Lake View mines, Comet Vale, Menzies Shire, Western Australia, Australiai

Regional Level Types
Lake View mines	Group of Mines
Comet Vale	- not defined -
Menzies Shire	Shire
Western Australia	State
Australia	Country

See also information under Comet Vale, Happy Jack Mine, Goongarrie, and Sand Queen Mine, which are all in the immediate area.

Located approximately 100 kilometres north of Kalgoorlie. Lake View is a collection of historic mines along Scheelite Gully, about 2 kilometres north-east of the Sand Queen Gold Mine on the Goldfields Highway. Numerous old gold mining shafts can be found hidden in the scrub in the area. The Lake View Mines are within view of the usually dry Lake Goongarrie salt pan, hence the name.

The mines were active during the first two decades of the 20th Century before being abandoned. It is believed gold in the area was discovered by Dan Baker in 1894, who named it after a comet seen in the sky at the time. Apart from gold, tungsten as scheelite has been mined at Lake View, scheelite for the last time during World War Two. The mines were never large producers of gold, and were worked by lone prospectors, and small groups of men. Total production was 1152oz at an average grade of 15g/t Au.

The dominant gangue mineral at the Lake View Mines is compact actinolite, which can still be seen in abundance. The deposits are hosted by the Siberia Komatiite basalts, and high Mg basalts, with some quartz reefs. Gold mineralisation is associated with copper sulphides, scheelite, and carbonates.

The mines form a facinating series of historic shafts, tunnels, mullock heaps, and remains of equipment, along Scheelite Gully (also known as Maher's Gully or Tunnel Creek), as it descends towards Lake Goongarrie. There are remnants of a small battery on the shore of Lake Goongarrie. Tunnels at the location are easily accessed. This should be avoided, not just because of the obvious safety issues, but also as these sites are often the home of rare bat species.

Minor amounts of secondary copper species malachite, azurite and chrysocolla can be seen on some of the shafts. The last mine before Lake Goongarrie is Maher's, which is the type locality for the discredited species Goongarrite (a mixture of cosalite and galena). The reference states all the ore was sent to the crushers. Described as steely grey, scaly material, there are alot of rocks around the mines which fit this description. Peach coloured scheelite was mined at Lake View, largely massive, although the Western Australian Museum has some specimens with poorly formed crystals. The writer didnt see any scheelite, but can be easily missed. Sometimes the scheelite is associated with minor native copper and chalcopyrite. The scheelite only fluoresces in short wave UV light. In one spot, geologist E.S. Simpson noted dull green cuprian scheelite in a quartz reef.

Other species noted at the mines include bright yellow bismutite, massive grey cerussite, anglesite, galena and cosalite.

Other locations in the area are Meteor and Fix Star leases to the north-west from which no specimens are known. Happy Jack Mine, Sand Queen, King and Prince Gold Mines, Gladsome Mine and the Lady Margaret group of mines.

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References