Great Pegmatite Tin Mine (Griffin), Holleton Goldfield, Yilgarn Shire, Western Australia, Australia
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Location is approximate, estimate based on other nearby localities. | |
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Latitude & Longitude: | 31° South , 119° East (est.) |
Margin of Error: | ~110km |
Locality type: | Mine |
Government mineralogist, E.S. Simpson states alluvial tin was found at Holleton as early as 1921, however, it was not until 1927, when P. Moller and F. Thompson were investigating a lease here for gold, they uncovered alluvial tin, and was able to trace it to what would be known as Moller's Lode. The mine was initially known as the Great Pegmatite, then changed to Griffin after the lease owner before who prospected it for gold. The lode averaged 4 feet wide and had been opened down to 50 feet.
Much excitement was generated by 1929, that the discovery would lead to a major new tin mine. 32 tonnes was taken out at 12 cwt cassiterite. By mid 1930, the lease had been abandoned, and by 1932 it was being referred to as the 'old' tin lease.
The goldfield is an amphibolite area surrounded by granite, and penetrated by many albite pegmatites. Moller's Lode was 60-70% albite. This was fine grained, associated with quartz, and at times 'bunches' of garnet or microcline. Nearby Latham's Shaft contained slightly coarser albite with quartz, schorl, microcline and apatite. Another contained small blue-green imperfect prisms of apatite with associated quartz and schorl. Larsen's P.A. 1855 contained spinel associated with albite, biotite, garnet, ilmenite, and magnetite. Concentrates from quartz gold ore from P.A. 1547 contained vanadinite, cerussite, scheelite, gold and zircon.
Sources state the gold reefs at Holleton were chaotic, split by faults and intruded by many pegmatites. Moller's Lode was a pegmatite carrying cassiterite, tested by Simpson as averaging 0.80%, although reports at the time quote sections containing almost pure cassiterite. Simpson states the vein strikes north-east, mainly albite with some quartz, microcline, almandine garnet, schorl, magnetite, ilmenite, zircon, and a little cassiterite.
The cassiterite is either fine grained, or partly corrugated pyramid crystals to 15 mms. often elongated, and at least one twin is noted as found. Simpson stated it reminded him of the cassiterite location at Poona, north-west of Cue, in the Mid West of Western Australia.
Simpson states another lease immediately west contained cassiterite, and other sources states was the continuation of the Moller's Lode, at a lease called Tin Valley. Another lease 1 mile north-east also contained the species, however he was not able to locate any other pegmatites on the field with tin.
Commodity List
This is a list of exploitable or exploited mineral commodities recorded at this locality.Mineral List
14 valid minerals.
Rock Types Recorded
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References
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Simpson, E.S. (1948), Minerals of Western Australia, Vol 1, p14, p124,
p382, Vol 3, p216, p580, p688, p704, 1948
The Daily News newspaper (Perth) (1929), Tin at Holleton, 18/07/1929
The West Australian newspaper (Perth) (1929), Mining. Holleton Tin Finds, 24/09/1929
The Daily News newspaper (Perth) (1930), In the Country. Tin at Holleton, 06/03/1930