Waitahuna Heights, Clutha District, Otago Region, New Zealandi
| Regional Level Types | |
|---|---|
| Waitahuna Heights | Group of Hills |
| Clutha District | District |
| Otago Region | Region |
| New Zealand | Country |
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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
45° 54' 33'' South , 169° 56' 14'' East
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
Group of Hills
Köppen climate type:
Nearest Settlements:
| Place | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Outram | 657 (2011) | 23.4km |
| Milton | 2,009 (2011) | 23.6km |
| Balclutha | 4,441 (2011) | 38.9km |
| Stirling | 320 (2011) | 39.7km |
| Kaitangata | 851 (2011) | 41.2km |
Cinnabar was found over a wide area from Waitahuna to Waipori by alluvial gold miners, within the gravels they were mining in the late 19th Century. A cinnabar lode was searched for centred on the mountains between with no success. In 1899, a vein was discovered half a mile north-east of the highest part of the Waitahuna heights, the name given in the sources to the hills separating Waitahuna from Waipori.
W.R. Buchan writes he discovered the lode as part of a manganese oxide gossan outcrop. A hand picked sample came back after being assayed at 76% mercury, with over 50% common he claimed.
The lode showed fine cinnabar, with occasional 'bunches' of ore. The lode was 4 feet wide, dipping 28 degrees east, enclosed by crushed metamorphosed sandstone. While it appears there was no great quantity of ore, some of it was high quality.
The Waitahuna Cinnabar Company was formed, which sank shafts and drove tunnels, but it never really got past the prospecting stage. The company had eight shareholders, and John Nelson, William Crossan, and P. Miller are noted as directors.
The location is stated as half a mile north-east of the highest part of Waitahuna heights, which is assumed to be Waitahuna Hill (684 metres), at the head of a north-east flowing stream. This places the site in the headwaters of Shepherd Creek. It is a remote area, covered by a maze of forestry tracks, in heavily disturbed tree plantation sites, likely to have destroyed any old workings. The nearest civilisation is the Waipori Falls power station.
Select Mineral List Type
Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsGallery:
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ⓘ | Cinnabar | 2.CD.15a | HgS |
Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
Australian Plate
- Haast SchistAccretionary Complex
New Zealand
- South IslandIsland
- Southern AlpsMountain Range
Pacific PlateTectonic Plate
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