Geology of the Golden Mile

Public Lecture | Updated 1 decade ago

Image courtesy of KCGM
Kalgoorlie – Boulder’s ‘Superpit’

Presented by David Nixon, Senior Exploration Geologist at KCGM

Kalgoorlie has been welcoming waves of hopeful prospectors and miners since gold was first discovered at Colgoola in 1893 by the prospecting party of Flanagan, Shea & Hannan. Originally known as Hannan’s and later renamed Kalgoorlie, it is still one of the world’s most famous gold towns and continues to attract workers, investors and enthusiasts to the region. Since mining began, nearly 60 million ounces of gold has been produced from the Kalgoorlie Goldfield, much of it from the famous “Golden Mile”. As always, prospectors, whether professional or amateur, continue to search for the key to reliably locating gold deposits.

The old prospectors saying “Gold is where you find it” is true enough, but of no practical value. The best aid to finding gold is to understand rocks, and the study of Geology allows us to read the signs and clues they give us to what lies beneath the surface of the earth.

David Nixon, KCGM Senior Exploration Geologist, will give a lecture on Wednesday 15th August (5.30pm) at the Western Australian Museum as part of their National Science Week Lecture Series. Having explored areas in Australia, North and South America, Antarctica, Europe, Asia & the Pacific Islands, David is a passionate geologist and for fifteen years has travelled the world looking at rocks and finding gold.

David will discuss the geology and mineralization of the Golden Mile, and will display an extensive collection of maps, rocks and mineral samples from the Fimiston & Mt Charlotte deposits. Aimed at those who are interested in the industry, have a touch of gold fever, or just like rocks, David will unravel the mysteries of Geology and show you what to look for in the landscape around you.