Baron Rothschild Gold Mine (Baron de Rothschild), Pinyalling Goldfield (The Baron), Yalgoo Shire, Western Australia, Australiai

Regional Level Types
Baron Rothschild Gold Mine (Baron de Rothschild)	Mine
Pinyalling Goldfield (The Baron)	Ore Field
Yalgoo Shire	Shire
Western Australia	State
Australia	Country

The mine is named after a wealthy European family. There is no indication the baron had anything to do with the mine, and today we would view it as brand naming for marketing purposes.

Taylor and Deighton found gold here in 1892, at the head of a gully, the gold shed from what was to be named the Baron Rothschild reef.

Little information was found for the mine's early years, which appears to have been a prospecting lease. By the mid 1890's a shaft was sunk to 115 feet on a reef 9 feet wide at 2.5 to 3 oz to the tonne. In 1896, the property is for sale, along with the mines/leases Carbine, Duke of Portland and Marquis of Bute.

It was purchased by a Mr Chaffey representing Colonel North for 2 500 pounds. Barney Lamond was appointed mine manager. An English company called Pinyalling Consolidated Ltd was operating the mine. A battery was constructed in 1898, and 10 000 tonnes of ore is reported at grass, with an estimated value of 18 dwt. North passed away shortly after the initial purchase, and the executors eventually abandoned the project. The shaft is reported to be at 150 feet at this time, on a 8 to 10 foot wide dyke formation of banded ironstone quartz impregnated with fine gold.

In 1896, the named mines/leases in the area were Baron Rothschild, Marquis of Bute, Baron Rothschild Central, Baron Rothschild North, Baron Rothschild South, and Dick's leases, then further south-west Dublin, Duke of Portland, Duke's Son, Carbine, and several other leases. Apart from the Baron Rothschild Mine, all were limited short lived affairs.

A warden's report in 1906 states since the death of Colonel North, several miners have taken out crushings at 14 to 15 dwt. However, owing to the distance the ore needed to be carted, and the high treatment costs, there was little profit, and all soon abandoned mining.

In February 1906, the Baron Rothschild Gold Mines Ltd took over the leases (501, 523, 533, 534, 536, 537) at 45 acres, with plans to build a battery and cyanide plant. It appears little happened, and across 1909 the mine was under exemption from a lack of capital to develop the property. In November 1909 they applied again for a stay of mining, but didn't bother to turn up to the warden's court, and the application was refused.

A visitor reports in 1912, the mine and plant was still idle, with only a caretaker in residence. Only minor prospecting work appears to have been undertaken for years after. In 1935 it is reported active again, but no more information is provided.


Several small alluvial patches were discovered in outlying areas over the years. In 1896, one occurred about 2 kilometres north-east of the mine, with the largest nugget found 32 oz. At least 550 oz was taken by prospectors, but unofficially was probably far more. All the gold was coarse slugs. A shaft was sunk through barren kaolin, but no gold was found. Another alluvial find is reported in 1911 with 80 men on it. This patch was discovered by J.H. Brooking of Mount Magnet, who found 12 oz about 3 to 4 kilometres north-east of the old Baron Rothschild Mine. Three leases, each 18 acres were applied for: Battler GML 651 (Brooking, Roberts, Doggett and Jerry Murphy), Battler North 652 (Fred Peel),and Battler South 653 (F. Meyers and J. Cordner). No information was found of any substantial production from these leases. A further find was made in 1938, about 3 kilometres south-west of the old Baron Rothschild mine, producing 7 tonnes at 132 oz, and in the same area the Trump Mine was established on a new find.

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References