Champion Gold Mine, Nannine Goldfield, Meekatharra Shire, Western Australia, Australiai

Regional Level Types
Champion Gold Mine	Mine
Nannine Goldfield	Ore Field
Meekatharra Shire	Shire
Western Australia	State
Australia	Country

This mine was at the northern end of the lode, just south where the Great Northern Highway crosses the ridge. The historic shafts were swallowed up by the Caledonian open pit from the 1990's. Vast amounts of money was spent on the Champion gold mine, more than was warranted for the gold it contained.

The original prospectors at the mine were Elliott, Starkey, Edwards and Emanuel (surnames). The Champion Gold Mining Company was floated in London in 1895 with 125 000 pounds capital. The following year, the mine manager, a Mr Osborne, bought out the original prospector's share. The company soon after forming purchased neighbouring leases Champion West, Little Champion, and Black Snake, totalling with the original Champion lease 39 acres. There were two lines of reefs, several small leaders and a number of shafts on the property.

The company erected three poppet heads over three existing shafts, constructed a battery, cyanide plant, boiler, stamp boxes, tram line between the mine and plant, as well a 2 x 1000 gallon water tanks.

A government geologist examined the mine in 1898, which had long been abandoned. He was able to uncover little as the workings were flooded.

New life came to the mine in 1900, when the Nannine Consolidated Gold Mines Limited took over the mine, and several others on the field. The Mount Yagahong Exploration Company had a controlling interest in it, and they owned other mines on the field and elsewhere in the district. It effectively mean't the Nannine Company controlled most of the field, including three batteries at Champion, Champion Extended and Queen of the Lake mines. Both companies were English concerns.

Less than a year later the company was being reconstructed and requesting more money from shareholders. It complained the Champion battery was found to be in a poor state of repair after they had purchased the mine. It virtually had to be rebuilt. Further, 10 heads of stamps laying on the ground were installed, new foundations constructed, a new condensing plant and tramlines from the mines to the battery were built. The question remains, which was never asked at the shareholder meeting in London, why the company had not inspected the battery prior to purchase.
Also why couldn't it transport the ore from the Champion mine to the two other batteries it owned nearby. It was also surprised to find the old Champion company heavily in debt, and was responsible for paying the creditors. It shows the folly of running a mine from England, although they were by no means the only ones at this time in Western Australia. Shareholders blindly accepted the situation and invested more money. Around eighteen months later mining ceased.

The plant and machinery at Champion must have been sold or dismantled, as in 1910 a group of local prospectors re-opened the mine with a new four head stamp battery.

Some minor activity occurred at the mine during the 1930's gold boom. Arthur Hetherington died from a fall of earth at the mine in 1934. Part owner Joseph Ayres was injured also during the incident.

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