Tanami Mine

The Granites is a gold mine in the Tanami Desert of the Northern Territory of Australia. It has been operated by Newmont Mining since 2002.

The Granites
The Granites in 1952
Location
The Granites
Location in the Northern Territory
LocationTanami, Northern Territory[1]
Territory Northern Territory
CountryAustralia
Coordinates20°32′21″S 130°18′43″E
Production
Productsgold
Owner
CompanyNewmont Goldcorp

History

Gold was discovered in the Tanami Desert by Alan Davidson. He arrived in the area in 1898 prospecting until 1901.[2] He took the name Tanami for the region from local Aboriginal people who visited his camp. "On inquiry [he] learned that the native name of the rockholes (from [which the party obtained water] was Tanami, and that they "never died," he said. Davidson showed the gold specimens to these Aboriginal people, who recognised it and described "mobs of similar stone to the east, together with a large creek containing plenty of water and fish. This they said was "two days' sleep to the south of east".[3]

Recent history

Newmont purchased the mine in 2002.[4]

In 2016, Newmont Mining undertook a $120 million upgrade of the mine, constructing a new decline and processing facilities, taking the mine life to 2027.[5][6]

References
  1. "Place Names Register Extract for "The Granites Mine"". NT Place Names Register. Northern Territory Government. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
  2. "AUSTRALIAN EXPLORATION". The Advertiser. XLIV (13, 468). South Australia. 17 December 1901. p. 7. Retrieved 16 October 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. "THE TANAMI GOLDFIELD". Western Mail. XXIV (1, 235). Western Australia. 28 August 1909. p. 51. Retrieved 16 October 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. "Tanami Australia - Overview". Newmont Mining. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
  5. Brain, Caddie (5 November 2015). "$120 million expansion for Tanami Desert gold mine". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. ABC Rural. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
  6. Curtain, Carl (5 May 2016). "Newmont's Tanami gold mine completes 3.2-kilometre underground tunnel, pushing ahead with major expansion". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. ABC Rural. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
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