Mirror Finish Mica Mine (Mirror Finish), Coggan Bore, Ambalindum Station, Harts Range, Central Desert Region, Northern Territory, Australiai

Regional Level Types
Mirror Finish Mica Mine (Mirror Finish)	Mine
Coggan Bore	- not defined -
Ambalindum Station	- not defined -
Harts Range	Mountain Range
Central Desert Region	Region
Northern Territory	Territory
Australia	Country

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Mined by the Coppock family during the late 1940's, and early 1950's. It is easy to think of these miners as poverty stricken, and uneducated. However this was not always the case. While many of the Italian miners had emigrated from rural areas of northern Italy, few could speak English, or probably get jobs in the southern cities, the Coppocks showed much money could be made from mica mining. A Bren carrier was purchased after the war, to transport heavy equipment up the mountain side to the mine. Launce Coppock had a Ford 10, said to be a fine car for its day (and probably totally unsuitable to the local road conditions). A letter James wrote to a local newspaper, indicated he was well educated. He suggested a taxation exemption to help develop the Northern Territory.

James Coppock lived at the mine with his wife, and adult son Launcelotte (Launce). Mrs Coppocks sister also lived at the mine, as well as Bert Coppock (James' brother) with wife and three small children. Bert mined a neighbouring mica deposit. James appears to be sometimes called Jim in the reports. The reports tend to confuse Bert, James and Jim, and are used sometimes interchangeably. Walter Smith would sometimes visit with his camel train. Bert and Walter were good friends, but rarely spoke to each other.
A typical conversation was: Bert- How's things going Walter. Walter- Okay Bert. Then they would sit in silence for the following hour.

They lived in hessian and iron shacks, and an old army hut. The following is quoted about the riches inside: 'The exterior is humble. But inside the front door is a jewel laden table, rich stones collected by Jim and his wife in many years of mining. An emerald as big as both fists, a huge sample of aquamarine, exquisite amethysts, rubies, garnets, beryl, and many gold nuggets.' The Coppocks were involved with gold, mica, wolfram and nitrate mining across 16 years up to taking on the Mirror Finish.

Reno Dellavella was a 2 year old child, who caused an airstrip to be constructed near the mine. His Italian mother lived near the mine, but could not speak English. When her child became sick, she found Launce Coppock, and via sign language was able to communicate what was wrong. Launce within a few hours had taken the mine's grader, constructed an airstrip, and radioed the Alice Springs Flying Doctor. Fortnightly mail runs were then conducted by Cornelian Airways. After heavy rains the plane became bogged in 1952. A search party was launched from stations in the area. The airfield had no radio, and the plane's was broken. The pilot was un-harmed.

Bert was president of the Northern Territory Leaseholders and Prospectors Association. One report suggests Bert left the mine in 1948, to take up a pastoral station near Ti-Tree, however mica production reports were found until 1959 totalling 10 007 lbs of mica. Around the same time both Bert and James are involved in copper mining at Hanlon's Reward, to the north-east of the Harts Range.

Country rock in the area is Brady Gneiss, and lesser Bruna Gneiss consisting of schistose, garnet rich, biotite, granite gneisses, amphibolite and pegmatite swarms.

There are many pegmatites in the area, but only the Mirror Finish was worked. The vein ran parallel with the foliation of the country rock, except at the south-east end, where it branched off along joint planes. The pegmatite outcrops on the side of a steep hill, accessed via two adits.The first was 110 feet long, and stoped to the surface, while the second was 40 feet below the first, 200 feet in length, and stopped to the surface of the Adit 1 portal.

The pegmatite is homogenous, fine to medium grained, averaging 6 feet thick, with little zoning. There are irregular concentrations of quartz near the centre of the vein. The north end of the pegmatite is 21 feet thick, then narrows to 2 feet, before widening to 8 feet, containing a lot of ruby mica. The mine is unusual for mica deposits in the district, as it contains copper staining. Probably malachite, however it is unconfirmed.

The mine is located in the far east of the Harts Ranges, on the upper slopes on the eastern side of Mount Powell. Little evidence could be seen on satellite images for the mine, or remaining footprint of the airstrip. If the maps are correct, the mine is many miles from the nearest track. The original Mindat map placed the mine 30 kilometres to the south-west of where we are showing it now,which disagreed with Bonzle, and several exploration company maps. However the present co-ordinates are still approximate.

Commodity List

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

Mineral List

2 valid minerals.

Rock Types Recorded