THE INVERELL METALLOGENIC MAP AND MINE DATA SHEETS

THE INVERELL METALLOGENIC MAP AND 

MINE DATA SHEETS

Before reading this blog, it would be best to read the similar blog about the Grafton-Maclean map. This may be found here. The relevant reference number for the map and mine data sheets in DIGS is R00056102.

The Inverell package may be found by opening DIGS. The reference number is R00050906 (which includes the map). The reference number for the map alone is R00027907.

The Inverell map seems to be a poorer copy than the Grafton-Maclean one, making an enlargement harder to read.

You will soon appreciate what a large number of mineral deposits there are in the area, including at The Gulf (north west of Emmaville), Tingha and the Copeton diamond fields.

Here is an extract from the map. 

To illustrate the information to be found in the Mine Data Sheets, I’ve chosen the deposit number 585. The location is south of Inverell, east of Copeton Dam. Fortunately for us, the data sheets are in a single volume, not dismembered like the Grafton sheets are. Upon opening the data sheets you will find quite a lot of valuable information on the geology of the region and the nature and formation of the many mineral deposits.

The data sheets commence on page 104. Deposit 585 will be found on page 377. Here is the information.

 This is a typical set of information, in this case for Fox’s Garnet Lode. I must admit I can’t locate it on the map – it’s quite a congested area – but the information is all there for you to use. Mindat (here) provides additional information when the deposit name is put in the search box. Here is what I discovered. 

By following the map Mindat provides (and choosing the satellite image) you will discover that the Lode is just north of the Howell Road, which leads to the old town site of Howell and the Conrad group of mines.

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Shoalhaven District Geology.

THE GRAFTON-MACLEAN METALLOGENIC MAP

THE GRAFTON-MACLEAN METALLOGENIC MAP

The NSW Geological Survey has compiled an extensive series of reports which can be used to assist in the search for new mineral deposits or simply to locate existing ones. The Grafton-Maclean Metallogenic Map group of documents may be downloaded from DIGS (here) using this reference number: R00056102. The files take up about 65 MB and consist of many related documents apart from the map itself. These represent the original report broken up into sections.

The map includes the Torrington and Emmaville districts and extends southwards to Glencoe. The western edge of the sheet joins the Inverell map, and it extends to the coast in the east. The Inverell map will be the subject of a later blog.

The map provides a vast amount of information – geology, structure and mineral deposits as well as the underlying topography, roads, watercourses etc. This can make locating something quite difficult and frustrating, so it’s important to become familiar with the meaning of the colours and symbols provided around the margins of the map. Here is an example of what the map contains:

The rest of the documents in the downloaded folder provide information on the background geology and the individual mineral deposits. Take, for example the deposit number 1837, roughly in the centre of the extract. The table of mineral deposits (left of map) describes this as “Back Plain Creek sapphire (Zr)”.

You will find the deposit listed in the file titled “Text_4.3MB_zip_of_4_deposit;_pdf” (the first of four of these). When the file is open, scan through until you come to “GR 1837”, which is the extract below.

More information can be found by looking up the Mineral Occurrence List in the second part of the above file, using the same deposit number (1837).

 You could expand your knowledge of the area by searching other deposit numbers nearby, whether you can find them on the map or not.

Another possibilty is to search the Mindat data base (here) using the mine name. This is what you will find for Back Plain Creek:

“Located approximately 15kms NNW of Glen Innes.
Operated as a small open cut and shallow pits 1971 to 1990s.

Mineral List

Corundum
var: Sapphire

Zircon

2 entries listed. 1 valid mineral.

The above list contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please register so you can add to our database. This locality information is for reference purposes only. You should never attempt to visit any sites listed in mindat.org without first ensuring that you have the permission of the land and/or mineral rights holders for access and that you are aware of all safety precautions necessary.

References

Metallogenic Study and Mineral Deposit Data Sheets: Grafton-Maclean Metallogenic Map (SH/56-6, SH/56-7), Geological Survey of New South Wales, 2001: HF Henley, RE Brown, JW Brownlow, RG Barnes and WJ Stroud. Published by the Geological Survey of New South Wales.”

Finally, you might like to check out my blog on the Back Plain Creek area here.
Here is a link to a slide show of pictures from the data package: here.

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Shoalhaven District Geology.

BLATHERARM CREEK TORRINGTON TOPAZ FOSSICKING

BLATHERARM CREEK TORRINGTON TOPAZ FOSSICKING

Blatherarm Creek (Blather Arm Creek, Blather Creek) is one of the most popular fossicking areas in the Torrington (NSW) district. This is partly due to the provision of a camping area there, but mainly because of the many topaz cutters which the creek gravel produces.

The map has been extracted from a publication of the NSW Geological Survey called “Rocks, Minerals and Landforms of the Mole Tableland” which appeared in 2014. The DIGS reference number is R00059626. DIGS is a site from which a vast number of useful references can be downloaded. (here) I haven’t visited Blatherarm for more than 20 years so I have made use of some photographs from the Australian Lapidary Forum site (ALF here).  Thank you to those who contributed these to ALF.

The earliest reference to topaz at Blatherarm that I have found is in TWE David’s monograph on the Vegetable Creek Tin-Mining Field (DIGS reference R00031676) page 70, where he writes “The sand and clay in these alluvial workings, in portion 42, parish of Bates, county of Clive, are from 10 to 15 feet deep, and consist of subangular granite sand, with subangular and rounded quartz pebbles up to 6 inches in diameter and rest on a bottom of granite. White topaz and sapphires are very abundant.”

Other Geological Survey references dealing with the area have this to say. “The Mole Granite area is also well known for topaz crystals ranging in colour from clear to straw yellow to blue and up to several centimetres in size. Topaz crystals or fragments can be found in all creeks draining the central Torrington pendant. The topaz originates from numerous silexite or quartztopaz bodies that mainly occur within the Torrington pendant or from the numerous narrow silexite dykes within the Mole Granite. Blather Arm Creek is particularly well known for its clear and blue topaz crystals and a significant amount of topaz has been found in Scrubby Gully and Highland Home Creeks.”

“It was later found that the presence of rare corundum in local creeks was commonly known by local miners and fossickers. Other known localities are Blatherarm, Cattarrh, Bald Rock and Slow Gully Creeks. The source of the corundum is unknown but may be derived from the remnants of high level Tertiary gravels.”

I’ve mislaid my source for these quotes, but they are probably from Industry 18: Mineral Industry NSW - 1980 - Gemstones (2nd Edition) (DIGS reference R00050830), Exploration Data package Clive 1:100 000 sheet (DIGS reference R00031737).

Another documents you could consult is the Minerama book (Topaz 1995).This Blog  26 February 2024

Beryl also turns up in the Blatherarm gravel. It is the typical pale green colour of Torrington beryl and is usually opaque. You cannot concentrate beryl in the sieve centre the way you can topaz because its specific gravity is nearly the same as that of quartz. You will need to look through the stones in the sieve to find any.

The source of the beryl is probably Bollinger’s Lode, which outcrops on private land upstream of the

Conservation Area boundary. Resist the temptation to trespass on this or other adjacent land. The best topaz fossicking is in the permitted area anyhow. Most of the land upstream appears to be swampy. When I was last there, I found most of my topaz by dry sieving old dumps away from the creek (top sieve only), collecting the sieve contents in a bucket and then re-sieving this material in the creek.

It is worth noting that radioactive minerals have been discovered at Bollinger’s and nearby locations. Torbernite is the most abundant of these. See Bollinger's Prospect, Torrington (DIGS reference R00039360)

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Shoalhaven District Geology.

THE TIN-MINING INDUSTRY IN NSW BY JE CARNE (1911)

THE TIN-MINING INDUSTRY IN NSW BY JE CARNE (1911)

 

The complete title of this book is “The Tin-Mining Industry and the Distribution of Tin Ores in New South Wales”. It is No. 14 in the Mineral Resources series, produced by the Geological Survey Branch of the NSW Department of Mines.

You can download a copy from DIGS (here) Doesn't work. If you find where DIGS is now, please let me know by a comment. DIGS is an on-line collection of publications made available by the NSW Department of Industry (Resources and Energy). The reference number is R00050677. This book is an important resource for anyone interested in mining history and especially those wanting to locate and identify old mines and mineral deposits.

I have prepared a slide show using the numerous plates from this book (viewable on my YouTube site here).

I wish to acknowledge the source of these photographs now and thank the 

Geological Survey of NSW for making this resource available.

You will soon see if you look through the DIGS listings that there is a huge volume of literature on the subject of tin mining in NSW. Much was written before 1911 and a great deal more since. The New England region was at the heart of the industry. Locations such as Emmaville, Torrington, Tingha and Wilson’s Downfall stand out. Today, however, little mining is going on and it will take a substantial increase in the price of tin to get things moving again. The emphasis then will be on large scale mining and it looks as if the day of the solitary miner or small syndicate is over.

Here are the reference numbers for some other important documents relevant to the subject of tin mining.

The Mineral Resources of NSW (1901) by EF Pittman. DIGS reference number R00051137

The Mineral Industry of NSW by EC Andrews et al 1928. R00050818 Tin (Bulletin No 1) by EJ Kenny 1922. R00050981 Minerama book 1994 Cassiterite downloadable from this Blog. (2024) https://johnsbluemountainsblog.blogspot.com/2013/12/links-to-all-blog-entries-and-relevant.html All Blue Mountains blogs and videos https://johnsnewenglandminerals.blogspot.com/2013/12/list-of-all-blog-entries-to-date.html All New England and other Geology blogs and videos https://www.blogger.com/blog/posts/1325599670344725659?pli=1 Limestone Caves of NSW https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/1147003616874115974/2430103125095714141 Song Studies. Bible studies based on hymns and songs https://www.blogger.com/blog/posts/1515863000684737715 Shoalhaven District Geology.

SMITH’S MICA LODE TORRINGTON

In 1993 Minerama adopted beryl as its theme mineral for that year’s show. This led to the compilation of the “Beryl” booklet (downloadable here (No longer available there. You can find it now in this blog) mineral displays and several field trips to beryl localities. One place the organisers visited was Smith’s Mica Lode at Torrington, shown to us by John Griffey. This was the only time I visited the place, but I kept some of the specimens until we moved from Glen Innes in 2013. They contained more beryl crystals (all opaque, sadly) than I have seen from any other locality near Torrington.

Derived from MINDAT. The pink crystal locates Smith's Mica Lode. The granite country and the Torrington sedimentary pendant can easily be distinguished.

It wasn’t easy to get to then and presumably it isn’t today. Access was through private land from the site of Tungsten village and then on foot through the Torrington State Forest. The outcrop is of pegmatite in which beryl, biotite and feldspar dominate. As you can see from the various maps included in this blog, the site is within the Torrington State Forest. It is a couple of hundred metres from the granite boundary and the country rock is sedimentary strata into which the pegmatite dyke has intruded from the granite beneath.

From a 1981 publication on mining at Torrington. Smith's Mica Lode is located top centre. The blue line locates the edge of the granite.

The "Beryl” booklet incorporates quotations from several sources (all of which are no doubt downloadable from DIGS. The link to DIGS is here. (Doesn't work)) I won’t repeat any of this information here. The one reference I have included dates from 1972 but I can’t track down the source. I found it during a search of DIGS. 

The Grafton Maclean Metallogenic Map locates Smith’s Mica Lode by the number 0551. (Green circle, top centre.) The accompanying notes tell us that Be, Bi, W, U, Sn, Zn and Cu minerals have been found there. Mindat (to be found here) gives the following information:

“Smiths mica (Mica lode; Smiths mica mine; Junction reefs), Torrington, Clive Co., New South Wales, Australia. Mineral List: Beryl, 'Biotite', Cassiterite, 'Monazite', Muscovite

var: Sericite, Pyrite, Quartz, Torbernite and 'Wolframite'.

Located approximately 7.5km North of Torrington. Coordinates: 370705mE, 6763668mN.

Operated as a shaft and shallow pits 1907 to 1921 and later 1954 to 1957. Grafton-MacLean 1:250 000 map sheet.

The other numbered localities nearby are:

0011 Wren’s NW Workings. Topaz, W, Bi.

0060 The Black Swamp Creek Alluvials. Mindat states: “Black Swamp Creek Alluvials, Torrington, Clive Co., New South Wales, Australia. Located approximately 6 km North of Torrington. Dredging operations from 1907 and sporadically through to late 1950s. Mineral List: Cassiterite, Corundum, 'Monazite', Quartz, Topaz.

This location appears to contain just what fossickers are looking for. Burnt Hut Creek is also part of this system. I would expect to find beryl in the gravel; take note that beryl does not concentrate in a sieve because of its relatively low specific gravity.

0546 Poor Prospect. Mindat states: “Poor Prospect, Torrington, Clive Co., New South Wales, Australia. Located approximately 7 km North of Torrington. Operated as shallow pits. Mineral List: Quartz, 'Wolframite'.

0547 The Wet Deposit. Mindat states: “Wet deposit, Torrington, Clive Co., New South Wales, Australia. Located approximately 7 km North of Torrington. Operated as shaft and shallow pits. Mineral List: Quartz, 'Wolframite'.”

0548 Junction Prospect. Mindat states: “Junction prospect, Torrington, Clive Co., New South Wales, Australia. Located approximately 7 km North of Torrington. Operated as shallow pits. Mineral List: 'Biotite', Muscovite var: Sericite, Quartz, 'Wolframite'.”

0549 Fletcher’s Deposit. Mindat states: “Fletchers deposit, Torrington, Clive Co., New South Wales, Australia. Located approximately 7.5 km North-West of Torrington.

Operated as underground workings, shafts and shallow pits 1913 to 1921. Mineral List: 'Limonite', 'Limonite', Muscovite var: Sericite, Quartz, 'Wolframite', Muscovite var: Sericite'.

0550 Roberts Lode. Mindat states: “Roberts Lode. Located approximately 7.5 km North of Torrington. Operated as a shaft and numerous shallow pits 1910. Mineral List 'Wolframite'.”

0584 Lonely Deposit. Mindat states: “Lonely Deposit, Torrington, Clive Co., New South Wales, Australia. Located approximately 7 km North-West of Torrington. Operated as shallow pits. Mineral List: Quartz, 'Wolframite'.”

1326 Upper Black Swamp Lodes. Topaz, quartz.

From the Beryl book (1993). Specimen from Smith's Mica Lode.

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Shoalhaven District Geology.

GADEN’S LODE GULF ROAD, EMMAVILLE

GADEN’S LODE GULF ROAD, EMMAVILLE

This is another old mining area I haven’t visited, or if I have I didn’t know its name and it has faded from memory. There are quite a few mineral deposits in the area, of which Gaden’s appears to be the best known. It has been the site of several Emmaville Gemfest field trips and I am indebted to Jewellery Pirate for information and photographs from his Blog.

If you examine the satellite image from Google Earth you will see the site of Gaden’s Lode marked in pink in the centre (source: Mindat). The most notable feature on the image is the joint pattern in the Mole Granite which occupies a broad swathe of country across the centre. Observe how these joints disappear around Torrington/Torrington State Forest where the granite is still covered by part of its original “roof”. This is the Torrington Pendant of older sedimentary rocks. The joints have controlled the deposition of ore bodies both in the granite and in the adjacent areas where the granite is still concealed by these older rocks.

The map was extracted from the Grafton-Maclean Metallogenic Map; the numbers locate the various mines and prospects. I know that some of the numbers are hard to read and I can’t interpret them all, but here is a list of those I can (lowest to highest) with some information (from Mindat) about each, where there is any. The names in brackets are alternative names or nearby mines/prospects.

0300 Chinaman’s Gully Sn vein (Murphys lode; Suicide tunnel). Operated as underground workings, adits, shafts and shallow pits. Production from 1878 to 1965. Chinaman’s Gully alluvials: Dredging operations until the late 1960s.

0312 Gaden’s Lode Sn W Cu U monazite vein (Gaydens lode; Garths lode; Garths wolfram lode; Garths uranium lode). Operated as underground workings, open cut, shafts, adits and shallow pits from 1877 to the late 1960s.

0313 Stormer’s Lode Sn fluorite Cu U vein (Garths lode; Garths wolfram mine; Garths uranium mine; Gadens uranium mine; Gadens lode; Gaydens lode; Gardens lode). Operated as shallow pits, open cut, shafts and adits 1913 to 1954.

0314 Garth’s Lode Sn vein.

0315 Heiser’s Lode U Sn vein (Garths lode; Fish & Chips). Operated as shafts and pits 1877 to 1968.

0330 Stevens and Charlton vein Sn W (Stormers reef). Operated as shafts and shallow pits 1887 to 1970.

0331 Mineral Tunnel Sn As Zn Pb vein. Operated as adits, shafts and open cut 1889 to 1893. Also alluvials.

0332 Suicide Tunnel Sn vein. Operated as underground workings, shaft and shallow pits 1889 to 1893. Located slightly West of Mineral Tunnel workings.

0329 McKinnon’s Reef vein Sn W As Cu Bi (Paradise lodes; Blue lode; Murphys lode; Garths tin lode; Mineral lode). Operated as underground workings, open cut, shafts, adits and shallow pits 1878 to 1950.

0754 Small prospect Sn vein.

0755 Mineral tunnel alluvials Sn placer.

0757 Minor Lode Sn vein.

0758 Hill Crest deposit beryl pegmatite. Operated as shafts from 1890 to 1890. (This may be a wrong identification)

Ore minerals in Gaden's Mine (photo Jewellery Pirate)

There are three principal types of ore bodies in the area: tin (Sn) veins, which consist largely of quartz and cassiterite, polymetallic veins which contain a wide variety of sulphides such as pyrite, chalcopyrite and arsenopyrite as well as cassiterite and wolframite, and pegmatites, which frequently contain fluorite, topaz, tourmaline and beryl as well as some of the ore minerals already mentioned. All types occur in this location.

Where is this mineral collectors’ paradise? You are 60 years late for the easy pickings, but if you are diligent in searching out the locations listed above (not forgetting the alluvial deposits) you are sure to find something of interest.

The area lies between Flagstone and Paradise Creeks. Proceed along the Gulf Road from Emmaville.  A useful reference is Geo-Log 2011 – a publication by the Amateur Geological Society of the Hunter Valley, beginning on page 42 (here). (missing - try searching for it on Google).The whole publication is worth reading, as are the other Geo-Logs in the series.

Dump at Gaden's Mine

The track to Gaden’s branches off to the right just after the Torrington State Conservation Area is reached. This is after you have crossed Flagstone Creek. Naturally the track condition is going to vary according to weather conditions but it’s unlikely to be drivable by 2 WD vehicles. Searching DIGS (if you can find it) will produce many reports on the area which are easily downloaded.

Of special interest are the references to radioactive minerals from some of these mines

and prospects.. During and after World War 11 there was a lot of prospecting for uranium minerals in particular when it was commonly believed that the world would soon be using nuclear energy as its major power source, as well as for making nuclear weapons. (The extensive uranium deposits in the Northern Territory and South Australia had not then been discovered.) The publication “Radioactive Prospects in NSW” (here) dates from this time. It should be noted that monazite, which contains the radioactive metal thorium, is also found in this area.

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Shoalhaven District Geology.

WEBB’S SILVER MINE NEAR EMMAVILLE, NSW AUSTRALIA

WEBB’S SILVER MINE NEAR EMMAVILLE 

NSW AUSTRALIA

Please take note: Practically all localities mentioned in these Blogs are on private property, under a mining lease or both. No-one should enter without permission from the landowner or lessee as appropriate.

The mine is marked "Silver" 7 (upper left)

I became aware of the existence of Webb’s Silver Mine (also known as Collison’s (NOT Collisions)) while I was still at school as a result of numerous visits to the late and much lamented Geological and Mining Museum in Sydney. This would have been in the mid 1950’s. The photos and specimens really piqued my interest in geology and mineralogy in particular.

It wasn’t until October 1988 that I made my one and only visit to the site when I rode my pushbike out there. The mine is reached by traveling 9-10 km after leaving The Gulf road, not far out of Emmaville, and then following a track to the right for a further 2.5 km. The mine site is usually described as being on Little Plant Creek, which runs into the Beardy River not far to the north. The map illustrated is the Grafton 1:250000 geological sheet.

My notes made that day mention a steel poppet head over a well-preserved shaft, numerous derelict sheds and ruins, 2X5 head stamper batteries, one in reasonable condition, piles of drill cores and specimens of galena, sphalerite and arsenopyrite on the dumps.

Photo by Wwoofa, Australian Lapidary Forum

Photo  by Wwoofa

Since then, several fossicking trips have be organised to Webb’s during the Emmaville Gemfest. The area is held under lease by Silver Mines Ltd; you can read their summary of the future prospects of the site here (now missing). I quote from this source: “Highest grade undeveloped silver project in Australia”, “a JORC compliant resource of over 12Moz of silver”, “From 1884 to1901 approximately 55,000t were mined at an average grade of at least 23oz/t”, “The current resources at a 70ppm Ag cut-off are approximately 1.49Mt @ 245ppm Ag, 0.27% Cu, 0.71% Pb and 1.56% Zn”.

The silver price is somewhat depressed at the moment (September 2014) which no doubt is quite depressing for the company, which is sitting on a great resource waiting for the right time to begin extracting it profitably.

Taken from Mole Tableland map DIGS R00041396

The classic reference to the geology of the Emmaville and Torrington areas is TWE David’s “Geology of the Vegetable Creek Tin-Mining Field”, 1887. (DIGS reference R00031676, if you wish to download a copy.) The relevant pages are 156/9. David tells us that the vein was discovered by Mr L Webb, that it can be traced for several miles, that the metalliferous part of the vein is nowhere more than 3 feet wide and that the ore minerals present are galena, copper pyrites, mispickel and “a variety of grey copper containing silver and a trace of gold (silver fahlerz)”. We know copper pyrites as chalcopyrite, mispickel as arsenopyrite and fahlerz as “fahlore”, a complex mineral of the tennantite-tetrahedrite family, containing at least 5 metals (iron, copper, zinc, silver and antimony) as well as arsenic and sulfur.

Another reference, written around the time when mining was at its peak, is “The Mineral Resources of NSW” (DIGS reference R00051137) compiled by EF Pittman in 1901. If you want to read what mining was like at that time, start at page 111. The photo of the mine is taken from this source. This is definitely a book that readers of this Blog should download.

From Pittman circa 1901

The comprehensive reference “The Mineral Deposits of NSW (Markham and Basden, 1975, DIGS Reference R00037944) has a lot of information on the mine, commencing on page 379 in the section dealing with the Mole Granite. We learn that the main shaft is 203m deep, with 7 major levels, that 3 separate ore shoots were mined, the main one yielding over 40 000t of ore containing 760-920 g/t of silver as well as significant quantities of the other metals.

The various documents available from the Web which have been uploaded by Silver Mines Ltd will give you a summary of their prospecting and that of their predecessors, which has been quite extensive since mining was active. Here are several:

From DIGS: Review of Environmental Factors (Exploration Activities at Webb’s Silver Mine) 2012 (R00070524). This is a report prepared by Geolink Pty Ltd for Silver Mines Ltd.

Report for Silver Mines Ltd 2010. Here. This is a good summary of the geology and potential of the mineral deposit.

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Shoalhaven District Geology.