State Batteries in Western Australia

State Batteries in Western Australia were government-owned and -run ore-crushing facilities for the gold mining industry. Western Australia was the only Australian state to provide batteries to assist gold prospectors and small mines ^[1] They existed in almost all of the Mineral fields of Western Australia.

State Batteries were gold batteries where ore was crushed to separate gold ore. Stamp mills were gauged by the number of heads they had in operation for the crushing of ore ^[2]

Many of the government operated batteries had very short operating times, some for a year or two, while a few were 50 years or more in operation. They were part of the Western Australian Department of Mines operations ^[3][4]

Origins

The first private battery in Kalgoorlie was constructed at the Croesus mine in 1894 ^[5] As early as 1897 there was consideration of ore-crushing facilities being funded by private or government means.^[6][7] The first government battery was constructed at Norseman in 1898 ^[8] But by 1906 there was a Batteries Inquiry Board ^[9]

Decline

In the 1930s, despite the depression, a significant number still operated ^[10] There were close to 100 operating Batteries in Western Australia – either private or Government in 1949, and by 1958 there were less than 50 ^[11] currently there are no operating batteries.

By 1982 a Government review of State Battery operations ^[12] eventuated in a functional review ^[13] and the eventual closure of State Batteries in 1987.^[14][15][16]

List

^[17]

• Bamboo 1913–1962 ^[18]
• Black Range- see Sandstone
• Bulong 1898–1899 ^[19]
• Carlaminda
• Coolgardie 1904 ^[20][21]
• Cue 1919–1968^[22]
• Desdemona 1909–1912 ^[23]
• Devon 1908–? ^[24]
• Donnybrook 1900–1904
• Duketon 1905–1907 ^[25]
• Dumpling Gully /–?
• Kalgoorlie 1932 ^[26][27][28]
• Kalpini 1906–1911 ^[29][30]
• Laverton 1902
• Leonora 1898
• Linden 1908 ^[31]
• Marble Bar 1910–? ^[32]
• Marvel Loch
• Meekatharra 1901–?
• Messenger's Patch 1909–? ^[33]
• Menzies
• Mt Egerton State Battery 1912–1921 ^[34]
• Mt Ida 1898–1953 ^[35]
• Mt Jackson 1912–1921 ^[36]
• Mt Keith 1913–1928 ^[37]
• Mt Sir Samuel 1910–1921 ^[38]
• Mulline 1898–1921
• Mulwarrie 1901–1920
• Nannine 1907–1912
• Niagara 1900–1922
• Norseman 1898–?
• Ora Banda 1913–? ^[39]
• Paddington 1903–?^[40]
• Paynes Find 1912–? ^[41]
• Paynesville 1900–1902
• Pig well 1904–1912 ^[42]
• Pinjin 1905–1914 ^[43]
• Quinns 1911–1920 ^[44]
• Randalls 1905–1908 ^[45]
• Ravelstone-Peak Hill 1917–1965
• Ravensthorpe ? – ?
• Sandstone 1911 ^[46]
• Southern Cross 1903–1905
• Tuckabianna 1918–? ^[47]
• Tuckanurra 1898–1923
• Warriedar 1940 ?^[48]
• Widgiemooltha 1900–1911 ^[49][50]
• Wiluna 1904–1950 ^[51]
• Yalgoo 1898–1941 ^[52]
• Yarri 1905–? ^[53]
• Yerilla 1898–1920 ^[54]
• Youanmi 1909–1940 ^[55]
• Yundamindera 1903–1907^[56]

See also

• Hints to Prospectors and Owners of Treatment Plants

Notes

1. Sheppard, RT (2001), "West Australian Government Stamp Batteries 1898 to 1987", Eleventh National Conference on Engineering Heritage: Federation Engineering a Nation; Proceedings, Institution of Engineers, Australia: 183–191, ISBN 978-1-74092-215-9
2. http://booksgeology.com/mining_history_illustrations.htm for explanations of operations
3. Western Australia. Dept. of Mines. State Batteries Branch (1935), Scale of crushing charges at State Batteries, retrieved 19 April 2012
4. Ware, Harry.1976 History of state batteries of Western Australia / Typescript in Battye Library
5. Dwyer, J.J. (John Joseph); HRRC (1900), Kalgoorlie's first battery, erected on Croesus Mine in 1894, retrieved 20 April 2012
6. Editorial considers the provision of publicly funded versus privately funded batteries. Golden age, 13 Dec. 1897, p.4,
7. Bogle, William. Government crushing batteries. Letter supporting government funding of batteries. West Australian, 10 June 1897, p.6
8. Dean Giles of Gold Corp, formerly W.A. Mint) notes on Bamboo Creek State Battery in the http://aeon.sro.wa.gov.au/Investigator/Details/Agency_Detail.asp?Entity=Global&Search=state%20batteries&Op=All&Page=1&Id=241&SearchPage=Global
9. Western Australia. State Batteries Inquiry Board. Report and recommendations of the State Batteries Inquiry Board. Perth [W.A.] : The Board, 1906. in Battye Library
10. Western Mail (Perth, W.A.) (1933), The golden west The "Western Mail" map showing the auriferous areas of Western Australia, Western Mail, retrieved 19 April 2012 Includes information on State Batteries, prospecting activity and has advertisements in margins. Published as centrefold (p. 24-25) in the Western Mail 11 May 1933.
11. page 263 of Official Yearbook Australian Bureau of Statistics. Western Australian Office (1960), Western Australian yearbook, Commonwealth of Australia, retrieved 19 April 2012)
12. http://aeon.sro.wa.gov.au/Investigator/Details/Item_Detail.asp?Entity=Global&Search=state%20batteries&Op=All&Page=1&Id=427540&SearchPage=Global
13. http://aeon.sro.wa.gov.au/Investigator/Details/Item_Detail.asp?Entity=Global&Search=state%20batteries&Op=All&Page=1&Id=427508&SearchPage=Global
14. http://aeon.sro.wa.gov.au/Investigator/Details/Item_Detail.asp?Entity=Global&Search=state%20batteries&Op=All&Page=1&Id=426356&SearchPage=Global
15. State government to close nine of the 13 state batteries. West Australian, 4 September 1987, p.29
16. Halligan, R. (Robert); Heritage Council of Western Australia (1994), Preliminary study of mining heritage in Western Australia : interviews on state batteries, Heritage Council of Western Australia, retrieved 19 April 2012
17. This list was first made from Higham, G. J; Geoproject Solutions (2004), Where WAS that? : an historical gazetteer of Western Australia (1st ed.), Geoproject Solutions Pty Ltd, ISBN 978-0-646-44186-3 where state battery was part of the name of the entry
18. "Some rich crushings.". The Sunday Times. Perth: National Library of Australia. 20 August 1933. p. 3 Section: First Section. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
19. "Some Bulong crushings.". Kalgoorlie Western Argus. WA: National Library of Australia. 27 February 1906. p. 5. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
20. "Coolgardie State Battery.". Western Argus. Kalgoorlie, WA: National Library of Australia. 12 August 1930. p. 5. Retrieved 20 April 2012.
21. Hughes, Evan E; Kalgoorlie Metallurgical Laboratory; Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (Australia) (1948), Analyses of scheelite concentrates and residues from Coolgardie State Battery, CSIR, retrieved 20 April 2012
22. "Mining.". Geraldton Guardian and Express. WA: National Library of Australia. 11 April 1931. p. 1. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
23. "Desdemona.". Kalgoorlie Western Argus. WA: National Library of Australia. 23 November 1909. p. 2. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
24. "Linden.". Kalgoorlie Western Argus. WA: National Library of Australia. 6 October 1908. p. 3. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
25. "Duketon State Battery.". Kalgoorlie Western Argus. WA: National Library of Australia. 11 July 1905. p. 7. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
26. "Recent crushings.". The Sunday Times. Perth: National Library of Australia. 10 March 1935. p. 19 Section: First Section. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
27. "Good yields.". The West Australian. Perth: National Library of Australia. 27 September 1938. p. 12. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
28. http://aeon.sro.wa.gov.au/Investigator/Details/Agency_Detail.asp?Entity=Global&Search=state%20batteries&Op=All&Page=1&Id=981&SearchPage=Global Kalgoorlie State Battery records at State Records Office of Western Australia
29. "Kalpini State Battery.". Kalgoorlie Western Argus. WA: National Library of Australia. 25 December 1906. p. 7. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
30. "Mining and stocks and shares.". The West Australian. Perth: National Library of Australia. 2 May 1911. p. 6. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
31. "LINDEN STATE BATTERY.". Western Argus. Kalgoorlie, WA: National Library of Australia. 5 May 1931. p. 3. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
32. "State battery returns.". Kalgoorlie Western Argus. WA: National Library of Australia. 5 September 1911. p. 30. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
33. "Yalgoo goldfield.". The Daily News. Perth: National Library of Australia. 2 June 1910. p. 7 Edition: THIRD EDITION. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
34. "Mining news.". The West Australian. Perth: National Library of Australia. 11 October 1922. p. 7. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
35. "The mining industry.". The West Australian. Perth: National Library of Australia. 17 September 1912. p. 9. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
36. "Yilgarn.". Western Mail. Perth: National Library of Australia. 18 April 1913. p. 21. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
37. "Mining news.". The West Australian. Perth: National Library of Australia. 26 April 1922. p. 8. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
38. Western Australia. Dept. of Lands and Surveys (1890), Mines & batteries from Kalgoorlie to Sir Samuel & Lake Way, The Dept, retrieved 19 April 2012
39. "Ora Banda State Battery.". The Sunday Times. Perth: National Library of Australia. 29 July 1934. p. 13 Section: First Section. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
40. "The Paddington Battery Fire.". The West Australian. Perth: National Library of Australia. 14 February 1899. p. 5. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
41. "Mining.". Western Mail. Perth: National Library of Australia. 27 April 1939. p. 48. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
42. "State Battery returns.". Kalgoorlie Western Argus. WA: National Library of Australia. 14 December 1909. p. 5. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
43. "December yields.". Kalgoorlie Western Argus. WA: National Library of Australia. 3 February 1914. p. 5. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
44. "State batterie.". The Daily News. Perth: National Library of Australia. 12 November 1910. p. 5. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
45. "NEW SANTA CLAUS CRUSHING.". The Daily News. Perth: National Library of Australia. 4 December 1909. p. 9. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
46. "State batteries.". The West Australian. Perth: National Library of Australia. 18 February 1929. p. 13. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
47. "Mining news.". The West Australian. Perth: National Library of Australia. 26 July 1917. p. 4. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
48. "YALGOO GOLDFIELD.". The West Australian. Perth: National Library of Australia. 30 November 1940. p. 11. Retrieved 20 April 2012.
49. "GOVERNMENT BATTERY, WIDGIEMOULTHA.". Western Mail. Perth: National Library of Australia. 29 June 1907. p. 21. Retrieved 20 April 2012.
50. "COOLGARDIE MINING NOTES.". Kalgoorlie Western Argus. WA: National Library of Australia. 12 November 1907. p. 5. Retrieved 20 April 2012.
51. "WILUNA STATE BATTERY.". Western Argus. Kalgoorlie, WA: National Library of Australia. 19 November 1935. p. 3. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
52. "YALGOO STATE BATTERY.". The Sunday Times. Perth: National Library of Australia. 12 April 1936. p. 17 Section: First Section. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
53. "YARRI.". The Sunday Times. Perth: National Library of Australia. 13 January 1935. p. 3 Section: First Section. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
54. "YERILLA,.". Kalgoorlie Western Argus. WA: National Library of Australia. 25 December 1900. p. 49. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
55. "YOUANMI.". Western Mail. Perth: National Library of Australia. 21 July 1916. p. 20. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
56. "YUNDAMINDERA.". Western Argus. Kalgoorlie, WA: National Library of Australia. 19 August 1919. p. 5. Retrieved 19 April 2012.