Silver Granites Mine, Hatches Creek Wolfram Field, Hatches Creek, Barkly Region, Northern Territory, Australiai

Regional Level Types
Silver Granites Mine	Mine
Hatches Creek Wolfram Field	- not defined -
Hatches Creek	Creek
Barkly Region	Region
Northern Territory	Territory
Australia	Country

The Silver Granites mine is in the southern section of the Hatches Creek wolfram field, and 500 metres east south-east of the Hit or Miss mine. To reach head south along a track opposite the Pioneer mine on Kurundi Road (Binns Track). After about 5 kilometres the Hatches Creek itself is reached, the track proceeding south in part along the sandy creek bed (possibly boggy). At the second gully, head along a track westwards, past the Hen and Chickens, then White Diamond mines, both bordering the north side of the track. The third track branches off to the Silver Granites mine, a distance of a few hundred metres.Some building ruins can be seen, and extensive shafts and shallow open cuts extending in south-west to north-east lines either side of the gully.

The workings appear more extensive than that noted in Ryan . Ryan names Sultan's Reef, dipping east, 6-13 inches wide, marked by Sultan's Shaft. The reef contains small rich patches of wolfram at the intersection of a cross-reef. This reef intersects the Silver Granites Lode and Copper Lode at its eastern end.

Located in a wide shear, are two further lodes, 80 feet apart at the eastern end, but converge slowly to the west. One is called the Copper Lode, which splits, the southern reef crosses the Silver Granites Lode, while the northern reef runs parallel with the Silver Granites Lode. The Silver Granites Lode dips steeply north. Shafts have been sunk where the two lodes cross. To the west the lodes become irregular, and die out in sheared volcanic rock.

The main Silver Granites Lode contains four shafts, down to 62 feet. Both the Silver Granites and Copper lodes carry malachite, bornite, chalcocite, molybdenite, native bismuth, and wolframite. Mica is common. The reefs in the lodes contain high grade ore. Ryan [11]] also states 'spotted dog' is common. It is assumed he means a rock type, rather than the later, but as to what type of rock is open to speculation.

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References