Galena Mine - Surprise & South Surprise, Galena and Two Boys

Statement of Significance

The place is highly significant at the local and possibly the state level. It contains evidence of mining, mineral processing and habitation that encompass the greater part of the Northampton Mineral Field's mining history. The Galena Mine Precinct also has significance as an essential component of the group of sites that constitute the Galena Heritage Area.

Physical Description

1993 The site contains ruins of old poppet heads, mine buildings, excavations, old shafts, flooded open cut mine site and tailing dumps. The ruins cover an extensive area together with remnants of old equipment. Sites that originally were separate mines are now overgrown and appear to merge together requiring some archaeological investigation to define them. Remnants comprise extensive footings of treatment plant, a bucket elevator and drying floors; shafts and open pits. 2004 The most complete description of the precinct is that recorded by Bradley in 1996 (see Galena Site Plan and Tables 1, 1 A). The area was not re-surveyed in detail in the course of the 2004 Ml review, but previously-recorded features were noted at the Two Boys (Open pit, NR006-2), Surprise South (Main shaft, NR006-3), Galena (Mill, NR006-4 to NR006-6) and Surprise (Open pit and mill, NR006-7 to NR006-8), and most of the other features recorded earlier are likely to be extant. Exceptions include the tailings dumps, which with rehabilitation (ref. 10) will become increasingly difficult to recognise as the vegetation takes hold. Evidence of mine plant and equipment is restricted to concrete foundations, except at the Galena mill, where a remnant of a bucket elevator (NR006-4 to NR006-5) survives next to drying floors associated with the 1950s flotation plant (NR006-6).

History

1993 Located near what later became the township of Galena, alongside the Murchison River, this property was purchased by Mr R.M. Habgood, worked profitably as a lead mine between 1867 and 1872, and was closed in 1878 when the owner died. In the 1920s, during the second great boom in mining, the mine was reopened by the Fremantle Trading Company, who employed 160 men there during its peak period. The mine was subject to a Board of Control in 1924. It was closed in 1927 after the lode had been worked over a length of 250 ft, to a width of 10 ft and a depth of 250 ft, and producing 90,000 tons of ore (in early years, ore from the Galena mine was moved by tramway to the Warribanno Chimney [Site No.9]) for smelting. 2004 SURPRISE GROUP 1): (1971).. on the W side of NW Coastal Highway about 730m S of the Murchison river. .. includes the Surprise mine (ML214), the Galena mine (ML205), the Surprise South mine (also ML205), and the Two Boys mine (ML209). Since it was first worked in 1918 .. has produced 14,904 tons of lead, 19.5 tons of zinc and 690 oz of silver. ... the largest lead producer in the Galena district and second only to .. Baddera ... in the Northampton Field. SURPRISE MINE 1): (1971)... largest and most northerly of the group. .. worked between 1918 and 1926 to yield 13,019 ton of lead ... bottomed out at 90m. Six shoots ... mined from an open cut about 60m long by 30m wide and 15 to 18m deep. Underground mined from a 3x1 m main shaft to 91m. Mines Dept drilled two DD holes in 1928 ...no lode .. poor recovery 2): (1993) ML 148, 150, 154 20PP. Purchased by Mr RM Habgood, worked as lead mine 1867 -1872, closed 1878 when owner died. Reopened Frem Trading Co early 1920s, employing 120 men. Subject to Board of Control 1924. Closed 1927. 3): (1962) Easily the largest leasehold concern was the Surprise lead mine which in 1920 employed 150-160 men. .... Near the Surprise mine sprang up the little township of Galena within a quarter mile of the Murchison. This mine into retirement after having produced lead ore worth nearly 320,000 pounds. 4): (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. 5): (1922). In May 1922 Inspector of Mines Winzar reports on inspections --the Surprise mine is being overhauled and the boiler refurbished. The mine would 'be de-watered and in full swing ere long'. 6): In support of the school, the mine manager, 5 August 1920, asserted that 40 thousand pounds had been spent on machinery. The population was 200 but an increase was expected. The mine closed in 1921. The school opened as the Surprise Mine school in 1924, and changed its name to Galena School in 1928. It was closed 1942-1949, and finally closed in 1963 when the area's schooling was consolidated on Binnu. GALENA MINE 1): (1971)... 150m SSW of the Surprise . ... worked from 1946 to 1958 to produce 808 tons of lead. ... an open cut 27m long leading into old stopes and a main shaft 2x1 m to 58m. 7): (1953) The mill has a capacity of 40 tons per day on three shifts, and uses an all-flotation circuit.... One man looks after tipping the trucks and the crushing plant. One man per shift attends the ball mill and flotation plant, and one man dries and bags concentrates. 3: (1962) The principal objective of the crushing, milling, wasting and concentration processes carried on at the (State) Battery is to extract lead-zinc concentrates either from the dross left behind after dressing the ore or from copper tailings. It is noteworthy that of the five mines cleaned being cleaned up in 1954, three - the Wheal Fortune, Gurkha, and Saxon -- were old copper mines whose ores had been previously treated only for copper content. Exceptions to this common form of modern mine treatment exist at the Murchison end of the Field where some mining leases hear Galena are still worked in the old fashion, mainly by one company, Galena Mines N.L. In this area the problematic immediate future of the lead mining industry may lie. 8): Galena Lead Mine commenced operations in this area in 1946 working a new mine, called the Galena. This mine operated until 1958 producing 808 tons of lead. A set of photographs (Battye 816B/B581, 816B/B582, 816B/B681, 1618B, 3827B/23, 3827B/24, 3827B/26), said to have been taken in 1936, show what appears to be the construction of the processing mill at the Surprise Mine and an aerial view of the Surprise Group. As the none of the mines in the Surprise Group are officially listed as operating at this date, it is possible that the dating of the photographs is incorrect. SURPRISE SOUTH MINE 1): (1971)... 400m SW of the Galena mine .. production 8 tons of lead (some may have gone through Surprise) ore shoot was worked to a maximum depth of 52m over a length of 50m on the 30m level from three inclined shafts. 8) The Surprise South was discovered by Lew Moreton and Doug Drysden in 1919 and was worked by the Syndicate in that year and 1934 By 1923, the syndicate had received the rights to work the leases at the Three Sisters Mine. This mine was operated by the syndicate until 1926; the lead ore was carted to the Surprise where it was treated. The Surprise South was re-started in 1947 by Francis Xavier Burnett, who had mining interests in Mount Magnet. The renewed activity caused the Galena School to re-open in a new building, with the old school becoming the teachers quarters and the provision of a new classroom. Under manager Bob Atkinson, a new shaft was sunk, a conveyor built together with a cracking mill and a treatment shed. TWO BOYS MINE 1): (1971). ... 229m east of Galena mine alongside the highway. .. production since . 1925 ... 1068 tons lead (some further included with Galena). ... mined from an open cut 24m long, 15m deep and av 14m wide. A shaft 40m deep sunk on the W side of the open cut. to 37m.... reopened in 1964 .. the main shaft cleaned out to 24m, a cross cut put in to the lode and about 600 tons of ore mined. 8) In 1925, the Two Boys lode was discovered by two boys (Jack Jamieson and Roy Porter) who went off exploring one day while their parents were playing tennis. Their parents pegged the area and sold off the mine site to the Syndicate. In 1925 it was sold to a local company for £9,000 and the company worked it until 1927. The Two Boys Mine was re-worked by Harry Hyde and Fred Camp in 1964 to 65. During this period the mine produced 126.38 tons of lead.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: Low Orig'l Fabric: Dismantled Mine

Condition

Poor

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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