Stawell Gold Mine

Stawell Gold Mine

Location
Stawell Gold Mine
Location	Stawell, Victoria
Country	Australia
Coordinates	37.07°S 142.81°E / -37.07; 142.81 (Stawell Gold Mine)
Production
Products	Gold
History
Opened	1982
Owner
Company	Arete Capital Partners

The Stawell Gold Mine (SGM) is a gold mine located in the town of Stawell, Victoria.^[1] The current site was established in 1981, however mining has occurred on and around the site since the town was established in the mid 19th century.

The mine reaches depths of up to 1.6 Kilometers (0.99 Miles).^[2]

For a long time, the Stawell operations were closely related with those at the Fosterville Gold Mine outside Bendigo, however this changed when Arete Capital Partners purchased Stawell, but left Fosterville in the hands of Kirkland Lake Gold (Now Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd.).

History

Crocodile Gold obtained the mine in 2012.^[3] At a stage under ownership of Croc Gold, the mine was planned to transition to an open cut style of mine, however environmental agencies restricted this from happening, as it would have involved inverting Stawell's big hill, a local landmark^[4]

The mine transitioned into the hands of Newmarket Gold Inc. in July 2015, after Crocodile Gold Corp. and its assets were absorbed into the company.^[5]

In 2016, under the ownership of Newmarket Gold's successor, Kirkland Lake Gold, the mine ceased underground mining, laying off around 150 staff, leaving the mine in a limbo state^[6]

In 2017, the Arete Capital partners obtained a controlling share in the company, going on to examine the path the mine would take in the future to maximise production, with restoring and servicing all the mines production assets, the mine would go on to reopen fully in early 2019, with the first gold pour since the closure occurring that February.^[7][8]

In 2019, construction on the Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory (SUPL), commenced 1 km below surface level inside the mine, the facility opened in August 2022.^[9]

References

1. Stawell gold mine, Earth Sources Victoria, 2021-06-02, retrieved 19 October 2022
2. Stawell Corridor Gold, Navarre Minerals, retrieved 19 October 2022
3. Crocodile Gold buys Stawell Gold Mine, The Wimmera Mail-Times, 2012-11-01
4. Stawell Gold Mines remain committed to open-cut at Big Hill, The Wimmera Mail-Times, 2015-07-10
5. Newmarket Gold announces completion of the arrangement with Crocodile Gold, Newswire, 2015-07-10
6. Stawell gold mine in Victoria to close, up to 150 jobs on the line, ABC News
7. Home - Stawell Gold Mine Community Hub, Stawell Gold Mine Community Hub, retrieved 19 October 2022
8. Stawell Underground Physics Laboritory, Stawell Times News
9. Stawell Underground Physics Laboritory, SUPL, retrieved 19 October 2022