Grand Junction Refinery Relocation

If all goes according to plan, the relocation of the Grand Junction refinery building is occurring at the same time as this Waihi Leader goes to print.

Two large tow trucks anchored to a D10 bulldozer, will winch the building in two sequenced pulls along steel plates. All going well, the manoeuvre is expected to be completed in a day, but it will take a further period of two to three weeks to settle the building on its new foundations. It weighs about 180 tonnes and an additional 20 tonnes of steel make up the support structures inside.

Grand Junction

The Grand Junction mine manager's house (centre) and the Grand Junction battery, C1907.

At the time of this photograph (above) the Grand Junction refinery building was yet to be built near the house. The aerial tramway structures, used to transport ore from the main Junction shaft up to the battery can be seen to the left. The Martha Mine workings are off the photograph further to the left.

The mine manager's house was shifted in 1999 to its current site in Symonds Street, Waihi.

Grand Junction

In this aerial photograph taken last Wednesday (June 9 2010), work continues on the causeway along which the Grand Junction refinery building will travel to its new site. The Pit Rim Walkway is visible in the background, clearly a great spot to view the project's progress.

The new site is to the right, circled. The causeway is 100 metres long and has a slight incline of 1:25. The building will retain its north west facing orientation.

 

East Layback Earthworks

Aerial Martha Mine

Excavation of the upper parts of the north wall of the open pit is well underway as part of the earthworks required for the east layback. The Pit Rim Walkway has been temporarily diverted while this work is carried out.

In this photograph, taken last week, Bulltown Road wends its way to the top left of the frame.

Newmont at Fieldays

Newmont Waihi Gold has exhibition space at the National Agricultural Fieldays at Mystery Creek Event Centre, Hamilton this week.

The Newmont display site features an underground mine portal - made to scale at half actual size - and information about underground mining and exploration. A set of tiles arranged on the floor represent an aerial photograph of the Hauraki region. A range of display media will be used and the site will be attended by staff keen to field questions from event visitors.

The site's content reflects Newmont Waihi Gold's exploration focus - to identify high grade gold deposits in low conservation value areas that would be feasible to mine using underground methods with a small surface footprint.