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Greenbushes Mine (Greenbushes pegmatite), Greenbushes Tinfield, Bridgetown-Greenbushes Shire, Western Australia, Australia
Latitude: 33°45'S
Longitude: 116°5'E
Longitude: 116°5'E
The mine has been one of the most intensely studied in Western Australia. The deposit contains half the world's known reserves of tantalum, and is the largest lithium resource in the world. Tin production ceased at Greenbushes in 2007. Fossicking is not allowed at the mine.
The deposit was discovered by government geologist. E. T. Hardman in 1881. The Bunbury Tin Mining Company was formed to mine the alluvial cassiterite. Production levels waxed and waned over the years based on tin prices. In the early years mining involved screening, sluicing and dredging by small groups of miners. After 1908, lower profits and yields saw a gradual consolidation of leases. From this time till 1944, tin mining was sporadic, and conducted with hydraulic sluices with small scale deep mining. After the Second World War, the Tin and Strategic Mineral Company Pty Ltd started large scale mining using modern methods. Due to low prices the company ceased in 1956, and mining was taken over by Greenbushes Tin NL in 1965. Initially this was by dredges, then from 1972 by open pit mining for tin and tantalum. Commercial spodumene production for lithium started in 1983, but the company ran into financial difficulties and was purchased by Gwalia Consolidated Ltd in 1990, who expanded the mining operation.
The mineis based in a zoned granitic pegmatite. The main Greenbushes pegmatite is 2 500 metres long and 61 to 244 metres wide, trending north north-west. It is classed as a large LCT complex pegmatite (spodumene sub-class), is severely deformed, recrystallised, deeply weathered and fine grained to a point where it is difficult to map out the zonation. Two main zones are present:
- Albite / Ta-Sn zone
- Spodumene zone (hanging walls of the main pegmatite)
The mine produces many interesting minerals but few large attractive crystals for most species. Well formed, coarse schorl and holmquistite crystals are known, but only micro cyrstals of the tantalum bearing minerals. It is the type and only locality for ferro-holmquistite.
Mineral List
35 entries listed. 25 valid minerals. 1 type locality (valid mineral).
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References
Mining Annual Review (1985): 369.
Bettenay, L.F., PArtington, G.A., Groves, D.I., and Paterson, C. (1988) Nature and emplacement of the Giant rare-metal pegmatite at Greenbushes, Western Australia. Proceedings Seventh Quadrennial IAGOD Symposium: 401-408.
Partington, G.A. (1990) Environment and structural controls on the intrusion of the giant rare metal Greenbushes pegmatite, Western Australia. Economic Geology: 85: 437-456.
Partington, G.A., McNaughton, N.J., and Williams, I.S. (1995) A review of the geology, mineralization, and geochronology of the Greenbushes pegmatite, western Australia. Economic Geology: 90: 616-635.
M. Jacobson, M. Calderwood, B. Grguric; Pegmatites of Western Australia; (Perth 2007)
Bettenay, L.F., PArtington, G.A., Groves, D.I., and Paterson, C. (1988) Nature and emplacement of the Giant rare-metal pegmatite at Greenbushes, Western Australia. Proceedings Seventh Quadrennial IAGOD Symposium: 401-408.
Partington, G.A. (1990) Environment and structural controls on the intrusion of the giant rare metal Greenbushes pegmatite, Western Australia. Economic Geology: 85: 437-456.
Partington, G.A., McNaughton, N.J., and Williams, I.S. (1995) A review of the geology, mineralization, and geochronology of the Greenbushes pegmatite, western Australia. Economic Geology: 90: 616-635.
M. Jacobson, M. Calderwood, B. Grguric; Pegmatites of Western Australia; (Perth 2007)
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Locality Updated: Azogues mine, Illapel, Choapa Province, Coquimbo Region, ChileFrom David Von Bargen, 19th Jun 2013 14:56:19