Patricia Gold Mine, Edjudina Goldfield, Menzies Shire, Western Australia, Australiai

Regional Level Types
Patricia Gold Mine	Mine
Edjudina Goldfield	Ore Field
Menzies Shire	Shire
Western Australia	State
Australia	Country

The Patricia gold deposit was discovered by Alf Thompson in 1930. The location was initially called Thompson's Find.

It was soon under option to the Kimberley Oil Options Co., who produced regular crushings between 1930 and 1935. Ore was extracted down to 100 feet, and in the first year 600 tonnes was obtained for 1070 ounces. The leases included the Patricia Reward, Patricia South, Patricia Deeps, Patricia North and Patricia North Extended. Active mining was initially from two shafts on the Patricia South lease.

Several companies immediately pegged leases north and south of the main find, although little in the way of mining was found. The Australian Mining and Exploration NL pegged several leases, one was optioned to the Bulolo Gold Mining NL. The Argos syndicate pegged three leases to the south, one called Northwoods. Ives Proprietary Gold Mining Co NL took out a six month option over this lease, adjacent to the Patricia South lease. Lanarkshire Gold Mining Co NL took out 24 acres adjacent to the east of Thompson's original find. The Kangaroo Mining Co NL also
purchased a 24 acre lease adjacent to one of Thompson's original blocks. The King of Creation Company also took out leases in the area. Ivan Gold Mines took out a 12 month option over Block 815, two blocks north of the Patricia North lease, and adjacent to the lease held by Bulolo.

The reefs run north north-west to south south-east within the western borders of the Lake Raeside salt-pan. The reef was traced for 2400 feet. At the Patricia Reward lease the reef was 25 feet wide. To the west of the lode is a large greenschist lode 150 feet wide which in 1930 had not been prospected. The main lode is east and parallel of a porphyry bar which can be traced for miles. West of that is a jasper bar parallel with the porphyry bar and again can be traced for miles. Inbetween are greenschist lodes of varying width impregnated with gold.

In recent decades a shallow open pit was developed on the salt-pan, where the Patricia leases once were. The pit is now filled with hypersaline water. No information could be found about this open pit.

In 2010, a company called Legacy Iron Ore Ltd drilled to the north of the open pit. It states the deposits are within a major deformation zone, bordering a small granitoid . It is a mixed sequence of mafic schist, sediments, and porphyry intrusives. Gold is found with and without quartz veining, and variably with oxidised pyrite.

The most likely area for alluvial gold is south of the pit.

Access is convoluted. The easiest access is to head south 15 kilometres along the road that borders the Edjudina line of lode. At the southern end the road diverges from the gold workings, then a cross-road is reached. Head due east to the Glengarry Gold Mine. The road then zig-zags in various directions as it negotiates a gap in the Edjudina Range. Immediately after this is the Lake Raeside salt-pan and the Patricia open cut.

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References