Golden Zone Gold Mine, Mullingar, Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Kalgoorlie-Boulder Shire, Western Australia, Australiai

Regional Level Types
Golden Zone Gold Mine	Mine
Mullingar	- not defined -
Kalgoorlie-Boulder	- not defined -
Kalgoorlie-Boulder Shire	Shire
Western Australia	State
Australia	Country

The Golden Zone mine was first noted as active in 1895, but it was not until 1898 that the sources name an owner, in this case the South African Gold Recovery Company. Henry Frederick Ley Hancock was appointment mine manager, and was involved with the mine for the next ten years. GML 4694E. The Golden Zone Gold Mines NL from Adelaide shortly after took over.

The lease was 12 acres and an irregular shape. The Star of the West lease bordered to the south, and Hannans North lease to the north, all on the Reefers Eureka lode. To the end of 1898, the mine had produced 302 tonnes of ore for 348 ounces of gold. The main shaft had levels at 50, 80, 100, 200 and 300 feet, eventually reaching a depth of 600 feet.
The company sold the lease to a local Kalgoorlie syndicate in January 1899.

From 1903 former Golden Zone mine manager, Henry Frederick Ley Hancock, was working the mine on tribute. He purchased the lease in July 1906, and sought capital to float the mine. In 1907 a local Kalgoorlie syndicate was formed called the New Golden Zone Company promoted by K.C. McCormick, however they only crushed 30 tonnes before running out of money.

George Hughes then purchased the mine the following year for 3500 pounds. He also purchased the Hannans North lease. A new 10 head battery was erected in 1909. The following year the office was broken into one night with gold and cash stolen. Battery manager Richard Veale's house on the lease burned to the ground in January 1911.

Gold stealing had been a concern since the early days of the field in the mid 1890's, resulting in a Royal Commission, and culminating in the murder of two detectives from the Kalgoorlie gold stealing branch in 1926.

Generally employees would steal gold either from the underground workings or processing plant, hiding the goods in their pockets. They would then go to a third party, like a proprietor of a local hotel, who would take a cut. Sometimes the gold was processed in mini plants set up in the hotel cellar. Others would go directly to a small local mine. Either way, the gold would be registered as part of this mine, the mine owner taking a further cut.

Golden Zone mine owner George Hughes, battery manager Richard Veale and employee Ivan Bozin were arrested charged with gold stealing in 1915. Evidence produced was largely a description of detectives observing vechiles coming and going in the middle of the night delivering parcels. Richard Veale was the brother in law of Hughes. All were found guilty and received several months imprisonment.

As a result, the lease and plant was put up for auction May 1915, but there was little interest as mining was at a low ebb. The 10 head battery was sold for 275 pounds, having cost 13 000 pounds to erect; eight 60 tonne cyanide vats costing 7000 pounds could not find a buyer; the poppet legs costing 500 pounds was sold for 7 pounds.

In 1923, the government offered 10 000 pounds for anyone opening a mine in the area, and spending an equal amount. Harry Raven pegged the old Hannans North and Golden Zone leases. He tried to float a syndicate in Kalgoorlie, but found little interest. Raven decided to work the leases himself. Late that year the Great Boulder Proprietary Company purchased the Hannans North and Golden Zone leases.

By 1928, no work was being done on the lease. A five year old boy fell down a shaft on the lease 50 feet, then rolled down a stope before falling another 100 feet. Somehow he was uninjured and found later by a search party.

In 1932, the Broken Hill Proprietary Company took over the lease, along with several others nearby, and undertook development work and some crushing.

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References