The
1900 Welvergenoegt Tin Mine Durbanville Hills
The cassiterite occurs in nearly
horizontal quartz veinlets, in a zone about 8 metres wide with a north-south
orientation, in Malmesbury Group shales. The veins consist of coarsely
crystallised quartz with dark reddish-brown, cassiterite crystals, mostly near
the margins of the veins. Accessory minerals are tourmaline, pyrite,
arsenopyrite and rutile. No more than about 4 tonnes of tin concentrate were
produced between 1911 and 1912.
An old photograph of the mine in its
heyday shows a large and sturdy three-legged hoist towering above a group of
miners at the shaft. Nearby stood a tall steam boiler, and rail tracks had been
laid out for cocopans. Unfortunately, the ore was erratically scattered
in solid rock, and it was cheaper to mine alluvial tin in the Durbanville
area. The mine ceased operations during the 1st World War
after producing some four tons of ore concentrates.
Comment:
Very nice Mineshafts. Horizontal and vertical shafts. Suitable only for the
real Caving Guys. Maximum 4 persons. Keep an eye out for the resident Badger.
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