Pittong Excavations

Mineral Matters #622

Pittong is a small “township” in western Victoria, about 40 minutes from where I live. There is a currently operating kaolin mine there, and a number of historical mines taht produced wolfram, gold, and bismuth.

The main locality is in Mindat as “Wolfram Mine, Pittong”, the Type Locality for the mineral pittongite, but, pending some discussions, is likely to be relabelled as Bass and Watsons. There are two other mines on the same property, Quinn’s, and Superb Reef that will need to be added.

The Mineralogical Society of Victoria arranged for an excavator to dig over some of the dump material at Bass and Watsons, and a field trip organised for the following day.

Initial investigations threw up a number of species including dravite, plumbogummite, sulphur, pyrite, goethite, malachite and quartz. Probably others.

There is an open cut at Quinn’s, and tourmaline, quartz, pyrite, and muscovite, were sighted. In the Superb workings, a similar suite.

The excavator work will probably provide enough material for a few trips over the next year or two, subject to approvals. The site is on private property, and permission is required from the owner.

Below: Excavator turning over dump material near the main shaft of Bass and Watsons.

Below: Reef in open cut at Quinn’s.

Below: Superb Reef workings.