Harsh, arid and lonely. The Western Australian outback is an inhospitable
place. Despite the difficult conditions, however, men have pursued their
dream of finding gold in this challenging region for well over a century. At
Coolgardie in the 1890s, their hopes were well founded, for nearby lay what
would become famed as the richest square mile on Earth.
Paddy Hannan, a 50 year old prospector originally from Ireland, walked the
600 kilometres from Perth to try his luck. Together with Thomas Flanagan and
Dan Shea, he pushed a further 39 kilometres in a north-easterly direction and
on 14 June 1893 made a discovery that was to change the face of Australia.
Within hours of the claim being registered, a stampede to the gold
diggings had begun. As the news became more widespread, local men were joined
by ranks of hopefuls from all over Australia and as far away as China,
Europe, Africa and America.
Developed in 1893 for Western Australia’s arid conditions, dry blowing
machines were equipped with bellows that separated dust and dirt from heavier
gold.
As a result, Coolgardie expanded quickly and Kalgoorlie, Western
Australia’s most celebrated gold mining town, grew up around Hannan’s Camp.
With a honeycomb of ever expanding underground shafts and tunnels topped by
headframes (winding towers), the area was memorably dubbed the Golden Mile.
Remarkably, more than 125 years after its discovery, the Golden Mile
remains at the heart of the Australian gold mining industry – albeit in a
dramatically different form!
The Super Pit
Amid a global recession in the early 1980s, gold experienced a sharp leap
in demand. Rising prices breathed new life into the region which saw another
huge boom in activity.
It was during this decade that businessman Alan Bond began buying up
individual mining leases, the precursor of a seismic shift in the Kalgoorlie
landscape – literally.
Bond’s vision involved sweeping away some 3,500 kilometres of underground
workings and creating a single, enormous open cast pit. Ultimately, the
project was completed by the Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines (KCGM) joint
venture, which has created a void so vast that it can be seen from space!
According to KCGM, the Super Pit is 3.5 kilometres long, 1.5 kilometres
wide and more than 600 metres deep – and is continuing to expand. Tonnes of
rock are regularly blasted, scooped up and trucked away to the crushers. Even
now the modern miners must remain wary of the potential hazards of old
underground workings.
About 800,000 ounces of gold has been recovered annually over the past 25
years. This impressive quantity accounts for about eight per cent of
Australia’s total gold output. In a country currently ranked second among the
world’s top producers, it represents a truly remarkable resource.
Taking Australian gold to the world
Investors and gold bugs worldwide who are fascinated by the history of
Australian prospecting can now claim a genuine piece of Super Pit gold for
themselves.
Encapsulating the spirit of Western Australia’s golden heritage, the 2019
Australian Super Pit 1oz gold bullion coin comprises gold sourced exclusively
from the iconic mine. Portraying the stepped sides of its enormous
canyon-like hollow, the highly desirable release has a mintage of just
15,000.
The coin’s awe-inspiring scene is also portrayed on a pure silver version
with a total mintage of 100,000.
Buyers in Australia are invited to purchase both coins from The Perth Mint
online at perthmintbullion.com,
in our Bullion Trading Room, open seven days a week at 310 Hay Street, East
Perth, or through Customer Services on 1300 201 112 during normal business
hours.
Overseas clients should contact BayernLB in Germany, our official
collaborator on this project.
Unique additions to the Mint’s renowned line up of 99.99% pure gold and
99.99% pure silver coins, both releases are issued as official legal tender
under the Australian Currency Act 1965.
