Wheal Ellen Mine Site

Statement of Significance

The place is highly significant for the evidence it provides of the structure and operation of the mine and possibly also of its associated community. The surviving foundations, rare survival of an early steam engine and boiler, and other mining artifacts, give the place a high level of scientific significance as a research site. It has associations with Sam Mitchell, who was Mine Manager of the Geraldine Mine, who resided at the mine before he built Chiverton House. The place also has group value as one of a number of sites in the vicinity of Northampton.

Physical Description

1993 Site was not visited and assessed but is said to comprise stone ruins, tailing/slag heaps, shafts, furnace structure. The site is close to the State Battery site (Site No. 88) and both sites have been dealt with jointly as a "Specific Precinct" area under the Town Planning Scheme Policies. 2004 The remnants consist of two shafts and associated treatment areas, tailings dumps (T on the site Plan) and a line of exposed workings (S on the Site Plan). Gibbs (1966) noted the foundations of a possible mine office (Site Plan 4), and what may have been a settlement associated with the mine (Site Plan 5). The original 1870s mine workings (Gibbs 1966) are at the southwestern end of the site (Site Plan 3). They consist of a partly collapsed single shaft, steam engine and boiler (NR117-13 to NR117-15) and remnants of a probable knapping floor. The 1890s main shaft (Site Plan 1) is to the northeast (NR117 to NR117-1). It is a timber lined, three compartment shaft on which is mounted a contemporary water pump. Nearby are the foundations of the winding engine, foundations of two boilers with associated flue channels and chimney base, and the collapsed metal chimney (NR117-2 to NR117-6). Extensive foundations of the related treatment area lie to the southwest (Site Plan 2 and Wheal Ellen NR117-1 toNR117-3). Mining artefacts scattered around the site include bailing tanks, an ore skip (or man-cage) and an ore kibble, and parts of ore shutes (NR117-9 to NR117-11).

History

1993 Wheal Ellen Mine was associated with Sam Mitchell, who was Mine Manager of the Geraldine Mine and the first owner of Chiverton House. It was his town mine which he is reputed to have visited daily in some style".(Considine & Griffith 3.8.2.) Sam Mitchell resided at the Wheal Ellen in late 1875, (Mitchell, S. Looking Backwards, p. 14) before living at Chiverton House. The mine was named after one of his daughters. James Mitchell (Sam's brother) was mining captain here in 1874. Wheal Ellen Lead /Copper Mine is located about 1.5 miles south-west of Northampton (near the State Lead Battery), it was opened in 1862? and worked for both copper and lead. It yielded copper ore worth 41,000 pounds, and lead ore with 75-80% lead and 5-6 oz of silver worth 30,000 pounds from a depth of up to 200 ft. Crowther and Mitchell worked A2336/7 to produce 830 tons of ore in 1877, 680 tons in 1878. The Fremantle Trading Company worked this mine in the 1920s until its closure in 1924. (Simpson 1 p253; 2 p322.) 2004 "Wheal Ellen Mine was associated with Sam Mitchell, who was Mine Manager of the Geraldine Mine and the first owner of Chiverton House. It was his "town mine" which he is reputed to have visited daily in some style".(Considine & Griffith 3.8.2.) Sam Mitchell resided at the Wheal Ellen in late 1875, (Mitchell, S. "Looking Backwards", p. 14) before living at Chiverton House. The mine was named after one of his daughters. James Mitchell (Sam's brother) was mining captain here in 1874. "Wheal Ellen Lead /Copper Mine is located about 1.5 miles south-west of Northampton (near the State Lead Battery ), it was opened in 1862? and worked for both copper and lead. It yielded copper ore worth 41,000 pounds, and lead ore with 75-80% lead and 5-6 oz of silver worth 30,000 pounds from a depth of up to 200 ft. Crowther and Mitchell worked A2336/7 to produce 830 tons of ore in 1877, 680 tons in 1878. The Fremantle Trading Company worked this mine in the 1920s until its closure in 1924." (Simpson 1 p253; 2 p322.) 2004 3): (1903) From Appendix C, The Northampton Mining District, John Provis, June; 1903. This has been one of the best lead mines in the district.... There was a pumping engine and dressing plant here in operation, and ores used to be dressed from the Baddera mines as well as the Wheal Ellen mines. This mine was first opened in 1872, and returned about 1000 tons of lead per annum said to be only about 26 fathoms deep, and the length of the workings 200 fathoms. 4): (1908).... formerly extensively worked and had a large equipment of machinery for winding and dressing the ore. 5): (1919) Fremantle Trading Company Ltd (Narra Tarra, Wheal Ellen and Baddera) closed down its lead mines and will shut down the Fremantle smelter. FTCL had opened up and equipped with up to date ore dressing plants the Narra Tarra and Baddera mines and done considerable development at the Wheal Ellen. Also bought ore from other mines and assisted in opening up the field -- eg the Surprise mine beyond Ajana. The company gave direct employment to 400 men. 6): (1926) It is to be regretted that this mine has been allowed to get so far behind with its development work. It is equipped with a good treatment plant, capable of treating at least 100 tons of ore a day, and it is always more economical to develop and produce ore simultaneously. 1): (1971)... 2.4km SW of Northampton with main workings on loc 1146, the mineral rights of which are alienated from the Crown.... first opened in 1872 and worked for about 10 years to produce about 1000 tons lead. ..1917 to 1924... worked by Fremantle Trading Co Ltd. ... worked from a number of open cuts, each about 12 to 15m deep. Later, these were probably used as sand passes to fill stopes... old main shaft is near S end .. levels to 42m. The new main shaft is 174m NE of old shaft.. 82m deep. ... Anglo Westralian Pty Ltd sampled the floor at the 59m level (no date given) 7) (1986) 1902 - 1926 Fremantle Trading Co. Lot of money spent on dewatering and developing Narra Tarra. Results not encouraging, so concentrated on Baddera mine from 1906. N.Tarra came into production 1914 with wartime rise in lead prices. Co's Wheal Ellen in 1916 Wheal Ellen North Workings Towards N end of ML 225, a section of lode ... was mined in 1967. Workings consist of groups of open cuts and shafts on three small ore shoots. 2): (1962) In 1918 the Wheal Ellen resumed production for the third or fourth time (by the Fremantle Trading Co.) .... to make (it) third among the Field's great freehold producers to 1927.

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