Golden Forty Gold Mine, Tennant Creek, Barkly Region, Northern Territory, Australiai

Regional Level Types
Golden Forty Gold Mine	Mine
Tennant Creek	Creek
Barkly Region	Region
Northern Territory	Territory
Australia	Country

Map sheets: Tennant Creek 100K Map.
Coordinates: 428600mE, 7823300mN.
Longitude = 134.318796
Latitude = -19.684327
References: Modat Northern Territory Mineral Occurrences Database 2002; Wyborn 1971.

The Golden Forty gold mine is 14 kilometres east of Tennant Creek, and can be accessed via station tracks east from the Peko mine, passing two dams, or heading north-east from the Nobles Nob mine. A shed marks the Golden Forty location.

The area contains a group of small ironstone outcrops known as the Golden Forty area, encompassing historic mines like Black Snake, Golden Kangaroo, Great Eastern and the Golden Forty mine itself. This was probably discovered
around 1933, but little information was found other than names of various prospectors pegging leases in the area.

The mine was developed briefly in 1938, with two test shafts on the ironstone outcrop, followed by slate underneath. Rudolph Schmidt of the Alroy Downs Station had a major interest in the mine, along with several others in the district. The Tennant Creek Development Co. controlled the lease through the 1940's, but did almost nothing with it. Regular forfeiture applications were made to the warden by local prospectors, however he would only fine the company. Why the local warden protected the company is open to speculation.

Kia Ora drilled at the site in 1956 but found little. From 1969 to 1983, the Australian Development NL found a gold-bismuth ore shoot large enough to mine via underground methods. The ironstone ore body is lens shaped, of magnetite and chlorite, trending east-west, pitching west 45 degrees. There is a thin shell of quartz-magnetite which encases the top and northern side of the ore body, in sharp contact with the surrounding sedimentary rocks. Some bismuthinite, and minor chalcopyrite is noted under 300 feet from the surface.

A two compartment cement lined shaft was sunk with levels at 280 and 380 feet running east-west. Mining suddenly ceased and the mine decommissioned in 1983, due to failing ground conditions, and a heavy inflow of water. The mine produced 144 056 tonnes of ore at 11.9 g/t between 1969 to 1983. Various companies have explored the lease since, some finding high gold values, but no new mine has been developed.

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References