Percydale - Union Jack Mine
The Union Jack Mine has a large open cut (which is fenced off) plus shafts, adits, battery site and cyanide works. Many of the shafts are covered with a wire frame mesh which is not always secure so great care needs to be taken at this site.
This is stop 7 on the Percydale Goldfields Heritage Tour.
Map of Union Jack Mine
Download Union Jack Mine Map
Like most Fiddlers Creek reefs, Union Jack Reef was probably worked during the 1870s. The battery site and cyanide works appear to date to c.1904.
Puddlers, seen now as two doughnut shaped depressions in the ground, were used in the processing of gold and driven by horsepower.
Open Stope; On the crown of a steep hill is a 30 metre deep open stope which is approximately 50 metres long and 30 metres wide. There are at least three adits and two open shafts located in the open stope.
Haulage adit; At the base of the hill, west side, is an open adit which has a 30 metre long narrow cutting. Running north from this cutting, past a water dam, is a 200 metre long tramway embankment which terminates as a loading bay.
Battery; At the base of the loading ramp is a narrow depression which once contained the wooden foundations for a 10 head of stamps. Below the stamper foundations are the remains of several small concrete mounting beds (1/2" mounting bolts) and some sections of a concrete floor.
Cyanide works; To the west of the battery site is a 50 metre long dump of tailings which has a three well preserved 18ft diameter galvanised iron cyanide vats. At the base of the tailings dump is a small galvanized iron drainage vat.
History of Site
1881 In quartz mining an important event was the purchase by the Union Jack Company of the claim of Hal and Inglis at Percydale.
1882 Operations had been suspended for a time at the West of England Hill and at the Union Jack mine, as the first crushing at Vale's Reel did not turn out as satisfactory as was expected.
1889 A few chains east of Luck's All Reef, the shaft was sunk 100 feet, and there was a large amount of water to contend with. For about three years the returns averaged over an ounce to the ton. The company had a good pumping plant and 12-head battery on the ground. Inundation of heavy water compelled the shaft to shut down.
1904 Percydale mining was practically at a standstill, as work at the Percydale Syndicate mine had been confined to surface prospecting alone and only one cyanide plant was working there.
Location of Mine
See the red dot on this map along Fiddlers Track, Percydale.
Location
Fiddlers Track, Percydale 3478 Map
Web Links
→ Percydale Goldfields Heritage Tour
→ Union Jack Mine Map (PDF)
