Alpine Mine, Alexandra, Central Otago District, Otago Region, South Island, New Zealand
| Latitude & Longitude (WGS84): | 45° 21' 0'' South , 169° 12' 19'' East |
|---|---|
| Latitude & Longitude (decimal): | -45.35023,169.20530 |
| Köppen climate type: | Cfb : Temperate oceanic climate |
Information on the mine can be found in the town of Alexandra, outside the museum. John Symons organised the dismantling of the waterwheel at the historic mine, set in the bleak remote Old Man Range, and had it re-erected at the museum in 1973. When the museum later moved to its present site, the water wheel went as well.
The museum in 2008, wanted to remove the battery from the Alpine site, and also have it re-erected next to the waterwheel, however both the Department of Conservation, and New Zealand Historic Places Trust blocked this, stating the battery should remain on its original site for historical context issues.
To visit the battery requires more effort. Travel south of Alexandra 13
kilometres to Fruitlands, and turn onto Symes Road. A short climb up the hill comes to the impressively restored Mitchell's Cottage. The stone cottage was built without mortar by Andrew Mitchell, originally from the Shetland Islands, to house his brother John, wife, and ten children, during the gold rush days.
The road continues into the ranges, passing Whites Reef Hut, until the road makes a right angled turn north to the Obelisk. At the turn go on the track south (to the left), taking the first turn right at Hyde Rock. The track turns north-west, and after about another 2 kilometres, there is a short turn off track to the right. It is then a 30 minute walk down a steep hillside. The distance from the highway is roughly 25 kilometres- 4wd drive only- and should not be attempted in winter.
The battery dates from 1882, and it is said the operation was not successful.
Co-ordinates approximate due to the remote location.
Mineral List
1 valid mineral.
Regional Geology
This geological map and associated information on rock units at or nearby to the coordinates given for this locality is based on relatively small scale geological maps provided by various national Geological Surveys. This does not necessarily represent the complete geology at this locality but it gives a background for the region in which it is found.
Click on geological units on the map for more information. Click here to view full-screen map on Macrostrat.org
| Hettangian - Roadian 199.3 - 272.3 Ma ID: 1319554 | Wanaka lithologic association TZIV schist (Rakaia Terrane) Age: Phanerozoic (199.3 - 272.3 Ma) Stratigraphic Name: Wanaka Lithologic Association Description: Undifferentiated well foliated and segregated psammitic and pelitic schist with greenschist and metachert bands; TZIV. Comments: Basement (Eastern Province) metamorphic rocks. Age based on lithostratigraphic inference Lithology: Major:: {schist},Minor:: {pelite, psammite, greenschist, metachert} Reference: Heron, D.W. . Geology Map of New Zealand 1:250 000. GNS Science Geological Map 1. [13] |
| Triassic - Permian 201.3 - 298.9 Ma ID: 1309482 | Wanaka lithologic association TZIV schist Age: Phanerozoic (201.3 - 298.9 Ma) Stratigraphic Name: Torlesse Supergroup Description: Psammitic and subordinate pelitic schist (TZIV); including areas and bands of greenschist, minor marble and metachert, and rare ultramafic bodies. Comments: Eastern Province (Rakaia Terrane) Rocks Lithology: Schist, greenschist, marble, chert, ultramafic igneous rock Reference: Edbrooke, S.W., Heron, D.W., Forsyth, P.J., Jongens, R. (compilers). Geology Map of New Zealand 1:1 000 000. GNS Science Geological Map 2. [12] |
| Triassic - Permian 201.3 - 298.9 Ma ID: 3189657 | Paleozoic-Mesozoic crystalline metamorphic rocks Age: Phanerozoic (201.3 - 298.9 Ma) Stratigraphic Name: Haast Schist Comments: Caples Terrane Lithology: Metawacke; greenschist/almandine amphibolite grade metasedimentary/metavolcanic schist Reference: Chorlton, L.B. Generalized geology of the world: bedrock domains and major faults in GIS format: a small-scale world geology map with an extended geological attribute database. doi: 10.4095/223767. Geological Survey of Canada, Open File 5529. [154] |
Data and map coding provided by Macrostrat.org, used under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License
References
External Links
