Yerilla Claims Gold Mine (Melba Consols; Lady Ailsa), Yerilla Goldfield, Menzies Shire, Western Australia, Australiai

Regional Level Types
Yerilla Claims Gold Mine (Melba Consols; Lady Ailsa)	Mine
Yerilla Goldfield	Ore Field
Menzies Shire	Shire
Western Australia	State
Australia	Country

Yerilla Claims Limited was initially a rather secretive organisation that released little information about its mine to the general public.

Like many of the early mines on the main goldfield at Yerilla, very rich specimen stone was initially found. 2 x 18 acres leases. In 1897, it was claimed to be the only mine on the field well equipped, with pumps, winding gear, and a Huntingdon mill. The mine was part of the Queen of the Earth lode at the western section of the goldfield.

The company embarked on a tortuous short history. By 1897, Yerilla Claims was known as the W.A. Goldfields Company, then later that year was reconstructed as Adelaide based Yerilla Gold Mining Company. It then amalgamated with adjoining lease Westward Ho.

Robert Oldfield was mine manager. The company late 1898 stated it only had 30 pounds in the bank, and required more shareholder capital. It virtually held a gun to its shareholder's heads, stating either they trump up more money, or lose everything they had invested.

Yerilla Gold Mining Company was in liquidation by 1900. It proceeded against James Robinson for a dishonoured cheque for 3550 shares, with mixed results from court cases and appeals on the issue.

After this it becomes the Melba Consols mine, in the process amalgamating some central leases. In 1903, Holbourn and brothers Richard and William Duncan were operating the mine, the latter two came to dominate the field over the subsequent few years. Three shafts had been worked on reefs 1 to 2 feet wide, trending north-south, and dipping 40 degrees west. The walls were granite.

The floatation of the Melba had caused bad feeling on the goldfield, as some prospectors had lost money supporting it. The Duncans were able to convince the State government to finance a battery on the lease. As it was the only battery on the field, the Duncans could charge what they liked. To prevent a riot, the government took over the battery, although the Duncans then pursued the battery manager to obtain special privileges like exclusive use of the battery and/or reduced rates of crushing. This did not go down well with the other prospectors.

By 1906, the mine had changed again to the Lady Ailsa. GML 682R. The State Engineer in this year states much development work had been undertaken on a north north-west to south south-east lode in granite country. The main shaft was down to 94 feet, with the 15 inch ore shoot worked for a length of 150 feet. The ore occurs in a series of disjointed step like masses, having been broken by a number of small step faults. The ore averaged 17 dwt. At the north end the reef runs into a large white cross reef which ends the auriferous country. At the southern end, the reef passes from granite into greenstone.

Some of the above work had been done with government finance. Unlike the battlers on the field, the Duncan brothers were formerly rich merchants with a mansion in Cottesloe, and had contacts in high places. The Duncan brothers and Chambers continued on the field after 1906 on the neighbouring Yerilla Central and Viola leases until 1915, but nothing was heard for Duncan on the Lady Ailsa after an active 1906.

S. Munn and party are found sinking a 100 foot deep three compartment shaft on the old Melba lease in 1919. Munn was being financed by the Mines Department under its repatriation scheme for returned soldiers. No information was found as to whether the venture was a success.

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