Log InRegister
Search For:
Mineral Name:
Locality Name:
Keyword(s):
 
Home PageAbout MindatThe Mindat ManualHistory of MindatCopyright StatusWho We AreOur ScienceMindat Newsletter [Free Download]Contact Us
Donate to MindatSponsor a PageCorporate SponsorshipSponsored Pages
Learning CenterWhat Is a Mineral?The Most Common Minerals on EarthInformation for EducatorsMindat ArticlesMindat Newsletter [Free Download]The ElementsThe Mineral Quiz
Search FormMinerals by PropertiesMinerals by ChemistryMineral Visual ExplorerAdvanced Locality SearchRandom MineralRandom LocalitySearch by minIDMinerals by CountryAlphabetical Mineral IndexAlphabetical Locality SearchMineral Association SearchList of CountriesLocalities Near MePhoto SearchSearch ArticlesSearch GlossaryThe Rock H. Currier Digital LibraryMore Search Options
The Mindat ManualAdd a New PhotoRate PhotosLocality Edit ReportCoordinate Completion ReportAdd Glossary Item
MineralsPetrologyFossilsMeteoritesGeologic Time
Mining CompaniesStatisticsMineral MuseumsClubs & OrganizationsMineral Shows & EventsDevice SettingsTime Machine
Read DiscussionsIdentification Request
Photo SearchPhoto GalleriesSearch by ColourPhoto Colour ExplorerNew Photos TodayNew Photos YesterdayMembers' Photo GalleriesPast Photo of the Day GalleryPhotography

Hidden Mystery Gold Mine, Tennant Creek, Barkly Region, Northern Territory, Australiai
Regional Level Types
Hidden Mystery Gold MineMine
Tennant CreekCreek
Barkly RegionRegion
Northern TerritoryTerritory
AustraliaCountry

This page is currently not sponsored. Click here to sponsor this page.
PhotosMapsSearch
Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
19° 35' 45'' South , 134° 10' 14'' East
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
Köppen climate type:
Nearest Settlements:
PlacePopulationDistance
Tennant Creek3,889 (2012)6.4km
Mindat Locality ID:
294142
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:294142:7
GUID (UUID V4):
0


The Hidden Mystery gold mine is located 7 kilometres north north-west of Tennant Creek, on the northern boundary of the Mary Lane Shear Zone, a major regional east-west structure. In the mine area is found mudstones, siltstone, greywacke , but mainly shale of the Carraman Formation, with much quartz veining.

The Mystery mine workings are on magnetite/hematite ironstones, these becoming more jasperlitic and siliceous away from the mine. The ironstone forms a cylindrical shaped magnetic body, plunging steeply east south-east.

Foliated quartz-feldspar porphyry encloses jasperlitic ironstone lenses 300 metres east south-east of the old mine workings. A kaolinised quartz-feldspar porphyry intrudes the sedimentary rocks, 760 metres east of the workings.

Explored in the late 1980's, and 1990's by Metana Minerals, Roebuck Resources, Placer Exploration Ltd, and Posgold Ltd. BMR identified an anomaly 500 metres east of the old mine workings in 1969, they also call Hidden Mystery.

Mentioned in passing as developed by Charlie Priest in the 1930's. The mine only produced 11.5 ounces of gold at 15 g/t. Daniel Francis Laughlin took out the lease (GML 136E) in 1945.

Modat lists cassiterite at the location, although this is not a species commonly mentioned in the Tennant Creek area.

The site contains at least six shafts, and some shallow bulldozer scrapings. Bordering to the west appears to be a station homestead with several buildings.

Select Mineral List Type

Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Commodity List

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


Mineral List


8 valid minerals.

Rock Types Recorded

Note: data is currently VERY limited. Please bear with us while we work towards adding this information!

Select Rock List Type

Alphabetical List Tree Diagram

Detailed Mineral List:

ⓘ 'Biotite'
Formula: K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
ⓘ 'Chlorite Group'
ⓘ 'Feldspar Group'
ⓘ Goethite
Formula: Fe3+O(OH)
ⓘ Hematite
Formula: Fe2O3
ⓘ Kaolinite
Formula: Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4
ⓘ Magnetite
Formula: Fe2+Fe3+2O4
ⓘ Muscovite
Formula: KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
ⓘ Muscovite var. Sericite
Formula: KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
ⓘ Native Gold
Formula: Au
ⓘ Pyrite
Formula: FeS2
ⓘ Quartz
Formula: SiO2

Gallery:

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 1 - Elements
ⓘNative Gold1.AA.05Au
Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts
ⓘPyrite2.EB.05aFeS2
Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides
ⓘGoethite4.00.Fe3+O(OH)
ⓘMagnetite4.BB.05Fe2+Fe3+2O4
ⓘHematite4.CB.05Fe2O3
ⓘQuartz4.DA.05SiO2
Group 9 - Silicates
ⓘMuscovite9.EC.15KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
ⓘvar. Sericite9.EC.15KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
ⓘKaolinite9.ED.05Al2(Si2O5)(OH)4
Unclassified
ⓘ'Biotite'-K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
ⓘ'Chlorite Group'-
ⓘ'Feldspar Group'-

List of minerals for each chemical element

HHydrogen
Hⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Hⓘ GoethiteFe3+O(OH)
Hⓘ KaoliniteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4
Hⓘ MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Hⓘ Muscovite var. SericiteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
OOxygen
Oⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Oⓘ GoethiteFe3+O(OH)
Oⓘ HematiteFe2O3
Oⓘ KaoliniteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4
Oⓘ MagnetiteFe2+Fe23+O4
Oⓘ MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Oⓘ QuartzSiO2
Oⓘ Muscovite var. SericiteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
FFluorine
Fⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
MgMagnesium
Mgⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
AlAluminium
Alⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Alⓘ KaoliniteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4
Alⓘ MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Alⓘ Muscovite var. SericiteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
SiSilicon
Siⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Siⓘ KaoliniteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4
Siⓘ MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Siⓘ QuartzSiO2
Siⓘ Muscovite var. SericiteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
SSulfur
Sⓘ PyriteFeS2
KPotassium
Kⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Kⓘ MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Kⓘ Muscovite var. SericiteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
TiTitanium
Tiⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
FeIron
Feⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Feⓘ GoethiteFe3+O(OH)
Feⓘ HematiteFe2O3
Feⓘ MagnetiteFe2+Fe23+O4
Feⓘ PyriteFeS2
AuGold
Auⓘ Native GoldAu

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

Australia
Australian PlateTectonic Plate

This page contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please register so you can add to our database. This locality information is for reference purposes only. You should never attempt to visit any sites listed in mindat.org without first ensuring that you have the permission of the land and/or mineral rights holders for access and that you are aware of all safety precautions necessary.

References

 
and/or  
Mindat.org® is an outreach project of the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. Mindat® and mindat.org® are registered trademarks of the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy.
Copyright © mindat.org and the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy 1993-2026, except where stated. Most political location boundaries are © OpenStreetMap contributors. Mindat.org relies on the contributions of thousands of members and supporters. Founded in 2000 by Jolyon Ralph and Ida Chau.
Content on this site may not be used to train, fine-tune, or otherwise develop artificial intelligence or machine learning models without prior written permission - see our Terms & Conditions.
To cite: Ralph, J., Von Bargen, D., Martynov, P., Zhang, J., Que, X., Prabhu, A., Morrison, S. M., Li, W., Chen, W., & Ma, X. (2025). Mindat.org: The open access mineralogy database to accelerate data-intensive geoscience research. American Mineralogist, 110(6), 833–844. doi:10.2138/am-2024-9486.
Privacy Policy - Terms & Conditions - Contact Us / DMCA issues - Report a bug/vulnerability Current server date and time: October 20, 2026 00:32:41 Page updated: August 16, 2025 12:00:33
Go to top of page