Cambria Mine, Thames, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato Region, New Zealandi

Regional Level Types
Cambria Mine	- not defined -
Thames	Town
Thames-Coromandel District	District
Waikato Region	Region
New Zealand	Country

Historic gold mine. Located immediately south of the Non Pareil Mine, on the northern side of Waiotahi Stream.

The Cambria Gold Mining Company was formed in 1884 and soon found rich gold as a bonanza at 234-294 feet below the surface, accessed by the Cambria shaft. The bonanza was 20 feet below the No. 3 level, occurring where the reef intersected a cross-vein one foot wide, and clay filled fissure. The reef here carried rich ore 4-10 feet wide, with specimen stone within this 2-3 feet wide.

During a month in 1885, 5599 ounces of gold was recovered. 4160 ounces and 2574 ounces are mentioned as fortnightly results across late 1885 to early 1886. The Cambria Mine was the ninth largest producer on the goldfield at 59 151 ounces of gold from 30 915 tonnes of ore. The company is said to have lasted until 1897, when it was incorporated into other leases, but little information was found in the 1890's for it as a separate mine.

Peter Johnstone (52) was killed in the mine in 1888, although the reason is not mentioned. In 1898, John Cameron (58) committed suicide by throwing himself down the Cambria shaft.

The mine is mentioned briefly 1909 to 1914 as the New Cambria.

The Cambria Reef is sometimes called the Waiotahi-Cambria, reflecting it is the same reef but thrown by the major Moanataiari Fault which cuts the reef in half. The reef trends north-east to south-west, showing complex forking (anastromising?), and numerous blows of quartz. Economic ore was found confined to the Hanging Wall, with small auriferous quartz veins across the rest of the reef. Below the No. 4 level, gold grades rapidly diminished.

The quartz contained pyrite, crystallised stibnite, and ruby silver coloured pyrargyrite.

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References