Thermo Electric Ore Reduction Corporation Mill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Thermo Electric Ore Reduction Corporation Mill |
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Thermo Electric Ore Reduction Corporation Mill, 2003
|
|
| Location | Wolfram Road, Wolfram, Dimbulah, Shire of Mareeba, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1900 - 1914 (early 20th century) |
| Built | 1906 - 1918 |
| Official name: Thermo Electric Ore Reduction Corporation Mill | |
| Type | state heritage (archaeological) |
| Designated | 7 April 2004 |
| Reference no. | 602240 |
| Significant period | 1906,1918 (fabric) 1906-1920 (historical) |
| Significant components | weir, mounting block/stand, track, terracing, office/administration building, wall/s - retaining |
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
The Thermo Electric Ore Reduction Corporation Mill is a historic site in Wolfram, Australia. It's what's left of a building used for mining. This mill was built between 1906 and 1918. Today, it's listed on the Queensland Heritage Register because of its important history.
Discovering Rare Minerals
The area around the Hodgkinson River became famous for gold in 1876. But it also had many other valuable minerals. In 1894, a mineral called wolfram (also known as wolframite) was found there. It was mixed with quartz rocks. Later, in 1900, molybdenite was also discovered. Some people said it was the best molybdenite found in Australia.
What is Wolfram?
Wolfram is a heavy, gray-white metal. Pure wolfram is mostly used in electrical parts. It's also the ore from which tungsten is made. Tungsten is famous for being used in light bulb filaments. In the early 1900s, wolfram was worth a lot of money. Other places in Queensland, like Bamford Hill and Mount Carbine, also had wolfram.
The Rise of Wolfram Camp
A small town grew near these mineral finds. By 1900, about 100 men were working to mine wolfram, molybdenite, and bismuth. This place became known as Wolfram Camp. The Irvinebank Mining Company invested in the area in 1900.
Demand for wolfram and molybdenite grew after 1904. This was when tungsten became popular for lamp filaments. Many gold miners came to Wolfram Camp to mine these valuable metals. By 1904, 700 of the 1,136 people in the Hodgkinson area were miners at Wolfram Camp.
The Irvinebank Company's Mill
From 1904, Wolfram Camp produced a lot of wolfram. A big part of it was processed by John Moffat's Irvinebank Company. John Moffat was a smart investor in mining in North Queensland. He started exporting rare metals.
In 1906, the Irvinebank Company built a mill on Bulluburrah Creek. This mill used special technology to separate molybdenite. It had a rock breaker, rollers, and other machines to remove unwanted materials like quartz. This mill helped make Wolfram Camp more stable. It processed ore from many different mines in the area. The mill sometimes closed due to worker strikes. It operated from 1910 to 1912 before closing down.
Challenges in Mining
The wolfram mining industry faced tough times after 1910. It became harder to find ore near the surface. The Irvinebank Company had been the main producer, but their operations weren't always profitable. High costs to transport the ore to the mill and problems with water supply were big issues. A government geologist named Lionel Ball said that the Irvinebank Mining Company's efforts were very important. He believed that without their mill, Wolfram Camp might have disappeared.
The War Years and New Technology
Many mines closed during World War I. But in 1915, the Irvinebank Company added new equipment to their mill. They built a furnace to treat more ore. The government also helped by funding a new road for miners. In 1916, the Irvinebank Company replaced an old mill with stamps. They also installed a dynamo for lighting and a special magnetic machine. This machine helped separate wolfram from other minerals.
The Thermo Electric Corporation Mill
The arrival of the Thermo Electric Ore Reduction Corporation from Britain helped the Wolfram district during the war. The government paid fixed prices for the minerals. The company built a new, large processing plant. It was finished in 1918. This plant had 20 stamps and a concentrating system.
The Corporation's mill was built right next to the Irvinebank Mining Company's old mill. The new company bought mines from Irvinebank and other owners. They also built a new dam. They even planned a new way to treat the ore using gravity. Some of their machinery was lost during the war while being shipped. In 1918, they set up 20 stamps and an aerial ropeway to move the wolfram ore. Ore was collected from several mines and transported by electric buckets to the mill.
However, the Thermo Electric Ore Reduction Corporation didn't last long. After the war, metal prices dropped sharply in March 1920. Wolfram Camp quickly became almost empty. It's believed the mill stopped working around this time and was taken apart. When wolfram mining started again in 1926, a new company built a different mill on the site of the old Irvinebank battery.
What Remains Today
Today, you can see the foundations of four different structures at the site. There are also parts of weirs (small dams) along Bulluburrah Creek.
- On the west side of Wolfram Road, you'll find concrete foundations and engine mounts. These are the remains of the Irvinebank Company's mill powerhouse.
- Across the road, on the east side, are terraced areas. These were the foundations for the Thermo Electric Ore Reduction Corporation's store and office. The concrete walls of the office are still in good condition, even though the roof is gone.
- Further south, you'll find the large foundations of the Thermo Electric Corporation mill. These include huge retaining walls made of rough stone blocks. They support eight terraced levels with concrete mounts for machinery.
- South of the mill, there are more machinery mounts. These were for the boiler room and power plant.
Why This Site is Important
The Thermo Electric Ore Reduction Corporation Mill was added to the Queensland Heritage Register in 2004. It's important for several reasons:
A Look into Queensland's History
This mill shows how rare minerals were mined and processed in Queensland in the early 1900s. It's proof of a big change in mining in the Hodgkinson River area, from gold to rare minerals. The mill also shows how money from overseas (Britain) helped build a modern ore processing plant. Even though it only operated for about 18 months, it highlights how quickly things could change in the mining industry due to global markets. The large foundations of the mill show how important wolfram mining was in North Queensland before and during World War One.
Unique Features of the Site
This mill represents an unusual type of mining in North Queensland: the mining of molybdenite and bismuth. The Thermo Electric Co. office, built in 1918, is special because it's made of form-cast concrete. This was unique for mining buildings in North Queensland at that time. The massive stone walls and concrete machinery mounts that climb the steep slope are the largest mill foundations ever recorded in North Queensland.
Technical Achievements
The mill is also important because of its connection to John Moffat. He played a big part in developing the metal mining industry in North Queensland between 1872 and 1918. This mill shows Moffat's efforts to expand his mining activities, especially in finding, processing, and exporting rare metals.
