT).
1934 - First commercial development of
mineral sands deposits at Bryon Bay (NSW).
1937 - First large-scale mining of black
coal by open cut methods in Australia at Blair Athol (Qld).
1939 - Australia's population reaches
seven million.
1943 - Large-scale production of
zircon-rutile concentrate from Queensland. Large-scale production of asbestos at
Wittenoom Gorge (WA).
1944 - Extensive open cut mining at Leigh
Creek coal started.
1948 - Wundowie (WA) charcoal iron and
steel industry began production.
1949 - Asutralia's population reaches
eight million. Uranium discovered at Rum Jungle (NT).
1950 - Bauxite discovered at Gove (NT).
1951 - First shipment of iron ore from
Yampi Sound (WA)to Port Kembla steelworks in NSW.
1952 - Important high-grade uranium
deposits delineated at Rum Jungle (NT) and at Radium Hill (SA).
1953 - Flow of oil discovered in WAPET's
Rough Range No. 1 well at Exmouth Gulf (WA) provided stimulus for continuing
search in ensuing years.
1954 - Rum Jungle uranium plant opened.
Uranium discovered at Mary Kathleen (Qld).
1955 - Australia's population reaches
nine million. Discovery of "HYC" silver-lead-zinc deposit at McArthur River
(NT). First alumina and aluminium produced at Bell Bay (Tas). Consolidated Zinc
geologist discovered Weipa (Qld) bauxite deposits.
1956 - Full scale mineral sand mining
began at Capel (WA).
1959 - Australia's population reaches ten
million. In February 15th the Commonwealth Government announced relaxation of
the embargo on iron ore exports that had been in force since 1938. Major finds
of iron ore in the Pilbara (WA) were announced over the next few years. First
coal exports from the Bowen Basin (Qld). Mt. Whaleback (WA) iron ore deposit
pegged; production began 1969.
1961 - Flow of oil in Moonie No. 1 about
80km from Tara (Qld). Australia's first commercial oilfield by Union-Kern-AOG
group on a field around this well.
1962 - First production of Bauxite from
Weipa (Qld) deposits. Iron ore deposit identified at Mt Tom Price (WA).
Manganese discovered on Groote Eylandt (NT).
1963 - Mining of Darling Range (WA)
bauxite commenced.
1964-65 - Many significant oil and gas
strikes made throughout the country including the discovery of gas and oil in
Bass Strait (Vic).
1965 - Discovery of Mitchell Plateau (WA)
bauxite deposits.
1966 - Discovery of nickel at Kambalda (WA)
and phostphate at Duchess (Qld). Iron ore mining began at Mt Tom Price and Mt
Goldsworthy (WA), which meant first iron ore exports from WA.
1967 - Discovery of Mt Weld (WA) and
carbonatite containing rare earths and phosphate. Discovery of Woodcutters (NT)
lead-zinc prospect. Start to mining of Savage River (Tas) iron ore deposit.
1969 - Discovery of nickel at Mt Windarra
(WA) and start of Poseidon boom. Discovery of Woodlawn (NSW) base metal deposit.
1970 - Australia's population reaches
12.7 million. Discovery of Eneabba (WA) mineral sand deposits.
1970-71 - Commencement of systematic
exploration of Lennard Shelf (WA) leading to discovery of high-grade lead-zinc
ore at Pilbara in 1978 and Cadjebut in 1984.
1970-73 - Ranger, Nabarlek and Jabiluka
(NT) uranium deposits found.
1971 - Discovery of Agnew (WA) nickel
deposit, Telfer (WA) gold deposit, the start to iron ore production at Robe
River (WA) and the discovery of the Yeelirrie (WA) uranium deposit.
1971-72 - Discovery of North-West Shelf (WA)
natural gas fields.
1972 - Discovery of Golden Grove (WA)
copper-zinc deposit.
1973 - Discovery of Elura (NSW) zinc-lead
deposit.
1974 - Discovery of Que River (Tas)
zinc-lead deposit.
1975 - Discovery of Roxby Downs (SA)
copper-uranium deposit.
1976 - Discovery of Teutonic Bore (WA)
copper-zinc deposit.
1978 - Copper discovered at Benambra
(Vic).
1979 - Natural gas discovered at Port
Campbell (Vic). Discovery of diamonds in Kimberley region of WA. Discovery of
Granny Smith (WA) gold deposit. Discovery of Scuddles (WA)copper-zinc orebody
which went to production in 1990.
1980 - Australia's population reaches
14.7 million. Gold discovered at Boddington (WA) and Wedderburn (Vic).
1983 - Hellyer (Tas) base metal deposit
discovered.
1985 - Discovery of Kintyre (WA) uranium
deposit. Discovery of Kunwarra (Qld) mgnesite deposit.
1985-89 - Many old gold mines in WA
revived as open-cut operations.
1986 - Discovery of gold at Kidston
(Qld).
1986 - Mt Leyshon (Qld) gold deposit
re-opened.
1987 - First prodcution from Cadjebut (WA)
lead-zinc deposit.
1989 - Discovery of gold at Plutonic Bore
(WA).
1990 - Australia's population reaches
17.2 million.
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This site was last updated
04/05/08
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