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

Regional Level Types
Disputed Mine	Mine (Abandoned)
Mount Palmer	Mountain
Mount Riddock Station	Mountain
Harts Range	Mountain Range
Central Desert Region	Region
Northern Territory	Territory
Australia	Country

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An abandoned mica mine located on the eastern side of Mt Palmer and the mine is 3100 ft above sea-level.

The Disputed Mine seems to be the one everyone wants to get to when visiting Mount Palmer. Claimed to be the longest operational mica mine of any significance in the world. The glittering extensive mica dumps can be seen from the base, but high on the side of the mountain, it will not give up its treasures without an effort.

Rough bush camping is available at the Spotted Tiger camp ground, 8 kilometres south of Atitjere. It's then a rough 4 wheel drive only track to the site of the former Disputed camp at the base of the mountain. At the 4-km mark along the track, take the right fork (the left goes to the Rex mine), and then 1.5 km to the Disputed camp, which is the limit of vehicle access.

Walk 200 metres up the creek, until pointers indicate the walking track to the Spotted Dog and Disputed mines. A schorl locality is on the side of the track, 500 metres from the car park. Found here has been needle like schorl crystals in clear quartz, as well as epidote exhibiting fan radial habits.
The walking track up the mountain is steep, overgrown and indistinct in places, first reaching the Spotted Dog mine. Its then along a contour, and up a gully to the Disputed mine, a total of 1.4 kilometres from the car park. The Billy Hughes, Oolgarinna and Caruso mines are elsewhere on the mountain, some on the opposite side.

Many writers have expressed awe at the view from the mine over the ranges. One of the best found was Elizabeth Powell in 1947 (The Advertiser newspaper, White Wealth in the Red Heart, 06/12/1947), and gives an idea of the dumps as well when the mine was operational:

'Large mica blocks have been taken from the mines including the Disputed, far up against the summit of Mount Palmer. The immensities of distance surveyed from this mine are unforgettable. Only the hardy or rash however would care to make the climb. Seen from a mile below, the glittering mica dumps above look like a spilt sugar bag. A rough camel track winds over the tents and creek bed, and aborigine huts of the mining camp at Disputed.

Mica, white and smoky grey, ruby stained and amber slipped all about us as we climbed the dumps. Pearly mica in sheets and blocks and films winked at every angle. Pink quartz veined with grey feldspar, chalky and dull holding mica lumps, and white quartz silvered, and mica holding schorl crystals black and striated. A heap of pale green and amber beryl was by a shrub, glowed in the powerful light at a ledge falling over into the spaces of the valley'.

The dumps are spoil from underground, as the miners were only after mica sheets. Low value gems were thrown onto the dumps along with everything else. After gouging out the mica, the miners would sit above ground, wearing bibs made out of car tyres, splitting the mica with sharp knifes. Once a 1 mm thick sheet was prised from the 'book' it was held to the light to be inspected for inclusions or markings (called staining by the miners). Only the clearest mica was taken, the rest also thrown on the dump. The mica was then carefully packed in cases, and carried by hand down the mountain side.

To find material in the dumps requires digging down to the natural surface then working uphill. Eventually the forces of gravity take over, a fine mica landslip occurs, and the fossicker starts over again.

Yellow-green Beryl and apatite crystals are said to be common in the dump. Gemmy if you are lucky, more often dull and fractured. Clear quartz crystals are found up to 10 cm long, some double ended, and sceptre. Albite, schorl, mica books, smokey and rose quartz, amethyst, garnet, graphic pegmatite, pink feldspar, yellow-green mica can be found.

The mine started around 1896, after the Arltunga Goldfield did not live up to expectations, and gold miners began wandering the countryside prospecting. A Sydney company tried to jump the lease from the then owner Simon Rieff, and litigation followed in the Adelaide courts, which brought mining to a halt. So the Disputed mine got its name. At what date this occurred is uncertain as Rieff never arrived at Alice Springs until 1919.

Rieff was a highly respected prospector and miner in central Australia. Born in Tbilisi Georgia in 1893, he had to flee after supporting Royalists during the 1917 Russian Revolution. Via China, he arrived in Australia penniless and unable to speak English. Somehow he found his way to central Australia, and over the years had extensive interests at Winnecke, Arltunga, Tennant Creek, Granites, Hatches Creek, and the Harts Range mica mines.

Giovanni (John) Spurio owned the mine in the 1940s and 1950s. The mine was the last to close in the area, being 1960. Ownership details are incomplete, and like many of the mines on this field, little was recorded.

Commodity List

This is a list of exploitable or exploited mineral commodities recorded at this locality.

Mineral List

7 valid minerals.

Rock Types Recorded