Benstead Mine, Mount Riddock Station, Harts Range, Central Desert Region, Northern Territory, Australiai

Regional Level Types
Benstead Mine	Mine
Mount Riddock Station	Mountain
Harts Range	Mountain Range
Central Desert Region	Region
Northern Territory	Territory
Australia	Country

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Located 21 kilometres south-west of the Atitjere Community. Large quantities of muscovite on the dumps. Also apatite crystals but fractured and of poor quality. Smoky Quartz and microcline crystals but small and of poor quality.

Considered the first mica mine developed in the Harts Range. This was by Billy Benstead, Palmer and Stacey (surnames). Benstead had been running stations in the region for the previous fourteen years. Samples were sent to London in 1888, and after a positive response, the Benstead Mining Company was formed in Adelaide in 1890. After promising the mine would flood the world with mica, a few tonnes was produced, and sent to London, barely covering costs.

South Australian government geologist H.Y.L. Brown inspected the mine in 1891, stating it was a quartz blow on a low ridge above grassy plains. The quartz had sheets of mica sticking out of it, some of considerable size, however he doubted the deposit went to any depth. He states country rock is gneiss, schist and gneissic granite, with garnets common at the deposit, with the occasional beryl. Newly appointed mine manager, W.B. Arrien, stated the mica was worthless, either way probably guaranteeing a short stint at the mine.

Some shareholders argued more exploration should take place, others that the company should be wound up. Letters were written to newspapers by shareholders complaining they had been swindled. The company was wound up, but one shareholder 9 months later stated he was still waiting to see his money.

Trephina Gorge, east of Alice Springs is named after Billy Benstead's wife. Billy went onto establishing the first hotel in Alice Springs- the Stuart Arms. Italians were mining at Benstead from a shanty camp in the 1940's, until thrown off the mine by the Commonwealth government, and its Allied Works Council which took over. Attilio Crespan applied for the lease in 1952.

There appears to be a number of ways to get to this area. The simplest is to go 11 kilometres west of the Harts Range Police Station to the cattle grid, then proceed following the fence south-east to a bore/cattle yard, then take the track south south-east. Just before the ranges take a faint track west about one kilometre, and the mine is on a low ridge, 500 metres south of the track. Whether access is allowed to the area, and/or by this route requires checking locally.

Mineral List

3 valid minerals.