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DEPARTMENT NEWS
HISTORIC MINE PLANS HELPING TO MITIGATE RISK As part of our efforts to preserve the rich history of Western Australia’s (WA) resources industry, the Department holds an extensive archive of maps and plans dating back 125 years. Most of this material was collected during the rapid growth of the mining industry following the discovery of the Eastern Goldfields. Of particular interest is the Department’s collection of over 30,000 maps and plans, of which, roughly 4,000 are historic mine plans from the1890s to the 1950s. These mine plans were initially collected to support the activities of the Geological Survey of WA staff who accessed and obtained mine plans during their mapping activities and to improve their understanding of the geology of mining operations in the areas under investigation. This collection of historic mine plans includes cross sections and longitudinal sections showing the entire workings of mining operations.
WHO USES MINE PLANS? Access to mine plans is sought by a range of users including prospectors, mining companies, land use planners, historians and genealogists. They are a powerful tool in recording historical mining activity in an area, and this information is especially useful for locating old workings and drill holes and helping to define their extent for safety purposes. Examples of how mine plans can be used by mining and exploration companies include: • • • •
when re-entering old workings for mine planning and design to assist geotechnical engineers when planning exploration activities.
| 24 | ThinkSafe vol. 3 no. 2 September 2021
STREAMLINING ACCESS TO MINE PLANS Mineral House Library has commenced a project to digitise its unique collection of historical mine plans, making them accessible to the wider community. Plans are retrieved, repaired and scanned to PDF and all metadata (e.g. bibliographic and physical details, mine names, lease numbers, shaft names, shaft depths) is captured to a database register. Digital copies are included in the Department’s mine plan repository and formally become available for Departmental and industry access.
WHY IS HAVING ACCESS TO HISTORIC MINE PLANS IMPORTANT? While mine plans are critical in recording historical mining activity, their value is especially apparent in the mine development, mine safety, and hazard and risk mitigation areas. Western Australia abounds with an enormous number of old and collapsed shafts, open cuts and shallow workings that pose a risk to the mining industry and the wider community. Knowing their location and extent is vital to managing risks and keeping people safe.
