11. A Succession of Stamp Batteries - at Old Solitary Mine
Model of 10 head battery like Campbell’s ( 1868-1888)
Reilley’s 5 head battery at Little Oakey Creek-perhaps similar to Brailey’s battery at Solitary (1894-1904)
2 head battery at Solitary in 1961-1982
1868-1880 – Campbell’s 10 head machine – the water in the Solitary mine – a great asset to this battery
A rich Sydney merchant T C Breillat acquired the dormant Solitary mining lease in 1868 and established a new stamp battery at Solitary Mine. This one had 10 stamp heads. He initially employed W H Campbell to manage the machine, and later sold it to him. It was then known throughout the district as Campbell’s machine. Due to the water problem, the Solitary Mine remained unworked during the 1872 mining boom but Campbell’s machine became very busy processing quartz from numerous other reef mines in Wattle Flat for a fee. This machine had the great advantage of inexhaustible water from the Solitary Mine shaft when other machines in the district ran out of water during dry periods. Thousands of tons of stamp battery sands started to accumulate below Campbell’s machine at Solitary.
1881-1888 – Campbell’s machine is refurbished by Denny (Solitary Reef Gold Mining Company)
The Solitary Mine & mill are acquired by Thomas Denny/ Solitary Reef Gold Mining Company. He invests heavily in establishing a sophisticated new mill incorporating his patent separator & concentrator machine. Campbell’s stamp battery gets a thorough overhaul. Denny becomes disappointed with the turnout, and leaves the mine to be worked by tribute miners & finally in 1888 the mine & machines are auctioned off.
1894 -1904 – Brailey’s compact stamp battery is busy at Solitary
Robert N Brailey & son establish a new machine at Solitary & successively add the latest equipment (Triumph Concentrator, Huntingdon Mill, Frue Vanner etc.). As with Campbell’s machine, Brailey’s machine was effectively used to process quartz from Solitary Mine & quartz from other mines for a fee.
1895-1896 – Webb has his own stamp battery across the road at the Solitary Extended & Magenta mines
At the Solitary Extended Mine across the road 400 metres to the NE, Thomas Webb establishes a stamp battery, which he subsequently relocates to the Magenta Mine also just across the road to the SE.
1961-1982 – An exotic stamp battery from Lowes Mtn rests at Solitary
In 1961, L A King & H W Webb relocate a 2 head battery from Lowes Mountain (8 km north of Oberon) & install it at Solitary Mine. It is never brought into production. It was later restored by R Wigglesworth at the Sofala Museum & is currently located in the Goldfields museum on Mt Panorama, Bathurst.