Mary River Goldfield, Halls Creek Shire, Western Australia, Australiai

Regional Level Types
Mary River Goldfield	Ore Field
Halls Creek Shire	Shire
Western Australia	State
Australia	Country

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Shortly after Charlie Hall and Jack Slattery discovered gold at Halls Creek in 1885, Nat Buchanan and party were searching the area for pastoral land. One of the party, Ned Morgan discovered a 22 ounce nugget near the head waters of the Mary River. It was the first substantial nugget discovered in Western Australia. It was purchased by the government and displayed in the 1886 Indian Colonial Exhibition London.

The goldfield is 35 kilometres south-west of Halls Creek, and 20 kilometres south of the Great Northern Highway, bordering the Tanami Road. The goldfield trends north-east to south-west, 15 kilometres long by 3 kilometres wide, with the Blue Bar Mine at its northern extent, and Six Mile Creek Workings at its southern extent. The workings extend north-east of the Tamami Road at a sharp bend, then continue south bordering the road to the west.

The goldfield is mentioned in passing across 1886 to 1887, as there was a rush of several hundred men to it to find alluvial gold. Many were from New Zealand. It is noted in 1892, the field was abandoned. When inspected in 1903, it is stated little work had been done, with only one shaft and mine mentioned for the whole goldfield. A dredging and sluicing operation commenced in 1910, but the gold found did not pay expenses, and this also soon ceased. Mining relics indicate later activity, largely intermittent by prospectors. It is a popular spot for metal detectors, and a number of nuggets have been found over the decades. This activity needs permission if the lease is active.

The area was explored by Bulletin Resources in 2012. It has not seen any modern mining.

Gold is found in quartz veins, with minor pyrite, galena and arsenopyrite, hosted by the Biscay Formation. There are several large white quartz reefs outcropping in the area, although they are usually barren.

Starting at its northern extent is the Blue Bar Mine, about 8 kilometres along a track north-east of where the Tanami Road makes a sharp bend south-east to south (see Blue Bar Mindat locality). An auriferous creek is found directly west of the mine, and two directly east. All three extend both east and west of the track, the two closest auriferous for 1.5 kilometres, and the most north-eastern for 3 kilometres, which also contains historic alluvial workings.

The Ruby Plains Mine is 5 kilometres along this track from the Tamami Road, and just south of the track. Noted historically as a scheelite mine, gold is also found here in a creek trending north-south for 2 kilometres between the mine to just north of the track. (See Ruby Plains Mine Mindat locality)

The Poverty Mine is 1.5 kilometres north of the intersection of the Tanami Road and Blue Bar Road. Two north-south gullies are auriferous between Blue Bar track and the Poverty Mine for 1.5 kilometres (see Poverty Mine Mindat locality).

Bill's Patch is a few hundred metres west of the above intersection, and access via a track heading south just before the bend in the Tanami Road. A creek which arcs westwards is a few hundred metres north of the track, auriferous for 2 kilometres and ending at a tree lined dam (one of several in the area). (See Bill's Patch Mindat locality).

The Mary River Mine area is a few hundred metres further south. Just south of the battery tailings pile is a small dam. Upstream from this is auriferous for 2 kilometres to the Tanami Road. Side creeks to the north are also auriferous, one ending in another small dam. (See Mary River Mine Mindat locality).

Three kilometres further south is the Thompson Workings with two auriferous creeks being the upper head waters of the Thompson River auriferous for 4 kilometres from just west of the Tanami Road, and extending west beyond the diggings. (See Thompson Diggings Mindat locality).

A further 2 to 3 kilometres south is the Six Mile Creek area at the southern extent of the goldfield. A northern gully runs east-west from just west of the Tanami Road and is auriferous for at least 5 kilometres. The Six Mile Creek itself just south, runs north-west to south-east, and is also auriferous for at least 5 kilometres.

Commodity List

This is a list of exploitable or exploited mineral commodities recorded from this region.

Mineral List

Mineral list contains entries from the region specified including sub-localities

6 valid minerals.

Rock Types Recorded

Rock list contains entries from the region specified including sub-localities