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Mine Bay (Miners Head; Otea), Great Barrier Island, Auckland Region, New Zealandi
Regional Level Types
Mine Bay (Miners Head; Otea)Bay
Great Barrier IslandIsland
Auckland RegionRegion
New ZealandCountry

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PhotosMapsSearch
04962490017272038781953.jpg
Quartz, etc.

Mine Bay, Great Barrier Island, Auckland Region, New Zealand
06322780017272038797719.jpg
Malachite

Mine Bay, Great Barrier Island, Auckland Region, New Zealand
08637300017272038806373.jpg
Chalcanthite

Mine Bay, Great Barrier Island, Auckland Region, New Zealand
04962490017272038781953.jpg
Quartz, etc.

Mine Bay, Great Barrier Island, Auckland Region, New Zealand
06322780017272038797719.jpg
Malachite

Mine Bay, Great Barrier Island, Auckland Region, New Zealand
08637300017272038806373.jpg
Chalcanthite

Mine Bay, Great Barrier Island, Auckland Region, New Zealand
04962490017272038781953.jpg
Quartz, etc.

Mine Bay, Great Barrier Island, Auckland Region, New Zealand
06322780017272038797719.jpg
Malachite

Mine Bay, Great Barrier Island, Auckland Region, New Zealand
Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
36° 4' 26'' South , 175° 20' 34'' East
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
-36.07389,175.34278
GeoHash:
G#: rcsdy0bwq
GRN:
S25E101
Type:
Bay
Mindat Locality ID:
15431
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:15431:3
GUID (UUID V4):
0


New Zealand's first copper mine.

A copper deposit at Miners Head was known as early as 1837 and was actively worked between 1857 and 1867, during which period 2,323 tons of ore were concentrated by hand-picking from about 50,000 tons of rock, estimated at 15% Cu.

Located at the north-western tip of the island, within dramatic coastal cliffs, the site is only accessible by boat. Four Cornish miners conducted trial mining in 1842, the main operators over the years being Whitaker and Heale (up to May 1857), Ninnis and Rowe (1857-1858), Great Barrier Company (1858-1861), and the Otea Copper Mining Company (1861-1868). Mining ceased between 1845 to 1851 due to Maori hostilities in the region. Mining stopped altogether in 1867 when the ore veins became exhausted.

The site contains a number of adits, and a large partially collapsed chamber. Some minor building foundations remain.

The orebody (Henderson, 1939) is 150 ft long and 40 ft wide and lies within shattered and silicified argillite along a contact with “pegmatite or granite granophyre”. The ore consists of nests, pockets and veinlets of pyrite and chalcopyrite, with malachite, azurite and chalcanthite staining the rocks. Veinlets of galena and sphalerite are associated with the chalcopyrite.


Select Mineral List Type

Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Mineral List


17 valid minerals.

Rock Types Recorded

Note: data is currently VERY limited. Please bear with us while we work towards adding this information!

Select Rock List Type

Alphabetical List Tree Diagram

Detailed Mineral List:

ⓘ Azurite
Formula: Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2
ⓘ Bornite
Formula: Cu5FeS4
ⓘ Calcite
Formula: CaCO3
ⓘ Cerussite
Formula: PbCO3
References:
Rod Martin CollectionIdentified by Rod Martin: Visual Identification
ⓘ Chalcanthite
Formula: CuSO4 · 5H2O
ⓘ Chalcocite
Formula: Cu2S
ⓘ Chalcopyrite
Formula: CuFeS2
ⓘ 'Chlorite Group'
ⓘ Covellite
Formula: CuS
ⓘ Dufrénoysite
Formula: Pb2As2S5
ⓘ Galena
Formula: PbS
ⓘ Hematite
Formula: Fe2O3
ⓘ 'Limonite'
ⓘ Malachite
Formula: Cu2(CO3)(OH)2
ⓘ Melanterite
Formula: Fe2+(H2O)6SO4 · H2O
References:
Rod Martin CollectionIdentified by Rod Martin: Visual Identification
ⓘ Prehnite
Formula: Ca2Al2Si3O10(OH)2
ⓘ Pyrite
Formula: FeS2
ⓘ Quartz
Formula: SiO2
ⓘ Sphalerite
Formula: ZnS

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts
ⓘChalcocite2.BA.05Cu2S
ⓘBornite2.BA.15Cu5FeS4
ⓘCovellite2.CA.05aCuS
ⓘSphalerite2.CB.05aZnS
ⓘChalcopyrite2.CB.10aCuFeS2
ⓘGalena2.CD.10PbS
ⓘPyrite2.EB.05aFeS2
ⓘDufrénoysite2.HC.05dPb2As2S5
Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides
ⓘHematite4.CB.05Fe2O3
ⓘQuartz4.DA.05SiO2
Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates
ⓘCalcite5.AB.05CaCO3
ⓘCerussite5.AB.15PbCO3
ⓘAzurite5.BA.05Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2
ⓘMalachite5.BA.10Cu2(CO3)(OH)2
Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates
ⓘChalcanthite7.CB.20CuSO4 · 5H2O
ⓘMelanterite7.CB.35Fe2+(H2O)6SO4 · H2O
Group 9 - Silicates
ⓘPrehnite9.DP.20Ca2Al2Si3O10(OH)2
Unclassified
ⓘ'Chlorite Group'-
ⓘ'Limonite'-

List of minerals for each chemical element

HHydrogen
Hⓘ AzuriteCu3(CO3)2(OH)2
Hⓘ ChalcanthiteCuSO4 · 5H2O
Hⓘ MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
Hⓘ MelanteriteFe2+(H2O)6SO4 · H2O
Hⓘ PrehniteCa2Al2Si3O10(OH)2
CCarbon
Cⓘ AzuriteCu3(CO3)2(OH)2
Cⓘ CalciteCaCO3
Cⓘ CerussitePbCO3
Cⓘ MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
OOxygen
Oⓘ AzuriteCu3(CO3)2(OH)2
Oⓘ CalciteCaCO3
Oⓘ CerussitePbCO3
Oⓘ ChalcanthiteCuSO4 · 5H2O
Oⓘ HematiteFe2O3
Oⓘ MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
Oⓘ MelanteriteFe2+(H2O)6SO4 · H2O
Oⓘ PrehniteCa2Al2Si3O10(OH)2
Oⓘ QuartzSiO2
AlAluminium
Alⓘ PrehniteCa2Al2Si3O10(OH)2
SiSilicon
Siⓘ PrehniteCa2Al2Si3O10(OH)2
Siⓘ QuartzSiO2
SSulfur
Sⓘ BorniteCu5FeS4
Sⓘ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Sⓘ ChalcanthiteCuSO4 · 5H2O
Sⓘ ChalcociteCu2S
Sⓘ CovelliteCuS
Sⓘ DufrénoysitePb2As2S5
Sⓘ GalenaPbS
Sⓘ MelanteriteFe2+(H2O)6SO4 · H2O
Sⓘ PyriteFeS2
Sⓘ SphaleriteZnS
CaCalcium
Caⓘ CalciteCaCO3
Caⓘ PrehniteCa2Al2Si3O10(OH)2
FeIron
Feⓘ BorniteCu5FeS4
Feⓘ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Feⓘ HematiteFe2O3
Feⓘ MelanteriteFe2+(H2O)6SO4 · H2O
Feⓘ PyriteFeS2
CuCopper
Cuⓘ AzuriteCu3(CO3)2(OH)2
Cuⓘ BorniteCu5FeS4
Cuⓘ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Cuⓘ ChalcanthiteCuSO4 · 5H2O
Cuⓘ ChalcociteCu2S
Cuⓘ CovelliteCuS
Cuⓘ MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
ZnZinc
Znⓘ SphaleriteZnS
AsArsenic
Asⓘ DufrénoysitePb2As2S5
PbLead
Pbⓘ CerussitePbCO3
Pbⓘ DufrénoysitePb2As2S5
Pbⓘ GalenaPbS

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

Australian PlateTectonic Plate
Pacific OceanOcean

This page contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please register so you can add to our database. This locality information is for reference purposes only. You should never attempt to visit any sites listed in mindat.org without first ensuring that you have the permission of the land and/or mineral rights holders for access and that you are aware of all safety precautions necessary.

References

Bartrum, J.A. (1921) Notes on the geology of Great Barrier Island, New Zealand. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute, 53. 115-127
Williams, G.J. (1965) Economic geology of New Zealand. Proceedings of the eighth Commonwealth Mining and Metallurgical Congress, vol 4: 176.
Gregg, R.C., Petrie, J.M., Carlson, J.R., O'Connor, A.P. (1970) Geological report on the north end of Great Barrier Island. Unpublished report, Layton and Associates (NZ) Ltd for the Consolidated Silver Mining Company of N.Z. Ltd. New Zealand Geological Survey mineral exploration report, MR 482.
Moore, P.R., Kenny, J.A. (1985) Geology of northeastern Great Barrier Island (needles point to Rangiwhakaea bay), New Zealand. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand, 15:3, 235-250.
Railton, G. T., Watters, W. A. (1990) Minerals of New Zealand. New Zealand Geological Survey Bulletin 104. New Zealand Geological Survey
Moore, P.R. (1991) Archaeological features related to copper mining (1842-1867) at Miners Head Great Barrier Island, Tane, Vol. 33, 1991.
www.thebookshelf.auckland.ac.nz (n.d.) http://www.thebookshelf.auckland.ac.nz/docs/Tane/Tane-33/16%20Archaeological%20features.pdf
rsnz.natlib.govt.nz (n.d.) http://rsnz.natlib.govt.nz/volume/rsnz_53/rsnz_53_00_001450.pdf
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