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Central Deposit, Mount Riddock Station, Harts Range, Central Desert Region, Northern Territory, Australiai
| Regional Level Types | |
|---|---|
| Central Deposit | Deposit |
| Mount Riddock Station | Mountain |
| Harts Range | Mountain Range |
| Central Desert Region | Region |
| Northern Territory | Territory |
| Australia | Country |
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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
23° 1' 7'' South , 134° 57' 37'' East
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
Köppen climate type:
One of numerous mines located near the Atitjere area.
The mine is however on Mt Riddock Station.
Originally leased by the Central Australian Gem & Mineral Club but relinquished in 2004 due to lack of mineral material that could be found.
An abandoned mica mine. The Central Mine is about 8 kilometres south-east of Atitjere. To reach travel along the road to the Spotted Tiger Campground. About 500 metres south of the Atitjere airstrip, head on a side track east. This was the old road into the Harts Ranges, bordering the base of the mountains, before the Plenty Highway was constructed. It quickly crosses the Watson Creek, and at the second valley, turn south onto a track, which leads up the valley. This valley ends sharply with another creek crossing, the track now winding south through hills east of this north-south trending creek. There is every indication the track is diabolical, and walking about 3 kilometres up the creek may have to be resorted to. Just before the mine, the track turns sharply south-west then south-east, the mine on a ridge immediately above the creek.
Thompson in the mid 1980's states access is by turning onto a track 3.8 kilometres south of the Atitjere racecourse, then following a complicated series of instructions, making no sense based on present satellite images seen.
Bonzle and Mindat place the mine about half a kilometre north-west of this location, and west of the creek. This needs confirmation as little can be seen at this location. There appears to be a number of small historic mica mines in the area, with no access, and almost nothing known about. The directions above lead to the largest mine, probably the Central.
Members of the Northern Districts Lapidary Club Sydney in 2015, walked for 2 hours into the mine, and found nothing worthwhile.
The mine is in amphibolite rock in which good examples of hornblende can be obtained. Thompson claims rose quartz, smoky quartz, and clear quartz is available on the slopes below the mine. Muscovite and graphic pegmatite is plentiful.
The mine was worked by G. Muratori in the early 1940s, with two other men. Over a two year period 7000 lbs of mica was produced from 200 feet of driving, some stoping, and from an 80 foot deep shaft, on this large pegmatite. Other history for the mine is at present unknown.
The mine is however on Mt Riddock Station.
Originally leased by the Central Australian Gem & Mineral Club but relinquished in 2004 due to lack of mineral material that could be found.
An abandoned mica mine. The Central Mine is about 8 kilometres south-east of Atitjere. To reach travel along the road to the Spotted Tiger Campground. About 500 metres south of the Atitjere airstrip, head on a side track east. This was the old road into the Harts Ranges, bordering the base of the mountains, before the Plenty Highway was constructed. It quickly crosses the Watson Creek, and at the second valley, turn south onto a track, which leads up the valley. This valley ends sharply with another creek crossing, the track now winding south through hills east of this north-south trending creek. There is every indication the track is diabolical, and walking about 3 kilometres up the creek may have to be resorted to. Just before the mine, the track turns sharply south-west then south-east, the mine on a ridge immediately above the creek.
Thompson in the mid 1980's states access is by turning onto a track 3.8 kilometres south of the Atitjere racecourse, then following a complicated series of instructions, making no sense based on present satellite images seen.
Bonzle and Mindat place the mine about half a kilometre north-west of this location, and west of the creek. This needs confirmation as little can be seen at this location. There appears to be a number of small historic mica mines in the area, with no access, and almost nothing known about. The directions above lead to the largest mine, probably the Central.
Members of the Northern Districts Lapidary Club Sydney in 2015, walked for 2 hours into the mine, and found nothing worthwhile.
The mine is in amphibolite rock in which good examples of hornblende can be obtained. Thompson claims rose quartz, smoky quartz, and clear quartz is available on the slopes below the mine. Muscovite and graphic pegmatite is plentiful.
The mine was worked by G. Muratori in the early 1940s, with two other men. Over a two year period 7000 lbs of mica was produced from 200 feet of driving, some stoping, and from an 80 foot deep shaft, on this large pegmatite. Other history for the mine is at present unknown.
Select Mineral List Type
Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsMineral List
2 valid minerals.
Rock Types Recorded
Select Rock List Type
Alphabetical List Tree DiagramDetailed Mineral List:
| ⓘ 'Hornblende Root Name Group' Formula: ◻Ca2(C2+4C3+)(AlSi7O22)W2 |
| ⓘ Muscovite Formula: KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| ⓘ Quartz Formula: SiO2 |
| ⓘ Quartz var. Rose Quartz Formula: SiO2 |
| ⓘ Quartz var. Smoky Quartz Formula: SiO2 |
Gallery:
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ⓘ | Quartz | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
| ⓘ | var. Rose Quartz | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
| ⓘ | var. Smoky Quartz | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
| Group 9 - Silicates | |||
| ⓘ | Muscovite | 9.EC.15 | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Unclassified | |||
| ⓘ | 'Hornblende Root Name Group' | - | ◻Ca2(C2+4C3+)(AlSi7O22)W2 |
List of minerals for each chemical element
| H | Hydrogen | |
|---|---|---|
| H | ⓘ Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| O | Oxygen | |
| O | ⓘ Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| O | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| O | ⓘ Quartz var. Rose Quartz | SiO2 |
| O | ⓘ Quartz var. Smoky Quartz | SiO2 |
| O | ⓘ Hornblende Root Name Group | ◻Ca2(C42+C3+)(AlSi7O22)W2 |
| Al | Aluminium | |
| Al | ⓘ Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Al | ⓘ Hornblende Root Name Group | ◻Ca2(C42+C3+)(AlSi7O22)W2 |
| Si | Silicon | |
| Si | ⓘ Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Si | ⓘ Quartz | SiO2 |
| Si | ⓘ Quartz var. Rose Quartz | SiO2 |
| Si | ⓘ Quartz var. Smoky Quartz | SiO2 |
| Si | ⓘ Hornblende Root Name Group | ◻Ca2(C42+C3+)(AlSi7O22)W2 |
| K | Potassium | |
| K | ⓘ Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| Ca | Calcium | |
| Ca | ⓘ Hornblende Root Name Group | ◻Ca2(C42+C3+)(AlSi7O22)W2 |
Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
Australia
- Arunta OrogenOrogen
- Irindina ProvinceGeologic Province
- North Australian ElementCraton
- Northern Territory
- Barkly Region
- SandoverTown
- Kalkarindji Igneous ProvinceGeologic Province
- Barkly Region
Australian PlateTectonic Plate
- Arunta BlockOrogenic Belt
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Central Deposit, Mount Riddock Station, Harts Range, Central Desert Region, Northern Territory, Australia