BROKEN HILL, NEW SOUTH WALES

Rhodonite and galena from Broken Hill, New South Wales.


The Broken Hill silver-lead-zinc deposit in western New South Wales is Australia's premier mineral locality. Mining commenced in 1883 and continues through to the present day. The primary ore has a complex chemistry which is reflected in the diverse assemblage of minerals in the oxidised zone. Approximately 300 species have been recorded from the deposit with many spectacular specimens preserved in collections around the world.

The Mineralogy Section has been studying the mineralogy of the the weathered or "oxidised zone" at Broken Hill. Recent mining of a portion of the oxidised zone in the Kintore opencut has revealed a suite of rare phosphates, arsenates and sulphates. Several new mineral species such as bernalite, mawbyite, segnitite and kintoreite have been recorded during this study. Here is a selection of specimens from Broken Hill

Marshite Pyargyrite with calcite Stolzite Inesite
Silver Rhodonite Bannisterite
Miersite Calcite Bustamite Rhodochrosite Mimetite
Serpierite Segnitite Mawbyite Olivenite Carminite

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