Canton Mine, Waipori, Clutha District, Otago Region, New Zealandi
| Regional Level Types | |
|---|---|
| Canton Mine | Mine |
| Waipori | - not defined - |
| Clutha District | District |
| Otago Region | Region |
| New Zealand | Country |
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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
45° 51' 21'' South , 169° 53' 5'' East
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
Köppen climate type:
Nearest Settlements:
| Place | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Outram | 657 (2011) | 27.0km |
| Milton | 2,009 (2011) | 30.1km |
| Balclutha | 4,441 (2011) | 43.3km |
| Stirling | 320 (2011) | 44.5km |
| Kaitangata | 851 (2011) | 46.6km |
Abandoned gold mine.
Still to be seen at the site is the Canton five stamp battery, a half buried waterwheel, concrete foundations, metallic relics, and a tailings pile. The site is a short walk, marked off the Mitchells Flat Road. At the time of writing (2018), DOC was planning to restore the battery.
It is a wide lode formation of sheared broken contorted mica schist, covered by alluvium. Auriferous quartz veins are found near the Footwall, within the lode. The total width of the lode was 4 feet, with gold found in both the quartz veins, and surrounding lode formation.
The site was first worked by a group of Chinese miners sometime after 1861, who spent 25 000 pounds sinking a shaft. They failed to locate the reef, and activity ceased in 1870. A second group of Chinese miners attempted to open the deposit in 1879, but this was also unsuccessful.
Long and party made an attempt in 1887, then Eaton and party 1889. In 1890, a group of eighteen miners were employed by a Sydney syndicate, but the mine was abandoned again shortly after. In 1897, the New Zealand Minerals Company acquired both the Canton lease, and neighbouring Otago Pioneer Quartz lease. Shortly after both leases were purchased by the O.P.Q. (Waipori) Gold Mines Limited. Ten years later the claim was taken over by Pearsall and party, then the mine re-opened by the New Canton Gold Mining Company in 1910. The claim then was sold in 1911 to R.J. Cotton.
A shaft was down to 180 feet, but only worked at the 75 foot level, with levels driven 100 feet south, and 60 feet north.
Select Mineral List Type
Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsDetailed Mineral List:
| ⓘ Native Gold Formula: Au |
Gallery:
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 1 - Elements | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ⓘ | Native Gold | 1.AA.05 | Au |
List of minerals for each chemical element
| Au | Gold | |
|---|---|---|
| Au | ⓘ Native Gold | Au |
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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