Victoria government rock crushing plants

[Ward69]

Question please, is there any records of locations where the Victoria Government set up headers or crushing plants.

And what process did they use, cynide or mercury

 

[jethro]

Government Batteries were set up on most goldfields where the small operator did not have access to a battery that would crush parcels of ore for the general public at a per ton rate. The ones that I can think of of the top of my head are Creswick State Battery. Wedderburn SB, Rutherglen, Granya, Bright, There are plenty of others but im not exactly sure of their locations. The ones that I have named all used amalgamation with mercury to catch the free milling gold. Some other mills may have had roasting & chlorination plants attached to treat the pyrites / mineral sands and later on maybe cyanide leaching with recovery in zinc boxes.

 

[user 4386]

Government Batteries were set up on most goldfields where the small operator did not have access to a battery that would crush parcels of ore for the general public at a per ton rate. The ones that I can think of of the top of my head are Creswick State Battery. Wedderburn SB, Rutherglen, Granya, Bright, There are plenty of others but im not exactly sure of their locations. The ones that I have named all used amalgamation with mercury to catch the free milling gold. Some other mills may have had roasting & chlorination plants attached to treat the pyrites / mineral sands and later on maybe cyanide leaching with recovery in zinc boxes.

There were many - Maldon is another, Club Terrace another.

 

[Ward69]

Thanks Guys. But no registration of locations

 

[user 4386]

x

 

[user 4386]

Thanks Guys. But no registration of locations

You will need to do your own homework if you want locations down to hundred metre accuracy - the information is readily available in GSV and EPA reports. For example the Maldon battery was in town next to the railway station. There is a complete list of those operating in the 1950s in the "Prospectors Guide" published by the Victorian Dept Mines at that time.

 

[Ward69]

Thanks Robert working on it

 

[user 4386]

Thanks Robert working on it

See "Tailings Lane" area

 

[thedigger]

WE took a load of stone there in the early eighties,Jack Cox was running it.We had a small reef,and there was gold in the mullock,final wash up was we got a fifty gram slug.
The crusher is the red building from what I remember
I took a good picture of Jack,he had a big moustache.

 

[Swinging & digging]

Mt Egerton?
I think that was one of the Government ran batteries from memory?
Think it was still usable in the 1980s?

Maybe Taradale as well?

 

[Pogo]

Theres still one at bright beside Morses Creek on the Wandiligong Rd.

Now a Historical Museum.

Dont know the opening times, just noticed it the last time I was down that way

 

[jethro]

Creswick Used to run as a tourist attraction about 10-12 yrs ago. Was like a mens shed for old miners. erfect: The three old fellas that were there the day I had a look were having a great old time crushing a bit of ore. :goldnugget: It was powered by a 10hp Kelly & Lewis single cylinder diesel. There is a booklet about it written by Steven Barnham called Thumps in the Night.