Caledonian Mine, Reefton, Buller District, West Coast Region, New Zealandi

Regional Level Types
Caledonian Mine	Mine
Reefton	Town
Buller District	District
West Coast Region	Region
New Zealand	Country

The Caledonian historic gold mine is the most northern in the Reefton District, 15 kilometres north of Reefton, then off State Highway 69 onto North Larry Road, which heads east bordering Larry Creek. It is then a 30 minute walk through fern and beech shrouded forest bordering the creek to the mine ruins.

The outcrop was discovered on the south bank of Larry Creek, early 1872 by Joseph Potter and Thomas Bateman. After some difficulty due to the remote country of the time, a 10 head battery was erected for the No. 2 Larry's Quartz Mining Company, which held land south of the Caledonian lease on the same lode. The remains of the battery can still be seen, by crossing Larry Creek (if the water is low) from the Caledonian site, and walking across a bracken fern covered field.

Crushings commenced in 1874 by both companies. The Caledonian Gold Mining Company quickly paid dividends, while No. 2 Larrys, spent most of their money on machinery. The Caledonian shaft was sunk to a depth of 183 feet, with four levels driven. The first crushing produced 90 ounces of gold, but subsequent crushings were poorer, averaging 4 oz to the tonne. The ore shoot had a steep east dip, pitching 30 degrees north, with a length of 180 feet, and width of 3 feet. Ore values decreased with depth, and the shoot was cut off by a fault. The generally shattered and fissured ore body, allowed much water into the workings.

The No. 2 Larrys site, south of the creek, saw an adit driven for 600 feet to a 12 foot wide lode, consisting of mullock and small quartz lenses with gold, interspersed with slate and sandstone. The first crushing saw 18 dwt, but subsequent crushings were poorer, averaging 11 dwt per tonne. The Argyle Tunnel was dug 40 feet below the main adit in 1883-84. Ore from this was more compact, achieving 3-4 dwt per tonne, and was not economic.

By 1877, the ore at No. 2 Larrys was exhausted, while the Caledonian lease shared the same fate two years later. In 1897, the two leases merged into the Caledonian Extended, the lease in turn abandoned shortly after.

In 1894, a private company headed by B. and R. Duffy erected a five head battery at the site, crushed a small amount of ore, and then a considerable amount more left behind in the ore dump, with fair results. The leases were taken over by Consolidated Goldfields of New Zealand in 1895, who re-timbered the old adits, then abandoned the site in 1900.

The Duffy brothers were back again in 1906, sinking a new shaft, which can still be seen at the site. After this, on the back of a government subsidy, the New Caledonian Gold Mining Company took over, and also sank a shaft. This shaft reached a depth of 285 feet, but little ore was found. The company collapsed in 1910.

Small amounts of galena were found in the ore body. Gold at Caledonian was 92% pure, one of the lowest for mines in the district.

At the Caledonian site, is a clearing in the rainforest, with a moss covered Robey portable steam Engine, and two large crucibles used at the mine can be found. Take your camera for another perfect New Zealand picture.

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References