Reproduced from an article published in the Mount Lyell Standard and Strahan Gazette (Queenstown, Tas. : 1896 – 1902), Saturday 28 November 1896, and detailing the story of the original discovery of the Mount Lyell Mine, and gold around Queenstown in general.
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Moina: Bell Mount and Middlesex goldfields
Most visitors driving through Moina today are on the way to Cradle Mountain. They would probably be surprised to know that the area, especially Bell Mount, was a bustling alluvial and hard rock mining field in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Continue readingGold in Cygnet and Southern Tasmania
Most Tasmanian gold is found in either the northeast or the western part of the State. Gold in southern Tasmania is more elusive and harder to find than in the north-east and west of the State. The Cygnet goldfield was the main occurrence, but there were minor finds in other locations as well elsewhere in the Huon Valley.
Continue readingNews and Merry Christmas!
Recent news: Radio interview, trip to the Golden Triangle (Victoria), upcoming PMAT field trip to Back Creek.
Continue readingThe Ring River Goldfield
The Rosebery – Zeehan – Dundas area is renowned mainly for its silver-lead, zinc and tin deposits. However, some decent finds of gold were also made. The main gold workings in this part of the west coast were in the Ring River area and Melba Flats. Both of these produced some sizeable nuggets in their day. The Ring River goldfield was home to one of Tasmania’s gold rushes, in 1891.
Continue readingOsmiridium in Tasmania
Did you know that, in the first half of the 20th Century, if you owned a fountain pen, you most likely wrote using a tiny little piece of Tasmania? Fountain pen tips were made of gold, but gold and its alloys are too soft to write with: the tip or nib wears too quickly and would be too expensive to replace. Osmiridium was the answer.
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