Camellia Mine, Kalpini Goldfield, Kalgoorlie-Boulder Shire, Western Australia, Australiai

Regional Level Types
Camellia Mine	Mine (Abandoned)
Kalpini Goldfield	Ore Field
Kalgoorlie-Boulder Shire	Shire
Western Australia	State
Australia	Country

Arguably the main historic lease at the Kalpini site. The Camellia group was taken under option by a Kalgoorlie syndicate in 1896. They paid a deposit, but failed to complete the purchase. Then several rich crushings were taken out by prospectors Birkbeck, Hoffman and Jowett for a wealthy syndicate of London speculators, who had an option over the lease.

They then purchased the lease for 4000 pounds, and floated the Atlas Gold Mines Company in London. Initially the company owned the Camellia GML 434X and Camellia Extended GML 878X. Later they took up additional adjoining leases, including the Brilliant and Brilliant North. The total acreage the company controlled was 87 acres.

The company conducted most of its work on the Camellia lease. The old prospecting shaft was abandoned, and a new incline shaft was sunk 74 feet west of the old workings, and to a depth of 315 feet. At 100 feet drives were put in east and west, but the ore veins were short. At 200 feet there were more drives east and west for 170 feet on a reef 2 feet 6 inches wide valued at 36 dwt. At 300 feet a large chamber was excavated on the reef now 12 feet wide valued at 12 dwt. Two feet of stone on the Hanging Wall was exceedingly rich, but little gold was visible to the naked eye.

A 10 head battery was erected, and the mine employed about thirty men. A.W. Irvine is appointed mine manager, but leaves in 1903, and is succeeded by Arthur Taylor.

The company requested more money from shareholders to develop the mine further. The shareholders declined and the company was wound up in 1905. The plant was put up for sale to pay outstanding wages. A group of prospectors, Allan and party, paid 1600 pounds for the plant and lease, and a further 3000 pounds in wages and development. Some ore was crushed, but a lack of water saw them abandon the lease before completing the purchase. The plant and 1600 pounds reverted back to the company.

The lease was taken over by John Jenkins and party. The battery however is in the hands of Kalgoorlie speculators Silverthorne and Adair. After much fuss from local prospectors, the government purchased the battery for 2100 pounds. A battery manager is appointed but after complaints, Jenkins is running the battery. This did not stop the complaints however, although this is normal for prospector fields. Prospectors often saw the battery as diddling them out of gold, and often assumed their hard work would see a greater reward.

The government threatened to close the battery in 1908, due to inactivity in the area. The battery was removed to Linden in 1911. Jenkins is still at the mine in 1917, with crushings produced.

With the 1930's gold boom, the Venture Gold Mines and Development Company was formed to take an option over the mine (24 acres). John Jenkins is remarkably still the owner of the lease, with J. Brown. They had been intermittently mining the Camellia lease over the intervening years. After only two months the company abandoned the option, stating values were very erratic.

References

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