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.

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.

Risk mitigation: Wheal Ellen Lead Mine, Northampton

The Library provided a number of historic mine plans held on the Wheal Ellen lead mine in Northampton to the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage (DPLH). Provision of these plans was part of works being undertaken by the Department’s Abandoned Mines Program, which is helping to assess the area for development opportunities. The plans provided were critical in identifying unknown shafts and the risks they posed.

Prior to learning of these unidentified shafts, DPLH had planned laydown yards and haul roads in close proximity to the shafts that would have crossed over the historic lateral workings. Because of the work of the library in identifying and supplying these plans, DPLH was able to locate the additional shafts on the site, quantify added risks and plan appropriate avoidance and management controls. - Tara Read, Principal Environmental Officer, DMIRS

Mine development: Kalgoorlie super pit

Following a request from the owners of the Kalgoorlie Super Pit, the Library was able to supply 100 historic mine plans of the leases that now form part of the Kalgoorlie Super Pit development. The occurrence and position of the historical workings are critical in enabling further development of the Super Pit, reducing risk during mining operations and ensuring safety of mine personnel.

Part of plan showing workings at Boulder leases, 1907

Want to know mow?

For all enquiries regarding historic mine plans and other collections of the Mineral House Library, visit the Library Catalogue or contact the Senior Librarian. All other mine plans enquiries should be emailed to rsdmineplans@dmirs.wa.gov.au