Eelya (Mount Eelya; Colonel; Rapier; Hollandaire), Tuckabianna Goldfield, Cue Shire, Western Australia, Australiai

Regional Level Types
Eelya (Mount Eelya; Colonel; Rapier; Hollandaire)	- not defined -
Tuckabianna Goldfield	Ore Field
Cue Shire	Shire
Western Australia	State
Australia	Country

Located 88 km south south west of Meekatharra.

There was a historic mine at Mt Eelya, but Eelya is also a term used to describe the gold mining district. Often the references name miners and propectors, without placing the discovery other than at Eelya.

The goldfield is centred on the Eelya felsic sequence, about 30 kilometres west of Cue. The Tuckabianna goldfield is to its south, the nearest historic mine on this field to Eelya being Jasper Queen. Directly north-east of the Eelya field is an area now called North Tuckabianna being explored for gold and other base metals.

Present exploration is focussed on Hollandiare, the old Rapier open pit 2.5 kilometres west, Mt Eelya prospect 3.5 kilometres further north-west and the Colonel prospect 2 kilometres further north.

At Mt Eelya copper, gold and silver have been found. Hollandaire is a tabular stratabound felsites hosting a volcanic massive sulphide deposit, 10-15 metres thick plunging south-west. Chalcocite is the dominant supergene mineral in oxidised zones, and chalcopyrite in the primary zone. This is underlain in part with disseminated sulphides and a semi concordant stockwork of sulphides and silicate veining. The Rapier Mine was opened by Newcrest Mining in 1993 and produced 113 000 tonnes of ore at an average grade of 2.97 Au g/t for 11 000 ounces.

Drilling at the North Tuckabianna field adjoining Eelya to its north-east has found anomalous arsenic, lead cadmium and cobalt manganese, with disseminated sulphides (pyrite and pyrrhotite) in rock extending from the Eelya Felsic complex.

In general the Eelya area has been striped of its laterite by erosion exposing the bedrock. Granodiorite forms the core of the complex, with narrow north and east striking mafic intrusives. Massive sulphide mineralisation is hosted by felsic volcanic rocks now present as an extensive gossanous zone at the surface.

The first reports of gold mining on the Eelya field are seen in 1905. The local Mining Warden described the field at this time as new, but with eight different localities where gold had been found at Eelya.

The Eelya Mine was named by Tom Beasley who discovered the deposit in 1905. It was Tom Connelly who followed him who had more succes in extracting gold
In 1906, Beasley, McLeod and party are noted as working Eelya Hill. The 5 head battery was removed from the mine in 1913, and transferred to the City of Chester Mine, west of Cue. In 1917 it was reported the mine had been idle for many years.

A number of reports were found of other activity on the field, usually naming the leaseholder and little else.

In 1908, crushings at the Cue battery are reported from Eelay leases held by Brown,Worrall and C. McLean. C. Cooke this year in June struck the cap of a reef while digging. A shaft was put down to a well defined lode showing gold freely, 4.5 metres below the surface. In 1909, crushings at the Cue battery are reported from leases owned by Brown, McLean and the Chesson brothers. In 1911, it was reported the field held three abandoned leases; Eelya North, Errol's and Inheritance. 1913 F.W. Brown and J. Dougall prospecting licence. Crushing are noted from leases owned by Worrall and McCormack. Further crushings are reported in 1914 by W. Worrall. By 1917 it was reported six men were prospecting the field but no gold had been found, with 1914 the last report of mining activity. One report of mining was found for 1922, and there was limited mining on the field in the late 1930's.

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References