District Summary: The ECHUNGA GOLDFIELD was the first proclaimed goldfield in South Australia in 1852, becoming the State's most important goldfield with production of an estimated 200,000oz (6220.7kg). The field stretched roughly NS for 15km, from near the Mount Bold reservoir in the south to Hahndorf in the north. There were three major groupings of workings, southernmost being the Jupiter Creek Diggings, Chapel Hill Diggings (Old Echunga Diggings) to the north, then the smaller Biggs Flat Diggings north again. The former two are now located on historic reserves, and are important fossicking areas. Gold occurred principally as alluvial gold in leads of Tertiary age, and in recent alluvium to depths up to 10m. Within each of these areas there were numerous mines developed on quartz reefs, as well as many named individual "rushes" on geographically distinct alluvial deposits. Source of the gold was numerous quartz-iron oxide veins on adjacent hillsides, which contained finely disseminated gold. They rarely proved to be economic to mine. Diamonds were also discovered in the alluvials, with up to 50 saleable diamonds recorded, the largest to 5 ct. There may have been up to 200 small, colourless to yellow diamonds found. There were four main periods of mining, the last being in the 1930s, when poor returns were experienced from mining of alluvials. There may be potential for further resources of alluvial and reef gold, though no estimates of remaining resources have been attempted. Modern exploration for diamonds has included stream sediment, and soil sampling, and aeromagnetics, with some trenching. The area remains prospective for both alluvial gold and diamonds, and diamonds in kimberlites.
District Major Commodities: Gold"
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References
Noble R.J, Just J, Johnson J. E. (1983), Catalogue of South Australian Minerals - 1983, Government Printer, South Australia.
Brown H.Y.L, (1908), Record of Mines of South Australia, Government Printer, South Australia, 4ed.
RECORD OF MINES SUMMARY CARD NO 74
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