FAQ
- Where is the Morning Star mine located?
- When was the Morning Star mine last mined?
- What is the size of Morning Star’s tenement holding?
- What is the potential Resource Target of Morning Star’s tenement holding?
- Why does the ‘Gap Zone’ exist?
- How close are the nearest larger towns?
- How deep is the mineshaft?
- What hours does Morning Star operate at Woods Point?
- What type of equipment is utilised at the Morning Star?
- When will Morning Star Gold announce a Resource?
- When would mining likely start at Morning Star?
- What is the mine’s life likely to be?
- Is there any open-cut mining at Morning Star?
- Is there much impact on local residents and the environment?
- What is the history of the Woods Point?
- Why was gold mostly mined in shallow workings around Woods Point apart from the Morning Star?
- What happens to the disused ground water from within the mine?
- What is the size of Morning Star’s workforce?
- Will access to the mine be via decline shafts?
- Are visitors welcome to the Morning Star mine?
- What else is there to do around Woods Point?
- How far is the Morning Star mine site from Melbourne?
Where is the Morning Star mine located?
The Morning Star mine is located adjacent to the town of Woods Point in the lower 'Alpine’ area of Southeast Victoria. Woods Point is a small town on the main road between Marysville and Mansfield. Woods Point has a pub, a post office & general store and a police station.
When was the Morning Star mine last mined?
The Morning Star was last mined for gold in 1963 having operated pretty much continuously since gold was discovered in the Victorian High Country in 1862. In fact when Gold Mines of Australia (WMC) decided to down tools and head to W.A. to mine nickel it was actually late 1959 and they were at the time, mining at 19L and looking at re-developing the 9L of the mine underground. Various local groups tried in vain to keep the Morning Star open for business after WMC departed but in the end it was too big a concern for the small local operators to maintain as power costs were high and gold was set at USD35 per ounce.
What is the size of Morning Star’s tenement holding?
MCO's granted Exploration Licences have expanded tenfold in 2008 to over 220km2. This expansion is primarily running northwest along three major geological 'shear zones' which contain numerous diorite 'dykes', which were mined historically for rich returns from predominantly shallow workings. One major zone is known as the 'Ross Creek Line' which famously housed both the Morning Star mine and the Long Tunnel Mine near Walhalla to the southeast. The company is based at the Morning Star mine site adjacent to Woods Point but its Licences run from Matlock (11kms to the south-east), well up and beyond Gaffney's Creek (14kms to the north-west) of Woods Point.
What is the potential Resource Target of Morning Star’s tenement holding?
The Company is currently conducting a detailed feasibility study to determine an overall resource endowment of its 220km2 tenements and to continue developing key resource targets in turn. In July 2008, Morning Star released its maiden JORC Resource of 910,000 Ounces of Gold. This was purely for the Morning Star mine and Morning Star Hill above the mine's poppet head. MCO is confident its Regional Exploration Program will see this resource grow. Regional diorite-dykes, which were in many cases high producers of gold from shallow workings mostly above the water table, are numerous on MCO tenements. Key primary targets include All Nations, Waverly, Rose of Denmark & Loch Fyne.
Why does the ‘Gap Zone’ exist?
The area between 7/9L to 15L of the Morning Star was partially developed and stoped by WMC but never mined. The main reason for this was the catastrophic January 1939 ‘Black Friday’ bushfires, which destroyed the entire town of Woods Point and the outbreak of WWII that same year. There is a more detailed description on this website under this link: www.morningstargold.com.au/projects/morning_star_mine/the_gap_zone.phtml
How close are the nearest larger towns?
The nearest town of consequence to Woods Point is Mansfield, 78kms to the north along the Woods Point to Mansfield Road via Gaffney’s Creek and the A1 Mine Settlement (both famous gold mining towns in their day). Heading southwest, the pretty town of Marysville can be accessed along roughly 92kms of logging trails and highway.
How deep is the mineshaft?
The mineshaft was historically 940 metres deep over 23 Levels. Roughly 600 metres is a vertical shaft and at the 19L an incline shaft was set up to the lowest levels of the mine. The 4-compartment mineshaft has been totally refurbished and lifts operate down to the 10L ‘Plat’ and 10L drives, which are 306 metres underground.
What hours does Morning Star operate at Woods Point?
Morning Star Gold operates at the Morning Star mine 7 days a week from 7am until 7pm. There is full time security on-site at other times.
What type of equipment is utilised at the Morning Star?
A myriad of equipment is used at the Morning Star mine. There are two Kempe underground diamond drill rigs, three Boyles surface rigs, large air compressors to drive the underground rigs, all sorts of air-leg drills and tools for extraction of rock samples, GPS equipment for surveying tenements and old workings, two large independently run winders which operate the main lifts underground and various pumps to keep the ground water from encroaching on operations underground. MCO also uses earthmoving equipment and several IT items to make the office run efficiently from a technological standpoint.
When will Morning Star Gold announce a Resource?
Morning Star Gold announced its Maiden (preliminary) JORC Resource of 910,000 Ounces of Gold in July 2008. This relates only to the Morning Star mine. It is seen as a preliminary or interim statement which will be added to as more information is at hand. The full announcement can be accessed at this link: JORC RESOURCE OF 910,000 OZS GOLD
Morning Star is working towards an overall statement of gold endowment on its entire eastern Victorian tenements for release 2009.
When would mining likely start at Morning Star?
Morning Star announced in June 2008 a program of pilot mining concerning the Maxwell Reef zone near 8L of the mine. This was after resource drilling indicated a ore targets close to the main shaft and the company decided with high gold prices that cash flow would be sensible. The pilot mining is also a good opportunity to test grade factoring theories in a production scenario. This announcement can be found at this link: MAXWELLS PILOT MINING PROGRAM
Any decision to mine the Morning Star mine or regional dykes on a full production format will be taken after a feasibility study to be commenced after the completion of the next stage of the exploration project. MCO has a three-stage process, which it is carefully following. The 1 st stage has been completed with the successful refurbishment and dewatering programs in the Morning Star mine to beyond the 10L. The 2 nd and 3rd stages are underway with underground diamond-drilling of the ‘Gap Zone’ of the mine and ongoing feasibility on a gravity plant and decline shaft, followed by overall assessment of key regional dyke targets over H2 2008.
What is the mine’s life likely to be?
This will very much depend on ongoing proving of gold resources. At this stage it’s hoped that the Woods Point Gold Project will be able to operate as project with one production hub with many proximal ore sources but of course, mine life will be amenable with the resources identified in the coming quarters.
Is there any open-cut mining at Morning Star?
Historically there was small open cut mines and sluicing in the area but not at the Morning Star. An assessment of MCO’s resources in 1998, identified an area, which would suit an open cut mine if it was developed. The area is called Morning Star Hill and basically rises above the Morning Star poppet-head along the dyke towards the northwest. There is a zone 140 metres deep, which holds a large low grade JORC compliant resource of 184,000 ozs (2.61MT at 2.2 grams per tonne).
Is there much impact on local residents and the environment?
Morning Star is very sensitive to the needs and desires of locals and of course the environment. Although the mine is very isolated in terms of human habitation, many tourists still use Woods Point for a variety of purposes, especially in the warmer months. MCO considers there is zero impact on residents of Woods Point from their exploration activities and as the mine is underground, any future impact is extremely negligible. Morning Star has an environmental policy and considers it’s main impact to the environment probably as the discharge of ground water from the mine. The water is tested weekly and is potable at this point in time. Much of the water taken from the mine is re-used in any case for drilling purposes. Morning Star employs 22 local residents - nearly half the town of Woods Point - and supports local accomodation and services supplying fuel and other consumables.
What is the history of the Woods Point?
William Gooley discovered gold at Woods Point in 1861 , and for his trouble they named a local creek after him. In 1864 Gooley and his partner Colin McDougall carted in over many arduous months, a stamp battery to crush the rock and process the gold. Other prospectors soon followed, including a storekeeper by the name of Wood who set up business on the largest point of the spur. As the town was built around it the site became known as Woods Point. By 1865 Woods Point was thriving with the local gold rushes and had its very own Mayor called Paddy Perkins. Perkins set up several pubs and a small brewery in the area but later followed the gold, the miners and the beer to Castlemaine and Toowoomba, where he's credited with his brother Thomas, as the founder of Castlemaine Perkins Brewery.
Why was gold mostly mined in shallow workings around Woods Point apart from the Morning Star?
This was mainly due to the lack of power to operate pumps to clear mineshafts of groundwater. Many of the Woods Point dykes outcrop close to the river level. The Morning Star is a large dyke bulge and had been worked by many leaseholders during its first 35 years or so. In the 1890s, several leaseholders formed a public company (The Morning Star Mine Co. Ltd), to begin serious shaft sinking operations. The collective financial clout of the stakeholders enabled a more sophisticated approach to pumping out ground water at Morning Star involving steam driven pumps. This had a devastating effect on the timber in the area at the time but you would not know it now as it's well wooded.
What happens to the disused ground water from within the mine?
It is pumped to a series of underground dams and holding reservoirs, tested in several locations; some is used for drilling purposes and the rest is eventually pumped to surface, out to a holding dam where it’s tested again and where some is again used for drilling purposes and the balance of unused groundwater is then discharged into Morning Star Creek, a trout rich tributary of the Goulburn River system.
What is the size of Morning Star’s workforce?
Currently, MCO retains two executives in Sydney and 22 employees + contractors at Woods Point. Morning Star has spent considerable time and resources up-skilling staff in a series of mining and exploration roles to maintain flexibility.
Will access to the mine be via decline shafts?
It’s certainly possible depending on feasibility studies to access several proximal ore deposits via a single decline shaft. This again depends on the resources definition proximate to the Morning Star mine. A preliminary decline shaft portal has been designed and the portal entrance has been determined and is pictured in this website under 'Media - Photo Gallery'.
Are visitors welcome to the Morning Star mine?
Site visitors are always welcome provided the Company receives sufficient notice. Please contact Frances Scott or Leonie McDonald at Woods Point via email if you wish to visit the Morning Star mine site. Fran & Leonie are contactable at morningstargoldmine@bigpond.com
What else is there to do around Woods Point?
Woods Point is a popular stop-off place for all sorts of adventure seekers. There are loads of things to do including fishing and hunting (strictly in season and with permits), water sports, trail-bike riding, horse riding, 4WD, tours of old gold mining towns & relics, bushwalking and alpine sports in the colder months, not to mention bird watching and gold fossicking! The Commercial Hotel in Woods Point is the perfect place to stay a while and other accommodation is available at nearby Comet Flat at the Richmond Retreat or up the road at Brian & Heather Prothero's 'Gap Getaway', which is a really stunning place to stay.
How far is the Morning Star mine site from Melbourne?
The Morning Star is a comfortable three to three and a half hour drive from most parts of Melbourne. Best to travel via the Eastern Freeway out of Melbourne, towards the Yarra Valley (Healesville then Marysville), which is very picturesque route via the famous 'Black Spur'. Tullamarine Airport is more like a 2.5hrs drive from the mine site via Christmas Hills and Yarra Glen. With plenty of new freeway work near Melbourne, check your maps!
