Maharahara copper mine, Maharahara, Tararua District, Manawatu-Whanganui Region, New Zealandi

Regional Level Types
Maharahara copper mine	Mine
Maharahara	- not defined -
Tararua District	District
Manawatu-Whanganui Region	Region
New Zealand	Country

Very old copper mine, which was never economically productive - was a failure. Tailings were tipped over the bank into the river. Area is now hard to get to, due to growth and flood damage. Located 14.5km (9 miles) north of Woodville.

The mine is one of a handful of locations in New Zealand to produce secondary copper specimens, although are uncommonly available. It is stratiform sulphide lenses, unusually hosted in red hematitic chert, in turn the surrounding country rock of greywacke. The lode is 46 metres in length, and up to 1.3 metres thick. Historically two lodes were uncovered, one dipping steeply east, and another north-west, described as discontinuous wedge shaped, some overlapping, lodes and lenticular masses.

The primary copper mineralisation is pyrite and chalcopyrite, with minor sphalerite, pyrrhotite, and barite. (Read, 1986) notes carbonate-cyanotrichite, posnjakite, and langite in the deposit, uncommon species for New Zealand.

Hematite boulders containing copper was found in a creek (now named Copper Mine Creek) by settlers looking for lost cattle. A prospector called Price (surname), from the Ballarat goldfield Australia, was able to trace it to a lode high on a ridge on the Ruahine Ranges, above the creek.

Early reports mention bornite, chalcopyrite, manganese oxides, pyrite, trace zinc (sphalerite?), minor gold, specks of native copper, blue, green and purple/reddish secondary ores in the upper levels probably matching several species now listed on Mindat, noted variably by the government geologist, 'mining experts', and local journalists with little geology knowledge.

Initial testing was via a shaft down to 51 feet, and a 301 foot long drive.
A Napier syndicate called the Maharahara Copper Mining Company Limited was formed in 1889 with £60,000 capital. Some mining was conducted, but abandoned by 1891.

A.E. Hall was prospecting the site in 1907, and proceeded on a long ramble complaining about the unprofessional nature of the prior mining attempt.
The Maharahara Copper Mines Limited was formed in 1907, with Auckland capital, however this was only sufficient to test the lode, and further capital was sought overseas. The mine was promoted with public comments like 'the investigation was beyond our wildest anticipations', and there is 'an inexhaustible supply of copper', neither probably true in a strict sense. At the time, the price of copper was low, and within a year it was decided not to proceed. Another more substantial attempt at mining was made in 1930. A total of 50 tonnes of ore was produced at 2% Cu.

The deposit was explored by Canyon Resources circa 1983-1985.

The mine site can be reached by travelling north of Woodville on Pinfold Road for 11 kilometres, then at the T junction turn left onto Copper Mine Road, which travels west to the base of the Ruahine Ranges. A walk trail follows Coppermine Stream, apparently fading further up in the ranges and requiring boulder hoping along the stream. A drive is reached which is the magazine store, with the mine workings (filled-in during the 1990's) 20 minutes further up the hill. The return walk takes approximately 2-3 hours.

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References