GEOLOGICAL BURIED TREASURE
MINERAL PROSPECTING
DIAMONDS
From Western Australia and Beyond
Argyle Diamonds
I worked at the Argyle Diamond mine in the Kimberley Region of Western Australia for a year. Australia’s substantial diamond resources are mostly associated with the world-class Argyle deposit in the Kimberly region of Western Australia.
Other smaller resources are associated with small diamond pipes at Ellendale in Western Australia and Merlin in the Northern Territory with each containing about five million carats.
Australia’s diamond exports are about $600-700 million a year.
Other smaller resources are associated with small diamond pipes at Ellendale in Western Australia and Merlin in the Northern Territory with each containing about five million carats.
Australia’s diamond exports are about $600-700 million a year.
2021 UPDATE:
The Argyle Diamond mine is closed!
The Argyle Diamond mine is closed!
Closure of Australia's only diamond mine
sparks flurry of exploration.
sparks flurry of exploration.
Of all the minerals dug out of the ground, diamonds have a special allure, and Australia produces some of the most sought-after stones in the world. But the nation's sole operating diamond mine is on the verge of closure. That's led to a flurry of exploration to find a new diamond deposit.
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PINK DIAMONDS
Mark Bouris Looks At Pink Diamond InvestmentPink coloured diamonds have outperformed all other asset classes over the last 10 years. They can make an excellent addition to your portfolio. With the argyle mine in Western Australia due to close shortly, there as been a flurry of activity as investors look to diversify into diamonds whilst they still can.
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MAGNIFICENT $50 Million PINK DIAMOND 15/11/18
The pink diamond was expected to fetch $30M to $50M....& it did!
It is the largest fancy vivid pink diamond that has ever been auctioned.
It is the largest fancy vivid pink diamond that has ever been auctioned.
The nearly 19-carat, rectangular-cut gem was expected to fetch over $30 million and perhaps even $50million.
At a Christie’s auction in Geneva , jeweller Harry Winston purchased the ‘Pink Legacy’ diamond for more than $50M (about 50.3 million Swiss francs) and in so doing he set a world record. |
The magnificent vivid pink diamond was at one time part of the Oppenheimer family diamond collection. It is incredible as it is the most chemically pure stone possible with little or no traces of nitrogen trapped within it.
A SIERRA LEONE SPARKLER
Answer to prayer – A 709 carat Treasure!
The mine over a 5 year period developed into a business of 18 employees, digging with picks and sifting through tones of gravel day after day, finding gems larger than a gram.
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In March 2017, a shout went up from one of his men "God done blessed us today," the worker shouted, as he lifted a rock, as large as child’s fist, up to the sunlight. As they excitedly washed the rock, it became clear that their prayers had been answered with a magnificent pale honey coloured diamond.
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Every one of us was in a jubilant mood," the pastor said. We were all praying in thanksgiving for what God has done for us "I couldn't sleep that night"
The gem weighed in at 706 carats but when it was later weighed on official government scales, it was a whopping 709 carats making it about the 14th largest diamond found worldwide.
But now the pastor faced an ethical dilemma. It was common practice of others to avoid paying taxes by smuggling their gems across the border via Liberia.
The gem weighed in at 706 carats but when it was later weighed on official government scales, it was a whopping 709 carats making it about the 14th largest diamond found worldwide.
But now the pastor faced an ethical dilemma. It was common practice of others to avoid paying taxes by smuggling their gems across the border via Liberia.
This is the way "blood diamonds" go.
These gems are so called because they are produced by slave laborers who are killed or maimed if they don’t cooperate. |
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But the pastor stuck with his high Christian values and in compassion he reflected on how hard his men had laboured and how their physical labour had caused many of them injuries, hernias and exhaustion. There were also those who had come close to death when a pit suddenly collapsed in the unregulated informal mines. Most of the men were vulnerable to malaria and parasites from drinking from polluted streams. The pastor was a good man, he always paid their medical bills. Proving further that he was an honourable man he decided to hand the gem to local authorities," It appears that even they were surprised by this choice that caused a global sensation, and he was invited to to meet President Ernest Bai Koroma. When discussing the upcoming sale of the diamond, the Pastor said "I hope the people dealing with the diamond are as honest with me as I have been with them."
The pastor is clear his workers will all benefit from what could be an astronomical sum of money.
And it would help to develop his mining business, support his wife and three children, and assist the local community where so many live in desperate circumstances in the town where he was born and he is now the pastor of the local church.
Officials say the 709-carat diamond found in Sierra Leone has been sold for more than $6.5 million.
And it would help to develop his mining business, support his wife and three children, and assist the local community where so many live in desperate circumstances in the town where he was born and he is now the pastor of the local church.
Officials say the 709-carat diamond found in Sierra Leone has been sold for more than $6.5 million.
CORUNDUM GEMS (Ruby & Sapphire)
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Corundum is best known for its gem varieties, Ruby and Sapphire. Ruby and Sapphire are scientifically the same mineral, but just differ in color. Ruby is the red variety, and Sapphire is the variety that encompasses all other colors, although the most popular and valued color of Sapphire is blue. Sapphire is also only used to describe the gem variety; otherwise it is simply called Corundum.
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I FOUND PINK RUBIES IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Riding on the back of the pink diamond's popularity.
CORUNDUM Sapphire & Ruby
Until their discovery in the Wheatbelt of Western Australia, the general view was that the corundum gems (Sapphire & Ruby) could not be found in Western Australia.
Until their discovery in the Wheatbelt of Western Australia, the general view was that the corundum gems (Sapphire & Ruby) could not be found in Western Australia.
This view was based on the fact that most Ruby and Sapphire deposits in the Eastern States of Australia are found in a geological environment not generally found here in WA and ignored the fact that parts of the Wheatbelt of Western Australia contain rock suites and soil types similar to those of gem mines elsewhere in the world such as Sri Lanka that produces some of the world’s most exquisite sapphires and rubies, in delicate shades of pastel pink, lilac, blue, green and yellow.
Corundum & Chrysoberyl
CHRYSOBERYL FROM THE AREA IN WA
Today it is recognised that corundum in many pastel colours, together with rare Chrysoberyl, was discovered in Western Australia by Rex Woodmore as far back as the early 1980s and yet, with the exception of a short but profitable joint venture with a mining company, the exploration community took little notice.
The stock market crash of 1986 scuttled the plans of the joint venture. Nevertheless, it is satisfying to be able to say:
"Rex Woodmore was the first recorded discoverer of Rubies in Western Australia"
The stock market crash of 1986 scuttled the plans of the joint venture. Nevertheless, it is satisfying to be able to say:
"Rex Woodmore was the first recorded discoverer of Rubies in Western Australia"
ITS A GREAT JOURNEY THAT JUST KEEPS ON GOING
Rex Woodmore October 2014
Rex Woodmore October 2014
DISCLAIMER: I have no formal qualifications in Geology or gemology.
I did however complete a 12 month TAFE course in Geology1 and mineral prospecting with a final test resulting in a distinction. Later I worked alongside my former Geology lecturer on various prospecting projects where he was a contract consultant. We were both partners in a couple of projects & I registered my own one man mineral exploration business 'Tracmin Mineral Exploration'
I have found Lead & Silver in Paynesville, Gold near Mount Magnet, Emeralds near Yalgoo WA, Zircons & Garnet crystals in N.T, Opal in Coober Pedy S.A and rough fragments of Rubies, Sapphire & Chrysoberyl in the Wheatbelt of Western Australia.
I did however complete a 12 month TAFE course in Geology1 and mineral prospecting with a final test resulting in a distinction. Later I worked alongside my former Geology lecturer on various prospecting projects where he was a contract consultant. We were both partners in a couple of projects & I registered my own one man mineral exploration business 'Tracmin Mineral Exploration'
I have found Lead & Silver in Paynesville, Gold near Mount Magnet, Emeralds near Yalgoo WA, Zircons & Garnet crystals in N.T, Opal in Coober Pedy S.A and rough fragments of Rubies, Sapphire & Chrysoberyl in the Wheatbelt of Western Australia.
#Mining, #Geological, #Detecting, #Panning, #Prospecting, #Lead, #Copper, #Zinc,
IF WE DIDN'T HAVE ROCKS AND MINERALS
We wouldn't have cars, roads or the picture below!
IRON ORE
Western Australia & Beyond
Iron Mine
In Western Australia early explorers noted the presence of iron ore in the Hamersley Ranges and described Koolyanobbing in the Yilgarn while geologists referred to the Pilbara as “… essentially an iron country”. The Commonwealth Government placed an embargo on all exports in 1938 to conserve available known resources before an export industry could be established, but when this was lifted in 1960 it led to a boom in iron ore exploration resulting in the discovery of the Koolanooka deposit in the Yilgarn in 1961 and Mt Tom Price the Pilbara region in 1962. Many discoveries followed including Robe River, Paraburdoo, Hope Downs, Marandoo, Jimblebar, Yandicoogina, Mining Area C and West Angelas. More recently, large increases in exploration expenditure has lead to the discovery of many new deposits including, North Star, Glacier Valley, Cashmere Downs, Lake Giles, Ridley, Solomon, Cloud Break, Christmas Creek, Spinifex Ridge and Wodgina. Since the 1960’s the Hamersley iron province in Western Australia has become one of the great iron provinces of the world and will continue to supply the bulk of Australian iron ore exports for the foreseeable future.
IRON ORE & MORE
A good guy in the mining industry
ANDREW (Twiggy) FORREST
"Philanthropist and anti-slavery advocate Andrew Forrest devotes his energy to society's most vulnerable, tirelessly working to end Australia’s Indigenous disparity and drawing attention to liberating the 45.8 million people trapped in modern slavery around the world.
Discover his story and those of other finalists on the Australian the Year website: www.australianoftheyear.org.au. The Awards announcement will be broadcast live on ABC TV, iview and ABC Radio from 7:30pm AEDT, 25 January 2017 #AusoftheYear."
Discover his story and those of other finalists on the Australian the Year website: www.australianoftheyear.org.au. The Awards announcement will be broadcast live on ABC TV, iview and ABC Radio from 7:30pm AEDT, 25 January 2017 #AusoftheYear."
22/05/2017 Andrew Forrest $400m Donation
for community projects and cancer research.
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ABOVE: Andrew Forrest Fortescue Metals.
FORTESCUE METALS GROUP (FMG)
"Never, Ever Give Up"
Fortescue Metals (FMG) chairman Andrew Forrest and some of the early employees of the company share the stories and history of our great company as it grew from humble beginnings, overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds, into the world's new force in iron ore. We hear from Andrew, the family stories that inspired and shaped his ambition, through the successes and failures, as he and our company's pioneers brought the dream into reality.
QUARTZ GEMSTONES
Macrocrystalline quartz gemstones :
Rock crystal: Colorless quartz. Inclusions: goethite, gold, pyrite, rutile or tourmaline.
Rose quartz: Strong pink to pale pink quartz, tends to be milky or cloudy, which deepens its color. Transparent rose quartz crystals are rare.
Rutilated quartz: Clear or smoky quartz with inclusions of rutile crystals.
Smoky quartz: Brown to black, smoky gray quartz.
Rock crystal: Colorless quartz. Inclusions: goethite, gold, pyrite, rutile or tourmaline.
Rose quartz: Strong pink to pale pink quartz, tends to be milky or cloudy, which deepens its color. Transparent rose quartz crystals are rare.
Rutilated quartz: Clear or smoky quartz with inclusions of rutile crystals.
Smoky quartz: Brown to black, smoky gray quartz.
Cryptocrystalline quartz gemstones :
Agate Multicoloured and banded chalcedony.
Agate jasper: yellow, brown or green blended with agate.
Blue quartz: Coloured by inclusions of crocidolite (asbestos fibres).
Bloodstone: Opaque chalcedony, with red spots on a dark-green background .
Carnelian: single-coloured agate chalcedony. Yellow-orange, reddish orange or orange brown. Semi-opaque to translucent.
Chalcedony: All varieties of cryptocrystalline quartz varieties from single solid color to multiple colors and patterns.
Chrysocolla: The most expensive type of chalcedony quartz. Blue or blue-green, opaque to almost transparent, coloured by copper.
Chrysoprase: Olive to nearly pure Apple green chalcedony. Coloured by nickel. Often passed off as imperial jade.
Dendritic agate: Translucent chalcedony with fern like inclusions called dendrites.
Fire agate: Iridescent red, gold, green and rarely, blue-violet.
Jasper: Multi colouredwith stripes spots or streaks.
Onyx: Layered black and a white parallel banding.
Petrified wood: Composed of jasper and chalcedony.
Prase: Leek green quartz.
Agate Multicoloured and banded chalcedony.
Agate jasper: yellow, brown or green blended with agate.
Blue quartz: Coloured by inclusions of crocidolite (asbestos fibres).
Bloodstone: Opaque chalcedony, with red spots on a dark-green background .
Carnelian: single-coloured agate chalcedony. Yellow-orange, reddish orange or orange brown. Semi-opaque to translucent.
Chalcedony: All varieties of cryptocrystalline quartz varieties from single solid color to multiple colors and patterns.
Chrysocolla: The most expensive type of chalcedony quartz. Blue or blue-green, opaque to almost transparent, coloured by copper.
Chrysoprase: Olive to nearly pure Apple green chalcedony. Coloured by nickel. Often passed off as imperial jade.
Dendritic agate: Translucent chalcedony with fern like inclusions called dendrites.
Fire agate: Iridescent red, gold, green and rarely, blue-violet.
Jasper: Multi colouredwith stripes spots or streaks.
Onyx: Layered black and a white parallel banding.
Petrified wood: Composed of jasper and chalcedony.
Prase: Leek green quartz.
CHALCEDONY Fine grained quartz
Opaque or translucent white, grey or blue. Impurities give it a range of other colours.In the gem trade it is often artificially stained. Chalcedony includes many types of quartz gemstones, including agate, chrysoprase, bloodstone, jasper and carnelian. The name Chalcedony typically refers to lighter stones of a single colour, typically a bluish colour. |
It can be used for carvings and cameos. A popular stone used in men’s & ladies rings, set in stainless steel or sterling silver. It often comes in black with white stripes and it can also be red.
EMERALD A GREEN WHOPPER
Workers at the Carnaiba emerald mine in Pindobacu Brazil, were stunned when in vein of black rock that glinted green under torchlight, they uncovered an enormous 360kg emerald worth about 310 million dollars. All other digging was halted as they concentrated on carefully extracting the complete stone from its matrix.
When it was finally out, the emerald weighed in at 360 kg. If the stone was cut and polished, it could contain over 200,000 carats of emerald. |
YouTube 360kg Emerald
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YOU COULD MAKE A SMALL FORTUNE
They reckon the quickest way to make a small fortune in mineral exploration , is to start with a large fortune and watch it getting smaller!
It is so easy to blow a fortune searching for gems and minerals in Australia.
It is so easy to blow a fortune searching for gems and minerals in Australia.
You don't see many flouro jackets and hard hats
on gem miners in Sri Lanka.
on gem miners in Sri Lanka.
AN IMPRESSIVE AUSTRALIAN GEM MINER
Kings Plains Sapphire - Journey to the Mine
Published on Oct 20, 2015
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Discovered in 1854, the Kings Plains Sapphire deposit is an ancient dry riverbed located northeast of the town of Inverell in the Australian state of New South Wales. |
With mined land reclaimed into lush pastures replanted with native vegetation, the Wilson Gems Mine is environmentally friendly. As gullies and eroded areas are filled-in, the reclaimed pastures are actually more productive.
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Our Kings Plains Sapphire is sourced from the Wilson Gems Mine, a fourth generation mine to market family operation; the principal miner, John Wilson, has been working Australian Sapphire fields for 50 years. While the Kings Plains deposit is one of the richest Sapphire fields ever mined, less than 50 percent are of a rich royal blue color and for every one ton of earth processed only 6-8 carats of finished gems are extracted. Most Sapphire crystals mined range in size from a grain of sand to the size of a pea, which typically yields small accent gems to two carat gemstones. Larger gems are rarely found.
The Australian Department of Mineral Resources actually wants every miner in the state of New South Wales to review the excellent rehabilitation processes at the Wilson Gems Mine.
Kings Plains Sapphire
John Wilson (Sapphire Miner) Published on Oct 20, 2015
Few people realize that Australia is actually one of the world’s major Sapphire sources. Kings Plains Sapphire comes in beautiful, rich royal blues whose finest examples can rival Sapphires from renowned localities with an historic pedigree, such as Ceylon (Sri Lanka).
Ranging from pastel through to midnight blue, approximately 90 percent of Australian Sapphires are blue, with the majority displaying rich royal to midnight blues. The second most prevalent color are greenish blues, followed by greens and yellows. Occasionally color change (Alexandrite-esque and greenish yellow to orangey pink), mauve, orange, pink, purple, and star (black or bronze very similar to those from Bang Kha Cha in Thailand’s Chanthaburi Province as well blue, blue-gray, gold, and green) Sapphires are found, but they are extremely rare. Color banding is very common in Australian Sapphires and this feature is actually more prevalent and better developed than in Sapphires from other deposits. Coarse to very coarse banding of blues, greens and yellows results in the uniquely beautiful Particolored Sapphire. The most attractive of all Particolored Sapphires and one of the most beautiful gems of the entire Corundum family, is the Wattle Sapphire, whose blend of green and gold are reminiscent of Australia’s national flower the Wattle (Mimosa).
John Wilson (Sapphire Miner) Published on Oct 20, 2015
Few people realize that Australia is actually one of the world’s major Sapphire sources. Kings Plains Sapphire comes in beautiful, rich royal blues whose finest examples can rival Sapphires from renowned localities with an historic pedigree, such as Ceylon (Sri Lanka).
Ranging from pastel through to midnight blue, approximately 90 percent of Australian Sapphires are blue, with the majority displaying rich royal to midnight blues. The second most prevalent color are greenish blues, followed by greens and yellows. Occasionally color change (Alexandrite-esque and greenish yellow to orangey pink), mauve, orange, pink, purple, and star (black or bronze very similar to those from Bang Kha Cha in Thailand’s Chanthaburi Province as well blue, blue-gray, gold, and green) Sapphires are found, but they are extremely rare. Color banding is very common in Australian Sapphires and this feature is actually more prevalent and better developed than in Sapphires from other deposits. Coarse to very coarse banding of blues, greens and yellows results in the uniquely beautiful Particolored Sapphire. The most attractive of all Particolored Sapphires and one of the most beautiful gems of the entire Corundum family, is the Wattle Sapphire, whose blend of green and gold are reminiscent of Australia’s national flower the Wattle (Mimosa).
SAPPHIRE & RUBY in THAILAND & TANZANIA
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EMERALDS IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA Rex Woodmore
Many years ago near Yalgoo in Western Australia at Noongal or ‘Melville’ (as it was originally called before the confusion with the Perth suburb of the same name) I found a few emeralds, the best was a beautiful, gem quality, apple green gem. Much later in life I gave this gem to a lady. I think that was the last I saw of either of them, gem or lady.
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The emeralds were in a Biotite mica schist, perhaps only 15cm thick like a coating on either side of the quartz veins that ran through the area. Starting from the exposed sections of schist I used a gadget (similar to a Geiger counter) which I forget the name of, loaned to me by a Geology lecturer, and was able to trace the veins and plot where they travelled underground. When a big mining company Exploration licence was about to expire I camped on the ground at midnight of the expiry date I pegged the area. But I didn’t know that a deal had been made by the mining company which allowed them to transfer the claim to another party. So I missed out by a day on being granted the claim. Interestingly when I researched the company I found their office was in Emerald Terrace, West Perth. When I approached them they said they didn’t know anything about emeralds on the EL & were only interested in gold exploration.
Years later I heard that a huge bulldozer was used in an attempt to dig up the emeralds, but all they finished up with was a pile of dirt too costly to extract the gems from.
If my claim had been successful I intended using hand tools and perhaps a small backhoe, like they used for laying telephone cables, to scrape along the hard quartz and remove the soft crumbly rich emerald bearing schist.
Originally, as I remember it, probably 50 years ago, before I started investigating the quartz veins, there was flat ground with shallow pits here and there and broken black schist glistening around them. I went back about 15 years ago & the area was almost unrecognisable.
Unlike my interest in a potential Ruby deposit in the Wheatbelt, I gave up on Emeralds long ago.
Years later I heard that a huge bulldozer was used in an attempt to dig up the emeralds, but all they finished up with was a pile of dirt too costly to extract the gems from.
If my claim had been successful I intended using hand tools and perhaps a small backhoe, like they used for laying telephone cables, to scrape along the hard quartz and remove the soft crumbly rich emerald bearing schist.
Originally, as I remember it, probably 50 years ago, before I started investigating the quartz veins, there was flat ground with shallow pits here and there and broken black schist glistening around them. I went back about 15 years ago & the area was almost unrecognisable.
Unlike my interest in a potential Ruby deposit in the Wheatbelt, I gave up on Emeralds long ago.
PROSPECTING - WESTERN AUSTRALIA & Beyond
A Miner's Right is a necessary permit to prospect for minerals in Western Australia. The holder of Miner's Right is authorised under Section 20 of the Mining Act 1978 to carry out the following activities on Crown land not the subject of a mining tenement: • prospect for minerals (including gold);
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• conduct geological mapping; • conduct tests for minerals; • undertake limited sampling using hand held equipment and to remove samples up to 20 kilograms; • mark out mining tenements; • fossick for rocks, gemstones, etc; • take water and camp for the purposes of prospecting. Possession of a Miner's Right does not authorise these activities on private land or Reserve land (except where the purpose is a Common, Mining or Public Utility)
Prospecting can be carried out for all minerals including gold and a metal detector can be used. Prospecting cannot be carried out on a mining tenement unless the tenement holder's consent is obtained and if a pastoral lease is affected the pastoralist should be notified. Prospecting may be carried out on an exploration licence situated on Crown Land where a Section 20A Permit has first been obtained.
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Fossicking authorises the collection of mineral specimens (excluding gold and diamonds) for lapidary work or hobby interests. Use of a metal detector is not permitted. In addition the written consent of any mining tenement holder and the pastoralist is required.
BAUXITE - Western Australia & Beyond
Jarrahdale is no longer operating.
Bauxite was the catalyst for my interest in Western Australian Geology. By Rex Woodmore.
In 1955 as a 10 year old, I discovered (but unfortunately, did not know it at the time) what was to become Alcoa Australia’s Western Australia’s first bauxite mine.
I lived in Jarrahdale where I explored the Jarrah forest that surrounded my home.
The gravel that the Jarrah and Banksia trees thrived in fascinated me. It was made up of small rounded stones, when I broke them open, many of them had a cavity in the center filled with a white crystalline powder. No one I asked could tell me what it was.
Today I know that under my feet lay millions of dollars worth of minerals. The gravelly soil layer was a pisolitic (pea like) laterite, called bauxite, a major ore of Aluminium. The white crystalline powder was pure alumina (Aluminium).
In 1955 as a 10 year old, I discovered (but unfortunately, did not know it at the time) what was to become Alcoa Australia’s Western Australia’s first bauxite mine.
I lived in Jarrahdale where I explored the Jarrah forest that surrounded my home.
The gravel that the Jarrah and Banksia trees thrived in fascinated me. It was made up of small rounded stones, when I broke them open, many of them had a cavity in the center filled with a white crystalline powder. No one I asked could tell me what it was.
Today I know that under my feet lay millions of dollars worth of minerals. The gravelly soil layer was a pisolitic (pea like) laterite, called bauxite, a major ore of Aluminium. The white crystalline powder was pure alumina (Aluminium).
DIAMONDS WA Saturday 7 August 1926
Great Southern Herald (Katanning, WA : 1901 - 1954)
Western Australian Diamonds
Great Southern Herald (Katanning, WA : 1901 - 1954)
Western Australian Diamonds
Over seventy years ago a man named Coates was herding sheep near Mullewa, and it was reported that he had found a diamond. Coates went to England and became the proprietor of an hotel and he afterwards" stated that his start in life was the result of selling the gem to a Greek merchant for a large sum of money.
In the early days of the Pilbara digging two men named Brookes took
several diamonds found in the surface alluvial along the Nullagine
Creek to England, while two other men, Wilson and Nicholl, found a
stone weighing three carats which they sold for £90.
Besides this, it is well known that small diamonds have been found In the sorter boxes of the local batteries while crushing conglomerate material taken from the locality of what is known as Brook's Flat at Nullagine.
The diamondiferous deposits in Braill, worked profitably for over two centuries, consisting of a conglomerate of quarts breccia on the hillside, and of rolled quarts pebbles concreted together by ferruginous cement in the streams. These
indications, it is stated, are reproduced at Nullagine, as are also many of
the topographical and geological features of South African fields.
Rival parties took up claims at Nullagine and prospected in a desultory sort of
way, the results being commensurate with the insignificance of the prospecting done.
Several diamonds were nevertheless unearthed in the primitive method of carrying the top alluvial in a bag on a man's shoulder half a mile to water and panning it off there. -Experts state that the expenditure of thousands of pounds is absolutely necessary to give the field any opportunity of definitely
showing what its diamondiferous value may be. Shaft sinking and driving, the erection of puddlers, and the raising and testing of the wash on a large scale must, It is said, be taken in hand before any definite opinion can be hazarded as to what diamond mining at Nullagine is going to produce.
several diamonds found in the surface alluvial along the Nullagine
Creek to England, while two other men, Wilson and Nicholl, found a
stone weighing three carats which they sold for £90.
Besides this, it is well known that small diamonds have been found In the sorter boxes of the local batteries while crushing conglomerate material taken from the locality of what is known as Brook's Flat at Nullagine.
The diamondiferous deposits in Braill, worked profitably for over two centuries, consisting of a conglomerate of quarts breccia on the hillside, and of rolled quarts pebbles concreted together by ferruginous cement in the streams. These
indications, it is stated, are reproduced at Nullagine, as are also many of
the topographical and geological features of South African fields.
Rival parties took up claims at Nullagine and prospected in a desultory sort of
way, the results being commensurate with the insignificance of the prospecting done.
Several diamonds were nevertheless unearthed in the primitive method of carrying the top alluvial in a bag on a man's shoulder half a mile to water and panning it off there. -Experts state that the expenditure of thousands of pounds is absolutely necessary to give the field any opportunity of definitely
showing what its diamondiferous value may be. Shaft sinking and driving, the erection of puddlers, and the raising and testing of the wash on a large scale must, It is said, be taken in hand before any definite opinion can be hazarded as to what diamond mining at Nullagine is going to produce.
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About 30 years ago a drover found a stone of unusual shape on the Greenough River. Adelaide experts pronounced it to be corundum, one of the hardest stones in Nature, and found only in other parts of the world in the vicinity of diamonds. The "wash" from the spot contained many of the indications usually found on a diamond field.
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WESTERN AUSTRALIAN COMPANY FINDS HUGE DIAMOND
THE STORY GETS EVEN BIGGER!
Larger than any gem found by #Argyle #Diamonds, the white diamond measuring about seven centimetres in length & weighing 2.8 ounces (404 carats) is a record find for any Australian company.
The diamond came from the Lulo mine in Angola. |
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A spokesperson for the Perth based #Lucapa #Diamond Company, said it was the largest diamond ever found in Angola and the biggest ever discovered by an Australian company.
It is believed to be the 27th biggest diamond found in the world.
Immediately after the announcement of this dazzling find, Shares in Lucapa, which is based in West Perth, rose by a staggering 29%
http://www.lucapa.com.au/company-profile
It is believed to be the 27th biggest diamond found in the world.
Immediately after the announcement of this dazzling find, Shares in Lucapa, which is based in West Perth, rose by a staggering 29%
http://www.lucapa.com.au/company-profile
ANOTHER COMPANY
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Only a few months before the find of a huge stone at the Lulo mine in Angola, another company found an even bigger 1,109 carat diamond in Botswana. Believed to be the world's second-largest diamond, but still a long way off the 1905 find of a 3106 carat stone found in South Africa and named the Cullinan diamond
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BLUE DIAMONDS
Singing the blues!
The uncut gem could fetch between $15 million and $20 million at auction.
Meanwhile in Geneva:
A 6.16-carat blue diamond fetched $6.7million! at Sotheby's auction in Geneva The Farnese Blue is a 6.16-carat, pear-shaped blue diamond given in 1715 to Elisabeth Farnese, wife of King Philip V of Spain. Passed down through royal families in Spain, France, Italy and Austria. It came onto the market after 300 years and had been expected to fetch $3.7 million-$5.3 million. |
LOOKING FOR GOLD?
FIND GOLD ON SEPARATE PAGE CALLED 'OLD GOLD'
ROCKS & MINERALS
Western Australia & Beyond
Western Australian Mining Corporation was founded in 1957 and commenced exploration soon after. Exploration and evaluation identified Jarrahdale, with it’s good grades of ore, was decided as the most suitable site for a mine. Alcoa commenced mining at Jarrahdale in 1963, marking the birth of the Aluminium industry in Australia. The first mine pit was at the Jarrahdale site now known as Langford Park.
In the first year of operation 48,750 tonnes of bauxite were mined and transported to Kwinana.
When mining ceased in 1998, it marked the closure of an important chapter in Australian mining history. Although the mining operations finished in 1998, rehabilitation carried on for another 3 years until 2001 when all mined areas, haul roads and building sites were completely rehabilitated.
During 35 years of production, over 160 million tonnes of ore was mined.
In the first year of operation 48,750 tonnes of bauxite were mined and transported to Kwinana.
When mining ceased in 1998, it marked the closure of an important chapter in Australian mining history. Although the mining operations finished in 1998, rehabilitation carried on for another 3 years until 2001 when all mined areas, haul roads and building sites were completely rehabilitated.
During 35 years of production, over 160 million tonnes of ore was mined.
COPPER
Western Australia & Beyond
Copper pipes
I like finding copper ore. There is lots of it between Paynes Find and Yalgoo at a place now called Golden Grove.
I used to test my interesting rock samples by crushing them and adding a small amount of the powder to a spoon full of salt & vinegar, which I would then boil away completely over a flame. If the rock contained copper, then it would form a coating of copper on the stainless steel spoon.
Which did not look too good when it went back into the cutlery drawer.
I used to test my interesting rock samples by crushing them and adding a small amount of the powder to a spoon full of salt & vinegar, which I would then boil away completely over a flame. If the rock contained copper, then it would form a coating of copper on the stainless steel spoon.
Which did not look too good when it went back into the cutlery drawer.
Copper has been produced in Australia since the first discovery of copper ore at Kapunda in South Australia in 1842. Australia currently produces about 900 kiloton of copper metal a year, about six per cent of world copper production.
Western Australia has several significant mines producing copper.
Recent copper discoveries in Western Australia include the DeGrussa copper-gold deposit in 2009.
Golden Grove between Paynes Find And Yalgoo, commenced open pit operations above Gossan Hill in January 2012. Over its life, the copper open pit will produce approximately 235,000 tonnes of copper concentrate containing 59,600 tonnes of copper metal in concentrate at 25% copper.
Western Australia has several significant mines producing copper.
Recent copper discoveries in Western Australia include the DeGrussa copper-gold deposit in 2009.
Golden Grove between Paynes Find And Yalgoo, commenced open pit operations above Gossan Hill in January 2012. Over its life, the copper open pit will produce approximately 235,000 tonnes of copper concentrate containing 59,600 tonnes of copper metal in concentrate at 25% copper.
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ABOVE: Copper Mining
ARGYLE DIAMONDS
YouTube
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ABOVE: Pink Diamonds, Mining & Investment (The mine is now closed (2021)
LITHIUM
Western Australia & Beyond
Lithium-Lepidolite
Lithium produced from the Greenbushes mine in Western Australia has been used in the production of specialty glasses, glass bottles, ceramics and ceramic glazes, and the production of lithium carbonate used in greases, aluminium production, air conditioning systems and catalysts. Lithium is also being produced at Mount Cattlin in southwest of Western Australia, and the construction of a minerals processing plant is being planned at the Mount Marion Lithium Project near Kalgoorlie, Western Australia.
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ABOVE: Bolivian Lithium
MAGNESITE
Western Australia & Beyond
Magnesite Nodule
Queensland’s Kunwarara deposit, discovered in 1985, is the largest known resource of ultrafine-grained cryptocrystalline to microcrystalline, nodular magnesite.
In Western Australia Magnesite deposits exist in Bandalup 20km east of Ravensthorpe in south west Western Australia.
There is also my own discovery (1983) of nodular Magnesite in the ‘Wheatbelt’ of Western Australia.
In Western Australia Magnesite deposits exist in Bandalup 20km east of Ravensthorpe in south west Western Australia.
There is also my own discovery (1983) of nodular Magnesite in the ‘Wheatbelt’ of Western Australia.
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ABOVE: Small & Large scale Magnesite mining projects.
MOLYBDENUM
Western Australia & Beyond
Molybdenum
There is no recorded production of molybdenum in Australian in recent years. Exploration for molybdenum is continuing and resources were upgraded for several deposits. The Spinifex Ridge molybdenum-copper-silver project in Western Australia was subject of a feasibility study.
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ABOVE: Molybdenum & Mining in Australia
NICKEL
Western Australia & Beyond
Nickel Ore
Australia has some of the world’s largest nickel sulphide and lateritic deposits of their type, mainly in Western Australia which is the largest holder of nickel resources with about 90 per cent of total Australian economic resources.
The economic demonstrated resources in Western Australia, comprises both sulphide and lateritic deposits.
The economic demonstrated resources in Western Australia, comprises both sulphide and lateritic deposits.
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ABOVE: Nickel Mining Kambalda & Education Video: Nickel Quest
NIOBIUM
Western Australia & Beyond
Niobium Crystals
Niobium is used in alloys by the steel and aerospace industries and niobium-titanium alloy wire is used in the medical sector for magnetic resonance imaging. Australia has only about five per cent of the world’s economic resources of niobium, which usually is recovered as a by-product of tantalum mining. Recent tantalum exploration has been carried around Mount Cattlin in Western Australia.
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ABOVE: Prospecting for REA (Rare Earth Elements) - Niobium
PLATINUM
Western Australia & Beyond
Platinum Nugget
The platinum-group elements (PGEs) of most commercial significance are platinum, palladium, and rhodium. Australia’s contribution makes up only about 700 kilograms a year being a by-product of mining nickel sulphide deposits in the Yilgarn Craton in Western Australia.
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ABOVE: Australian Platinum Exploration & A South African Mine
SILVER
Western Australia & Beyond
Western Australian Perth Mint Silver Coins
Zinc, lead and silver often occur together in mineral deposits.
Australian exports of zinc and lead total about $2 billion each a year while exports of silver total about $1 billion a year. As a group, zinc, lead and silver represent about three per cent of Australia’s total mineral exports and attracts significant investment in exploration. Making up around five per cent of all of Australia’s mineral exploration each year. Western Australia accounts for about a third of this expenditure.
Australian exports of zinc and lead total about $2 billion each a year while exports of silver total about $1 billion a year. As a group, zinc, lead and silver represent about three per cent of Australia’s total mineral exports and attracts significant investment in exploration. Making up around five per cent of all of Australia’s mineral exploration each year. Western Australia accounts for about a third of this expenditure.
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ABOVE: Silver Mining
ABOVE: Tantalum an important metal.
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Australia’s production of tantalum decreased sharply in recent years to less than five per cent of the world production of 622 tonnes. Mining operations are under care and maintenance at Greenbushes in Western Australia. All of Australia’s tantalum EDR of about 50000 tonne are located in Western Australia mostly in the Greenbushes and Wodgina deposits.
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TIN
Western Australia & Beyond
Tin Crystal
During a period of high tin prices in the mid 1970s to mid 1980s, Australia became one of the world’s largest tin producing countries. Tin prices collapsed in mid 1980s and many Australian mines closed. The price remained at very low levels from 1985 until 2004 by which time the only production was a by-product of tantalum mining at Greenbushes in Western Australia.
Prices rose sharply from 2004 as stocks declined, resulting in the resumption of mining elsewhere in Australia.
Prices rose sharply from 2004 as stocks declined, resulting in the resumption of mining elsewhere in Australia.
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ABOVE: Cornish Tin Mining
Email Rex Woodmore: [email protected]