3 Introduction: This section is not meant to be a history of Union Hill as that has been covered in other reports. It is to be used as an introduction to the mining and ore processing that took place on the hill as a means of establishing what can be seen to-day and how suitably placed walkway tracks and signage can be utilized to have these features interpreted for the public. Present Day Features. There are two main reefs on Union Hill, i. e., the Union Reef and the Amaranth Reef. The Union Reef had two shafts sunk to access the ore body which was extensively worked; in an area fenced off in the Battery foundations is what appears to be the remains of the original No 1 Union shaft. The Amaranth Reef was accessed by several adits, the main one is to be found at the bottom of Clarke Street. There is a small open cut to be found near the present exhaust fan for the Trio Mine. Prior to the development of the cyanide process the Martha Company used pan amalgamation for treating ore. Following experimentation by the Cassel Company they converted to the cyanide process. The Cassel Company established their plant to process tailings which were stored in tailings dams at the bottom of Clarke Street. . A battery comprising 30 stampers was constructed with eventually a total of 90 stampers being used for dry stamping. The ore was dried in several in-ground kilns and was then processed in the Battery. These kilns are accessible by tunnels and are surprisingly in reasonable condition. The top of the kilns are open and at least two of them are still brick lined. The Martha Company built its own Bullion Refinery not far from the Battery and also had its own sawmill to supply timber for building and mining purposes. The Refinery floor is at present buried by filling from the conveyor belt. There is a vault protruding out of the ground which marks the location. There are several “vaults” to be found with one having cast into it “Built A. D. 1898. The most noticeable feature of the site is the Ferro-concrete B & M tanks (also known as Pachucca tanks) This site was heavily modified by Mineral Resources during their gold recovery programme in the 1970’s. Today there is little to be seen of their processing plant’s foundations. To-wards the bottom of Union Hill is the remains of the water race which brought water to the plant from various sources.
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