Pine Ridge, Wyalong, Bland Co., New South Wales, Australiai

Regional Level Types
Pine Ridge	Mining Area (Abandoned)
Wyalong	Town
Bland Co.	County
New South Wales	State
Australia	Country

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Historic small gold mining area.

In October 1893 (six months after the West Wyalong Goldfield was declared) gold was discovered four kilometres south of Wyalong at Pine Ridge leading to a mini gold rush to the site.

The location was on a low hill covered with dry woodland and surrounded by wheat fields on private property. There was another far smaller line 500 metres east bordering Cartwright Lane. Pine Hill was a separate area one kilometre east bordering the west side of the main highway (Goldfields Way), the indication it was far less rich in gold. Workings at all sites were very minor.

Soon after the discovery twenty-two claims had been pegged at Pine Hill. The Pine Hill Gold Mining Company was formed with twenty shareholders, all bar two were miners. In reality the mines were two to three man operations, sinking shafts in very hard country, coping with an influx of copious fresh water and with limited capital. Aiden Doyle was the best organised and persistent although most lasted little more than a year at the task. Within eighteen months only six claims remained.

Modern geology amounts to a couple of drill holes, and a list of igneous and sedimentary rocks seen on the surface-cherty shale, porphyritic andesite, tuff, basalt. At the time of mining one person stated the gold occurs in occasional blobs. While not technical, it probably accurately described what was happening here. Initially there were some very high gold grade crushings (eg. 6 tons ore for 61 oz Au) when the miners came to a blob, interspersed with barren or low grade ore. The highest grade achieved was Beens and Party at 20 oz Au to the ton (likely small tonnage).

The reef strikes NW-SE and dips west of dark coloured quartz with occasional rich patches of shotty gold found, claimed in some cases containing more gold than stone. Quartz veins carrying gold were enclosed in an ore channel of rubbly slate with slate hanging wall and diorite footwall. Doyle's shaft was to a depth of 124 feet by April 1895, having followed the reef from the surface. The slate was sometimes impregnated with small pockets of gold. The reef at depth showed oxidised pyrite, manganese oxide and hematite and/or goethite.

The tailings from the abandoned workings were being processed in 1897. Aiden Doyle remained loyal to the site until at least 1901 when he received a government grant to sink the shaft further. Wisch and party were prospecting in 1908.

Mineral List

6 valid minerals.

Rock Types Recorded