Block Seven Mine

Statement of Significance

The place contains evidence of the early and later phases of its mining history and is highly significant at
the local level. It has the potential to yield further evidence of the both phases a careful examination of
the site with reference to the historic photographs. The machinery and treatment plant foundations
provide the opportunity to interpret the operation of a small mine from the mining to the concentration of
the ore. The place also has group value as one of a number of sites that comprise the Galena Mining
Heritage Area.

Physical Description

Access: from the Warribanno Chimney Road take a west-running track opposite Glass Well, 1.3km north of the
access track to the Chimney. The mine is just north of this track, about 100m in from the main road. From the site,
The Warribanno Chimney is clearly visible to the SE (see photos NR169-4 and NR169-7.
Block 7 is correctly described in the Galena Mining Heritage Area Management Plan (5) but the photographs are of
the Geraldine South Mine (Place 182). The site queried as Block 7 in Gibbs (6) fits the description of the Geraldine
South Mine.
The site comprises (see site plan) three bush timbered shafts, two of which are in an advanced state of collapse,
and a three-compartment sawn timbered shaft with winder pad to the east and treatment plant foundations to the
west. The latter shaft and foundations are partly concealed by thick bush. Tailings fringe the greater part of the
site. The three-compartment shaft has the most extensive mullock heap.

History

Archival information is sparse, as follows:
2): (1922). In May 1922 Inspector of Mines Winzar reports on inspections --Block Seven had been de-watered.
1): (1971).... first worked from 1888 to 1890 and was then reported to have yielded about 700 tons of ore. It was
worked again between 1921 and 1929 (by Thring and Green, hence the alternative name).... it yielded 3540 tons of
ore ... 1104 tons of lead.. The earlier work ... done on an underlay shaft 37m deep sunk immediately N of the
intersection of the two lodes., surface workings indicate that some stoping was also carried out from two shafts at
the N end of the main lode... Late work (after 1926) was done from a vertical three compartment shaft collard 6m E
of the branch lode near the S end of the workings, and sunk to a depth of 36.5m. The site was sold circa mid-1950's to Julius Heinsen and the mine was dewatered and inspected, and has not been mined since.
The shaft shown being sunk on NR169-7 is clearly the three compartment shaft referred to above. The mine in
photograph NR169-6 appears to have been abandoned. The winder cable is evidently strung to haul ore up the
ramp into the bin, indicating that the plant may have been treating ore from another source. The bucket elevator
and launder probably fed classifier output to a drying floor or a further stage in the concentration process (e.g.
buddies).
The winder location shown in photograph NR169-7 was no doubt retained in the production phase. A substantial
foundation on the opposite side with a fly-wheel slot is therefore more likely to be for a rock breaker or crusher; a
circular concrete base nearby, leading to a sump with draining pipe and ramped end channel (for raking), is
probably the foundation for a classifier.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: Medium
Modifications: Dismantled mine

Condition

Poor

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.