Stawell Gold Mine
  Location within Australia | |
| Location | |
|---|---|
| Products |
|
| Opened | 1981 |
| Company | Stawell Gold Mines (VSG) |
The Stawell Gold Mine (SGM) is a gold mine located just outside the town of Stawell, Victoria.[1] The current site was established in 1981, however mining has occurred on and around the site since the town was established in the mid 19th century.
The Magdala mine complex, consisting of various extensive declines that formerly reached operating depths of up to 1.6 Kilometers (0.99 Miles).[2] In the present day, mining operations reach depths of just over 1km, down the Golden Gift decline. In recent years, the Magdala has been extended over to the former Wonga Gold Mine via an underground connection.
History
Stawell Gold Mine is based in the Western Goldfields region of Victoria. The local area has been the site of gold mining since its founding in 1853. The modern mine's primary decline, the Magdala decline, was started in 1981, following exploratory drilling by a joint venture between Western Mining Company and Central Norseman Gold, commenced in 1978, spearheaded by a spike in gold prices in the mid 1970s. The mine was the first of its kind upon the Stawell deposit, featuring substantially newer technologies than former ventures in the area. The mine produced 336,000oz of gold, before being acquired by Mining Project Investors Pty Ltd. (MTI) and Pittson in 1992, in a joint venture as Stawell Gold Mines (SGM).[3]
Around 1998, Stawell Gold Mines encountered the challenging reality of the regions South Fault, of which displaces any potential deposits by a substantial distance. Along with a team from Melbourne University, it was discovered the following year that material had been displaced roughly 600m to the North. In 2004, following promising results from over 2000m of drilling, development from the 900 level began with two fault-separated declines, a continuation of the Magdala, along with a new decline, The Golden Gift.[4]
In December 2004, MPI, having obtained whole ownership at a point prior, Spun their Stawell Gold assets off into the Australian Securities Exchange listed Leviathan Resources.[5] The mine was purchased by Perseverance Corporation. Two years later, SGM was once again sold, this time to Northgate Minerals, which itself was subsequently acquired by AuRico, who sold both Stawell and Fosterville Gold Mine the next year.
Crocodile Gold obtained the mine in 2012.[6] At a stage under ownership of Croc Gold, the mine was planned to transition to an open cut style of mine, however environmental agencies restricted this from happening, due to its proximity to the township of Stawell.[7]
In 2013, following a decline in grade in the lower extremes of the Golden Gift and Magdala Declines, along with its costly operating conditions, began to make the future of developing the Golden Gift seem uncertain. This was only worsened by the discovery that continuation of the lode was displaced to a depth of roughly 2,300m below surface, leading to the Golden Gift and neighbouring Magdala's closures, with the mine favouring lower grade ore at shallower depths. At the time of their closure, the declines depths reached 1,646m RL (GG) and 1,227m RL (MA).
The mine transitioned into the hands of Newmarket Gold Inc. in July 2015, after Crocodile Gold Corp. and its assets were absorbed into the company.[8]
In 2016, under the ownership of Newmarket Gold's successor, Kirkland Lake Gold, exploration drilling began on the Magdala East (East Flank) area, known as the Aurora B. Results in this area would prove somewhat promising, however could not prevent the mines imminent closure, which came in December of that year, laying off around 150 staff, leaving the mine to operate under care and maintenance conditions.[9]
In 2017, Arete Capital partners obtained a controlling share in the company, going on to examine the path the mine would take in the future to maximise production, with restoring and servicing all the mines production assets, the mine would go on to reopen fully, with the first production firing occurring in December of 2018, and the first gold pour since the closure occurring in February of the following year.[10][11]
In 2019, construction on the Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory (SUPL), commenced 1 km below surface level inside the mine, the facility opened in August 2022.[12]
Since reopening, the mine has pursued Gold in new areas such as the aforementioned Aurora B, which intersects a lower section of the older Federal Albion, along with the New Hampshire and Vincent resource areas and finally rehabilitation and further development of the older G1 area of the Golden Gift.
In late 2025, The Victor Smorgon Group acquired whole ownership of the mine.
Exploration
Since 2005, Onsite Exploration diamond drilling has been conducted by Deepcore Drilling. The company was founded through its works at SGM, and has since conducted works on mine sites across Australia, and collaborated on projects such as Melbourne's Metro Tunnel[13]
Equipment, Infrastructure and Facilities
Stawell Gold Mines has numerous surface facilities including office spaces, light and heavy vehicle parking, 24-hour electrical and mechanical maintenance facilities, Vehicle fuel and wash bays. Ore is processed at the mines onsite mill, with ore supplied by truck loads transferred to the ROM pad.
The mine itself consists of over 350km of shafts and features an elaborate return airway system, keeping a constant fresh air draft in active drives and declines, and keeping hotter, contaminated air in auxiliary drives. Air quality is also maintained via the use of return and fresh air rises.[14]
The mines internal depth is measured at a Reduced level of 300m above Mean sea level (MSL).
The company has a long-standing relationship with Swedish manufacturer Epiroc, along with its predecessor Atlas Copco. The mine uses their Boomer Jumbo Drills, MT65 Minetrucks, Simba Production Drills and ST18 Underground Loaders. The Mine also operates Caterpillar Loaders and Volvo wheel loader based Charge Baskets.
The on-site light vehicle fleet consists of the Toyota Hilux and 79-Series Landcruiser, along with the newly introduced Kovatera KT200, a light vehicle built entirely for underground mining.
Wonga
| Location | |
|---|---|
| Products | Gold |
| Opened |
|
| Closed | c. 2000s (UG work resumed 2024) |
| Company | Stawell Gold Mines |
First breaking ground in 1984, initially as an open cut project on a site across adjacent to the primary site, Wonga was aimed at capitalising off Stawell's generous gold reefs. In 1986 a portal was installed and an underground decline started.[15] The Wonga open cut mining site and portal has been out of commission since the mid 2000s, and in recent years, its open pit and portal access slated for land rehabilitation. Underground pressurised air and water services, along with various other infrastructure are still installed at and operated via the former Wonga facility.
Since 2023, a decline has been developed off the main Magdala decline under the Wonga name, operating in close proximity to the former Wonga underground workings.[16]
Wonga is currently home to one of the first two commercially-available battery electric Epiroc ST-18 SG underground loaders.[17]
References
- ↑ Stawell gold mine, Earth Sources Victoria, 2021-06-02, retrieved 19 October 2022
- ↑ Stawell Corridor Gold, Navarre Minerals, retrieved 19 October 2022
- ↑ Still Exploring blow 1000m but No Headframe The Stawell Gold Mine Experience, SMEDG, June 2002
- ↑ Stawell Goldfield - Magdala, Golden Gift, Wonga, PorterGeo, 8 July 2017
- ↑ Leviathan at Stawell (PDF), GeoScience Australia, 2004
- ↑ Crocodile Gold buys Stawell Gold Mine, The Wimmera Mail-Times, 2012-11-01
- ↑ Stawell Gold Mines remain committed to open-cut at Big Hill, The Wimmera Mail-Times, 2015-07-10
- ↑ Newmarket Gold announces completion of the arrangement with Crocodile Gold, Newswire, 10 July 2015
- ↑ Stawell gold mine in Victoria to close, up to 150 jobs on the line, ABC News
- ↑ Home - Stawell Gold Mine Community Hub, Stawell Gold Mine Community Hub, retrieved 19 October 2022
- ↑ Stawell Underground Physics Laboritory, Stawell Gold Mines
- ↑ Stawell Underground Physics Laboritory, SUPL, retrieved 19 October 2022
- ↑ Deepcore Drilling, Deepcore Drilling
- ↑ Operations - Stawell Gold Mines, Stawell Gold Mines, retrieved 20 March 2026
- ↑ The Stawell Au Deposits, Western Australia (PDF), Various
- ↑ Operations - Stawell Gold Mines, Various
- ↑ Epiroc brings battery loaders Down Under, Mining Monthly Australia