Shinji Inoue's Photo Gallery
View of Lengenbach Quarry (1998 Summer)
View of Lengenbach Quarry (1998 Summer).
XMP-J0TGold ore
Dimensions: 10.5 cm x 5 cm x 2 cm
Weight: 126 g
High grade gold-silver ore from Hishikari mine, Isa City, Hishikari Cho, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. I believe it is from Yamada deposit which is one of main deposit. This specimen consists of translucent quartz which is typical in low temperature type gold vein. Two streams of the black band at the center of photo are gold-silver poor pyrite rich part where no gold-silver mineral visible. Close to these pyrite rich black bands there is clay rich pale greenish banded part. Many tiny gold-silver minerals are visible there. I believe they are gold-silver minerals, such as naumannite, electrum, etc. Upper part of photo, some gold-silver minerals are visible sparsely at the grey banded quartz.
I purchased this specimen from Hishikari Cho tourism association where tourists could purchase gold ore mined at Hishikari mine for souvenir. I purchased it at the end of September, 1998.
Hishikari mine is the largest gold mine in Japan. Since the start of ore production in 1985, the total gold production was 242.2t in March, 2019. Now Hishikari mine is mining high grade gold-silver ore which average gold grade is from 30 to 40 per t. Annual gold production is about 7t (from Sumitomo Metal Mining HP).
From Shinji Inoue gold ore collection of Japanese mine
Old postcard titled DAIWOIN STATION. HITACHI MINE.
Old postcard titled DAIWOIN STATION. HITACHI MINE. Hitachi mine is one of largest copper mine in Japan. The smelting plants were situated at Daiwoin ( usually spelled Daioin ) . The Daiwoin station was the last stop of mining rail way. Hitachi mine is the type locality of Hitachiite. From Shinji Inoue postcard collection of Japanese mine
Old postcard titled Nishizawa gold mine full view
Old postcard titled Nishizawa gold mine full view. Nishizawa mine ( Nishizawa gold mine ) is polymetallic Xenothermal vein type high grade gold silver tungsten deposit mined from Meiji period until Showa period. Also notable some gold silver ore contain high grade indium. From Shinji Inoue postcard collection of Japanese mine
C20-L2XGold (Var: Electrum) (Au,Ag)
Dimensions: 5.4 cm x 4.7 cm x 0.5 cm
Weight: 14.6 g
Rich aggregate of Electrum (Au,Ag) ( gold ) in Quart vein. Vein width is approximate 3cm.
Chitose mine is one of largest gold and silver mine in Japan. There were many high grade gold veins at Fukujin deposit which was main deposit at Chitose mine.
Old postcard titled Hida Kuni Funatsu Cho Mitsui Kamioka Mine Kamioka Track Shikama Stop
Old postcard 1920-1930 period. kamioka mine is the type locality of Kamiokite. Kamioka mine is the largest Zinc and lead mine in Japan. From Shinji Inoue postcard collection of Japanese mine
