Renison Bell facts for kids
| Location | |
|---|---|
 Renison Bell
Location in Tasmania
|
|
| Location | Melba Flats |
| State | Tasmania |
| Country | Australia |
| Coordinates | 41°48′S 145°25′E / 41.800°S 145.417°E |
| Production | |
| Products | Tin |
| History | |
| Opened | 2008 |
| Owner | |
| Company | Metals X Limited |
Renison Bell is an important underground tin mine located on the West Coast of Tasmania, Australia. It is also the name of the small area where the mine is found. This mine is known for digging up tin, a useful metal.
Contents
What is Renison Bell?
Renison Bell is a place where people dig deep underground to find tin. Tin is a metal used in many things, like making cans or helping other metals stick together. The mine is in a beautiful part of Tasmania, an island state of Australia.
Where is Renison Bell Located?
The Renison Bell mine is found in western Tasmania. It is east of a town called Zeehan. The mine is also close to Melba Flats. This area is connected by a railway line, which helps transport materials.
The History of Renison Bell Mine
The story of the Renison Bell mine began a long time ago. People discovered valuable minerals there. Over the years, different companies have owned and operated the mine.
How Was Tin First Discovered?
In 1890, a man named George Renison Bell found something special. He discovered tin-rich rock near the Argent River. This type of rock, called gossan, often shows where valuable metals are hidden. George Renison Bell then claimed the land. He started a group called the Renison Bell Prospecting Association to explore for tin.
Changes Over the Years
The area grew, and a post office opened in Renison Bell in 1908. It served the community for many years before closing in 1976. In 1934, a person known as "Paddy" O'Dea brought together several smaller mining areas. He formed a larger company called Renison Associated Tin Mines NL.
Who Owned the Mine?
In the 1970s, the Renison Bell mine was part of a big company called RGC. RGC stood for Renison Goldfields Consolidated. This company owned mines in many places, including other parts of Australia and even overseas.
In 1998, RGC sold the Renison Bell Mine to Murchison United NL. This was an Australian company based in Brisbane.
Challenges and Reopening
Murchison United operated the mine during a time when tin prices were very low. Because of this, the company faced difficulties. In 2003, the mine had to stop producing tin.
However, in 2004, a new company called Bluestone Tin Limited bought Renison Bell. They tried to keep the mine running, but tin prices were still low. So, in 2005, they put the mine into "care and maintenance." This means they kept it safe but stopped active mining.
Later, Bluestone Tin Limited partnered with another company, Metals X Limited. Together, they reopened the mine and its processing plant in 2008. The first new tin was produced in August 2008.
