One can see the two different colours on the Rock Face Where the Blue Orebody Lay against it in Cronebane. The Peregrine falcons and some other birds of prey like to take advantage of the high cliff face, and the William’s Engine house chimneys.
The Irish Press Dec. 7, 1945
Avoca of the Gold Rush memories
Awake Again: By Sylvia Stevenson
In the romantic Vale of Avoca there are signs of a new activity. Jets of steam rise here and there, lorries labelled “Mianrai Teoranta” clatter up and down the steep paths, a dull rumble sounds in the heart of the hill. The giant imprisoned there is stirring his great limbs. Avoca Mine is awake again and maybe much more so in the future. Dr. Olof Odman thinks so, and he is a mining geologist who has come all the way from Sweden by invitation of the mining company.
Dr Odman is a typical Swede, tall and fair, with steady grey eyes. For a month the company’s guest, he flies back to Sweden next week. He is young, extremely keen on his job, works ten hours at a stretch without pausing for food. The staff at Avoca are doing likewise and apparently liking it. The enthusiasm is noticeable, above and below ground. This concern has a chequered history. On and off, the district has been mined for at least two hundred years, the ores obtained being chiefly pyrites, with some copper, lead, zinc. Boom period was from 1836 to 1870, when Sulphur imported from Italy, had become so expensive that the British Government of that day sought alternative material in John Bull’s other Island.
So, Avoca flourished for a short period till high grade ore from Spain came on the market. After that water trickled through silent tunnels till, in 1939, the Emergency brought the urgent need of home-produced fertilizers. Avoca was reopened for the production of pyrites, which combined with Phosphates from the same company’s mine in Co. Clare, supplied the farmer with essential superphosphate fertilizer.
Electric power was brought to the site and substituted for the old steam-driven engines. Today side by side with the picturesque ruins of tall masonry chimneys, you can see a neat space saving electricity sub-station, fed by 10,000-volt High tension transmission line from the national grid.
“During the war years” said Dr, Odman,” they had to produce as much pyrites as they could, as quickly as possible. Today leaving the emergency behind, they are starting on a new development and exploration programme.”
A zone about four miles long by half a mile wide has already been worked at Avoca, 3.5 million tons of ore having been extracted down the years. But who can say how many million tons might be extracted in the future? For the whole mineralised zone extends to ten miles, and modern methods increase yield enormously.
Irish capability. The Swedish expert admires the adaptability of Irish miners. “They could get no new machinery during the war, everything had to be second-hand or adapted. These low-grade pyrites were difficult to burn in existing Dublin furnaces, built for Spanish ore. That situation needed overcoming. Then there was a shortage of dynamite, so for a time they used black powder, an explosive with only a tenth of the force of dynamite, it is suitable for vertical rather than horizontal boring, which we are doing here. Now the Company is getting dynamite again. They had to manufacture their own spikes, for rail sleepers. Wood came from the Company’s forests at Glendalough. They even had to make their own hatchets! Dr. Odman visited Glendalough and seen the remains of the old lead mines. “In many ways these Irish mines reminded me of ours, which are also old. Some producing 600 years ago.” “Such a district as this, and the Gold mine River I saw yesterday, need prospecting thoroughly by electrical methods.” Gold Mine River”. There is magic in the name, but the Swede remains calm. “The river itself is only about 18 inches wide now, but two hundred years ago they found nuggets in its bed. They panned the river, then they tried to locate the lode from which the gold came. They drove adits into the mountainside, found gold-bearing rock, but in very small quantities. The lode is there and there is gold and silver to a small extent, only a few shillings worth per ton, but this comes in useful when producing other metals.” How much will this development cost? Will new shafts be sunk?” “No, the old ones can be used, it is a question of branching out. Today low-grade ores are mineable with the modern flotation process. As to capital, if one said half a million, it would be only a guess. It should mean not only self-supporting but profit-making.” Mr L. C. Wynne, the Company’s indefatigable 67 years young manager, spent the whole day clambering through tunnels and over mountain ridges at top speed, with the Swede. “Describing the “gold rush” at Avoca in the year 1798, he said the ancient records showed that troops had to be used to keep the populace quiet, when they objected to what seemed such great riches being carried away. “Yesterday we met the old man who spoke as if he had been there in person,” said Dr Odman. “He told us the first nugget was found by a woman, and she poking about in the river bed.” It took me some time to realise this happened two hundred years ago!” Next morning, I inspected the Ballymurtagh section of the mine, where most production is at present being done. Here 70 men are employed with the same number on the other side of the river. In rubber boots, oilskin and miner’s helmet I followed my guide the company’s assistant engineer, Mr N. J. Blunden into a dark tunnel. Walking the plank rickety and narrow, between streams of iron-yellow water, stooping under a roof of dripping stalactites, one develops a kind sailor’s roll. The helmet, difficult to balance with its acetylene lamp hitched in front, a welcome protection from drips and projecting rocks. Deep in the heart of the hill, past small gangs filling buckets to be hoisted and emptying others down echoing chasms.
My guide young and enthusiastic as the rest, came straight from U.C.D. to post. He explains the intricacies of “raise” and “winze” (upward and downward shafts) end of the “strike,” the direction in which the rock surface runs. All this while climbing up and down perilous ladders minding our heads.
Now a fierce increasing roaring accompanied by thick clouds of vapour meets us as we approach the drilling face. A worker crouches here, hour after hour, manipulating the compressed-air driven “drifter,” drilling holes. How much is he paid for doing this. I know how much I should want. But he looks healthy and bronzed like the rest. The atmosphere of this mine is healthy because the moisture keeps down dust. Ventilation is natural because of the slope of the different levels, and for the same reason drainage is a soluble problem.
On the surface workmen are busy constructing new buildings, one of which to house the important flotation plant. In this the ore is mixed with water becoming “slurry” and the different metals separated, and their strength increased by concentration. The present plant purchased second-hand from a British factory, is a single circuit plant for immediate production. But a muti-circuit plant, for concentrating pyrites as a continuous process, will be required if the expected developments are carried out. Such a plant can deal with hundreds of tons of ore daily and costs a lot of money. But it means that low-grade ore come into production class.
The future of Avoca, whether it is to remain a small forgotten village in the Wicklow Hills, or to become a mining settlement giving employment to many, depends on the decisions that are now being taken. One thing is certain, Dr Odman will go back to his own country fired with liking and admiration for his Irish hosts, and with he says a determination to return as soon as possible. There is a very good photograph of the flotation plant and mixer being set up and what looks like a tripod hoist. Sylvia Stevenson had written this piece really well and even though it is nearly eighty years ago, her description is so good, it brings one right back to that point in time in the first week in December, 1945, up on Ballymurtagh, Avoca, Co. Wicklow, as if you were there with with the geologist etc. and thanks to her, she has documented it for future generations to read.
The Avoca Mines
We are very fortunate that Jim Platt the Chief Geologist at Avoca Mines in 1973 had taken time to document the previous history of the mine in the Mining Ireland Journal leading up to and including the St Patrick’s Mine period from 1958 to 1962 operated by the Mogul Mining Corporation of Canada until it closed in 1962.Press 1958 has an advert from Sam Mc Cormick with a photo of Caterpillar DW 21-PR 21 320 H.P. articulated dumper 34-ton load with huge tyres and a Traxcavator with a side tip rock-bucket supplied to the Avoca Mines
I have come across this piece since: The Irish Independent Tuesday 9-September 1958
Arklow
Mineral Concentrate to be sent to continent
With the mines in full production early next month, export will begin to the continent of Iron and copper concentrates from Arklow. It is not known at present what ships will be taking these cargoes abroad. Meanwhile work on modernising and improving the port of Arklow has finished and vessels of between 700 and 800 tons can be got in at all stages of the tide. On the Port’s North, facilities have been installed for loading vessels with ore concentrates at the rate of about 200 tons hourly.
A man fell to his death in the Avoca Mines Irish Independent 5-September 1961 during the St. Partick’s mining period
A member of the surveying staff at St Patrick’s copper mines, Avoca, Terence Mc Namara (22). Bank of Ireland House, Arklow, fell 200 ft to his death down a shaft at the mines. The dead man had apparently just alighted from a ladder to get from one level to another, when he slipped and fell down the shaft. With him at the time was a helper Jeremiah Keily (18), also from Arklow who apparently was following him down the ladder and was not in a position to prevent the fall.
The dead man was the eldest son of Mr. Patrick Mc Namara, manager of Bank of Ireland, Arklow. The late Barry Mc Keon had told me about this accident, and told me he was holding out of a rope or something trying to do a swing or jump like Tarzan in the jungle to get from one level to another.
The Irish Press
Works at Avoca Copper Mines to be resumed, a piece from the Irish Independent March 21 1969
St. Patrick’s Copper mines at Avoca, Co. Wicklow, idle since 1962 are to be worked again. The Government announced yesterday that an international company consisting of Irish, American and Canadian interests have agreed to purchase the assets of the mines and to resume their working. It is understood that tests carried out at the mines by the Consortium Avoca Mines Ltd. Of 162 Clontarf Road, Dublin, have established that there are sufficient deposits to make mining an economic proposition.
In addition, the world price of copper has recovered from a little over £230 per ton when the mines ceased production to considerably more than £500 a ton at present and promises to maintain that level for some time. There is the added incentive that the establishment of the nitrogen factory a short distance from the mines, near Arklow, provides a ready market for many millions of pounds worth of pyrites.
The two Irish Directors of the consortium, Messrs. Patrick J. Hughes and Murrough V. O’Brien (formerly of the Irish Geological Survey), have a great deal of experience of mining in Ireland and are associated with very successful mining operations at several centres in Ireland, principally Tynagh, Co. Galway, and Gortdrum, Co. Tipperary.
Early 1969 the point where Discovery Mines Ltd. Expressed an interest in operating the mine as its Gold mine in North West territories, Canada was exhausted, and Mr Barry McKeon told me RJ Kilgour was General Manager there too, and that he himself and Mr Tom Shaw who was Personnel manager in Avoca mines during the 1970s had also worked in the Rayrock Uranium mine in NWT. Canada, which I think was before the Gold mine, operated by Discovery mines, whose President was Jerry Byrne. RJ. Kilgour General manager certainly didn’t exaggerate in March 1970 when he said they had operated a very isolated mine in NWT Canada for twenty years, as Barry Mc Keon showed me some really good footage of film with the Discovery President Mr. Jerry Byrne arriving in to the mine on a plane with skis, and he also showed me another piece with the plane preparing to take off and told me to watch out for the plane wagging its tail before take-off to break any ice free, and sure enough I could see the plane wagging the tail fin.
I was fortunate too that the late Maisie Caswell had kept a photo of her husband Jack (whom she met when she was in in Canada) with Robert Kilgour and Dave Crombie standing at the entrance to the mine tunnel in the Wicklow People14th March 1970, and I was able pick up more of the mines story from February March 1970 editions of the Wicklow people. I could see from The Wicklow People dated 21 February 1970 There was a Fitters dispute following the dismissing of three fitters and one could see that there were 230 employees at that time. I was quite amused when I came across the two circulars from the personnel officer with some good psychology and the response from the union spokesman.
The second Circular issued on Monday Stated: The time for conscience examining is long overdue, so let’s take a glimpse at the present situation.
“John F. Kennedy said : “Let us never fear to negotiate; nor let us negotiate out of Fear. ” The same can be said about dealing. Let us never fear to deal, nor let us deal out of fear. If we are going to live, we have to deal. “No doubt a deal should be based on the assumption that there will be mutual benefit. At present a Canadian mining company has come here with a deal on the assumption that there will be mutual befit. One thing that there is no doubt about, and that is, that right now there is immediate benefit for the 230 Irish employees here and certainly more benefit for the people and area in general. The thing that there is no doubt is, will there ever be any benefit for the other half of the deal, the Canadian shareholders who are putting up money”. “At the moment, there is an obvious attempt to sabotage the efforts being made on the part of everyone concerned to make a success of this deal. It is very important for us to dig in to this and try and discover who is behind it and who and what organization is being used as a front. Obviously, it is the fitters who are being used here, and the organization of course is the A.EF. Union”. The circular continues: We have offered the fitters a very respectable contract and what happens? The local branch secretary told us that the contract has to go to Belfast for sanctioning before the men in the Republic who are involved will be allowed to vote on it We are all for co-operation. Then on the 7th March 1970 edition of the Wicklow People One can easily see after Robert Kilgour’s very interesting speech at the Arklow Chamber of commerce dinner, and politicians from all the different parties along with George O’Connor Manager of Roadstone Arklow, attended the dinner and everyone was we putting their shoulder to the wheel with a very optimistic outlook for the Avoca and Arklow economy.
Avoca mining prospects 28 Feb 1970
In a very interesting speech at the annual Wicklow and District Chamber of commerce dinner Mr R.J. Kilgour, General Manager of Avoca mines Ltd., outlined plans for mining 2,000 tons of ore per day, from the Avoca mines in 1971, which we expect will yield 5,000 tons of copper. In addition, we hope to produce 80,000 tons of Pyrite for sale to N.E.T. The sale of this mineral locally was an important factor in our decision to enter this venture, for we believe Avoca is the lowest-Grade underground copper mine in the world. About 85% of our production will be exported, improving we hope, Irelands Balance of Trade in 1971 by £2 million the other 15% which is the Pyrite will save importing Sulphur worth about £400,000 probably. Mr Kilgour stated that his company came to Ireland to venture in to re-opening the mine at Avoca. They were encouraged to do so by the favourable legislation in Ireland for mining and because of the stable political atmosphere there. To some of them it was a return home. Their Chairman’s Great Grandfather was a Wicklow man who went to Canada about 1850, since then, The Byrne family had been playing a prominent part in Canadian mining and Jerry Byrne visited Wicklow regularly to see their progress. The Speaker went on: Like all ventures the progress is mixed, you will know, from the papers, that our road is not entirely smooth. However, we came to Ireland knowing some of the probable difficulties. We are determined to achieve a successful mine which will have a long life and which will help to bring an added measure of prosperity to Wicklow County and Ireland.
“Fairly Optimistic”
At present, we have 250 people employed and expect that this will rise to 300 or more in 1971. 215 of our employees are Irishmen and women. The others are Swedish and Canadian. The Swedes are employees of the largest contractor in Europe and are experienced miners who will drive the tunnels necessary for mining. they will be leaving when the job is done in eighteen months or so. The Canadians are all former employees at our last mine in Canada and are nearly all supervisors. Judging by our experience with US Companies entering Canada some Canadians will settle here permanently becoming if acceptable Irish citizens. Most will go to mines elsewhere, we expect in eight to ten years that Avoca will be entirely Irish, and will be glad if that occurs sooner. You will have noted the use of the word Venture several times during this talk. It is accurate because mining is always just that. Recently I listed some of the hazards to a visitor who finally commented:” It’s a gambly business” It is just that. He was correct. However, if copper prices stay above £450 per ton, we are fairly optimistic about having a successful mine. Time will tell. In closing I would like to say on behalf of Avoca and the foreign employees there that we sincerely appreciate the kindly welcome given us by Ireland in return we hope to be good citizens while we are here and to establish a mine that will be a credit to Ireland.
RJ Kilgour, Dave Crombie and Jack Caswell 14March 1970
Wicklow People 14 March 1970
Square Deal is Avoca mines Policy
Arising from the recent dispute by fitters at the Avoca Mines, the management in a statement, said negotiations for a union agreement with the A.E.U.F. were scheduled for an early date, whenever convenient to the union’s executive personnel. The statement continued: Discovery mines Ltd. Avoca’s parent successfully operated a very isolated mine in Canada for twenty years under the policy a square deal all round. That is also Avoca policy in Ireland because it paid off so well in Canada. We recognize that only a close partnership between labour and money can make this venture successful and consequently we are pro-union. Such partnership has already been established with the I.T And G.W.U and we are confident that it will come in time with the A.E.F.U. Without being argumentative, we believe that money must be at least an equal partner, because either labour or money can shut down the operation but only money can open it up and keep it alive. Nevertheless, we unhesitatingly recognize the importance of labour, and will not take any action affecting labour without ample and early consultation with union officials, except in dire emergency. We hope that our venture will provide at least 330 steady jobs for twenty years, and enable all employed here to combine a happy life and good standard of living.
Return to Ireland
Mr James Rynne, from Castlepollard, Co. Westmeath, has returned to Ireland after mining for twelve years in Africa, United States and Canada, to join Avoca mines Ltd. as shift boss. Avoca is advertising Vigoursly in Canada for experienced Irish miners who are familiar with modern mining methods to be instructors.
We hope they will marry nice Irish girls and live happily ever after said Mr Robert Kilgour Avoca’s General Manager.
This was the year of the famous Bank strike in Ireland ,which lasted about six months, and Barry Mc Keon gave me a very good account of an incident during that period where he described how Bob Kilgour GM of Avoca mines, himself and another man went to a bank on St Stephens Green, Dublin to get a couple of hundred thousand in cash, but before they went in Bob took them to a supermarket to get some shopping bags, and Barry said to him isn’t it a bit risky and Bob replied, People will just think we are walking with big bags of groceries instead of big bags of cash down the street back to the car, probably the equivalent of a couple a million or so today, even though I never met Kilgour, I do remember his old cars well, and I often think of what the late Alan Thomas told me about Bob Kilgour handing him the keys of “Old Blue” , the blue Triumph 2000 when he retired, and then saying: “ in fact you won’t need the keys to start her, you just put the two wires together underneath the steering Column “to start her, he wasn’t one to splash out big on cars, or waste money on them. He also related a couple of other incidents which happened in the underground tunnel , which along with this were almost like scenes from a Harrison Ford movie.
Mining returns to Cronebane Wicklow People 13-March 1971
The ancient copper mines at Cronebane, on the Kilmacoo side of Avoca, are to be worked again by Avoca Mines Ltd. The mining history of this area goes back about three hundred years.
By Hilary Murphy
For seventy years, in their early times, the Cronebane and Tigroney copper mines were operated by a Cornish company. These Cornish miners established a settlement in the area, and a number of their family names are extant their today. They also left their mark in the Cornish features of the old church at Conary.
Records show that in the seven years preceding 1765, the water of the Cronebane mine had yielded £17,260 worth of copper precipitate copper, which was also mined down to a depth of 400 feet.
Experts for Avoca Mines Ltd., working the main mines near Avoca have studied Cronebane’s mining record and carried out intensive exploration. High grade copper has been got here in the past. It was not mined by St. Patrick’s. Mr Robert Kilgour, General Manager of Avoca Mines Ltd., told me this week that it is intended to mine a small open pit at first. “We are going to go down about 70 feet and some day we will go underground,” he said.
Work at the Avoca Mines is progressing satisfactorily and the fourth cargo of approximately 1,750 tons of copper concentrate was shipped this week to Spain.
Mr. Kilgour revealed that the current low price of copper is having a marked effect on the operation, slowing down development. About 2,200 tons is being milled per day. Present employment stands at 325, of whom twenty are foreign are supervisors. Arrangements are being made to pump tailings back into a disused part of the mine, which will suffice for six months, while the dam at the Shelton site is being raised twenty feet. This is going to be done under the direction of an international group of engineers who specialise in this type of work.
AVOCA Mines Feature Wicklow People 3rd August 1973
Mining in AVOCA
A GREAT AND HISTORIC TRADITION
This Article is reprinted from the journal Mining Ireland by Mr James W Platt, Chief Geologist, Avoca Mines
Far from a Gold Mine
Gold is still being mined at a Avoca but this does not make Avoca Mines Limited a “Gold mine” by any means, it is estimated that about that about five ounces of gold are mined at Avoca daily with a value of £200, this bonanza is only incidental to the main operation .For Avoca Mines Ltd. is basically in the business of mining for copper, and since production started in January 1971 their first year of mining they have lost money on the operation most in the time in 1971,their first year of mining. Avoca Mines Ltd. recorded net losses if £170,000, while this loss figure was cut to 57,000 in 1972 these figures stand out in stark contrast to the popularly held belief that huge profits are to be made from mining, that may be the case with some mining operations, but it is certainly not true of Avoca. The reason that Avoca Mines Limited will find it difficult to make a Net profit is the fact that Avoca has the lowest grade underground copper in the world. In simple terms this means that Avoca produces a very small return of copper for every ton of ore rock mined, the figure is less than one percent and this means that the cost of producing each ton of copper concentrates is relatively high as compared with other mining operations. It can be seen then that the only way that Avoca Mines Limited can hope to make a profit is if the price of copper is high on the world market and remains that way. In 1971 the price of copper was low and Avoca Mines recorded a substantial loss of £170,000 but in 1972 the price of copper rose to £428 per ton, which reduced the net loss to £57,000.
Price Varies
Of course Avoca is delighted with the high price of copper, because it will provide them, not with huge profits, but with the necessary finance to continue development of the mines. But then the price of copper is a very variable commodity its present high price is due to unsettled political conditions in Chile, the third largest producer in the world. There is no denying that large deposits of copper exist at Avoca and Avoca Mines Ltd. estimate that, given favourable” price conditions” mining can go on there for at least twenty years.
General Manager Mr. Robert Kilgour said: “We are not quitters and if there is a hope in hell of making any profit we will keep going this must be very reassuring news for the people employed at the mines, considering that the mines had a very uncertain existence in the past.
During last year they exported £3,400,000 worth of copper concentrate to Spain and Sweden, this looks a sizeable turnover but when smelting and freight charges and mining and milling costs are deducted, they were left with an operating profit of £564,000, out of this figure of £564,00n interest on debts had to be paid, depreciation of plant and equipment allowed for and a sum for amortization return on original investment and this left them with a net loss of £57,000, from this it can be seen that the 5,000 Irish American and Canadian investors have not received a dividend on their investment to date The investors put up £1,000,000 to get the mine started and a further £1,750,00was provided by the Irish and Canadian banks Why, then was the money speculated in Avoca Mines? Like many another primary industry, mining is a gamble and people invest in the hope of making a profit.
No Government money
it must be stated that Avoca Mines Limited did not receive money from the Irish Government to start this operation, their only concession being that they could pay for the lease £650,000 out of future profits if there are any, in addition if profits are made Royalties will be payable to the Irish Government the present mining Lease is on 650 acres with a prospecting lease for a further 30 square miles.
Much research involved
The First Phase of Avoca exploration involved the sifting and interpretation of centuries of reports and papers in the mining area and a rationalisation of the mass of facts which emerged. The experiences of 1958-1962 taught that it was imperative to have full understanding of the range and nature of old men’s workings before any modern work involving them was feasible . As a point of policy in 1969, Avoca Mines Limited determined that no work would be carried out closer than 50ft.to old workings.
Government Interest 1945
Following the report by Professor W R Jones who drew the attention of the Irish Government to the huge tonnage of low grade possibilities of mining in the Avoca Belt. Following this report Mianrai Teoranta was setup to study the large tonnage ore possibilities at Avoca this Government body for expedient reasons, chose to explore West Avoca in preference to East Avoca. To this end, the old Ballygahan Shaft was cleaned out, retimbered and sunk further to a level around 300 feet below the lowest level of the nineteenth century workings (670 feet below sea level). The 300ft. tunnel parallel to the assumed ore body and from this evaluation via diamond drilling was carried out. The results confirmed the ideas of Professor Jones, and a tonnage and grade was estimated as the West Avoca ore reserve. This tonnage was internationally publicised in 1955 and the Mogul Mining Corporation of Canada took out an Option to develop the ore bodies and the property as a 3,000/4,000 tons per day proposition. Existing surface plant was erected at this time. Production lasted from 1958 to 1962 The Mogul mining company corporation elected to mine the sub-surface residue of ore left around the nineteenth century workings, I noticed Reference to “St Patrick’s Mines drove a new level The 850 Level (“Wicklow Heritage”.) Rather than the block of virgin ground proven by Mianrai Teoranta. Closure was prompted by excessive dilution resulting from this, coupled with depressed copper prices. Financial difficulties saw the property placed in Receivership by the Irish Government and subsequently held open on a care and maintenance basis. A Government sponsored economic study recommended that further exploration work be undertaken
And proposals to advance this work were invited from interested companies.
NEW INTEREST
In 1966 a proposal was accepted from consortium companies to which an option to acquire the mining Lease and surface installations was granted, in return for a commitment to carry out adequate underground exploration. During a two year period to March, 1969 approximately £400,000 was expended on a programme of exploration, metallurgical tests and profitability studies. This Programme proved sufficient ore to support a medium sized mining operation.
Early in 1969 Discovery Mines Limited expressed interest in operating the Avoca venture as its North West Territories gold mine in Canada was then closing due to exhaustion of ore. Agreements were concluded between the Consortium and Discovery which called for the latter to raise the necessary additional pre-production finances and to manage the proposed operation in return for a major interest in Avoca Ireland.
On March 16 1969 the government option was exercised thus paving the way for production planning. Underground development and mining preparation began late in 1969, production commenced in January 1971, a 2,000 t.p.d., rising late in 1971 to3, 000 tons per day
Extensive overhaul
The Mill was constructed for the 1958-1962 production period, and the years of closure were not kind to it. Extensive overhaul and redesign, in 1969-1970 was carried out by the Canadian consultants Wright engineers of Vancouver. Production in the event began two months ahead of schedule in November1970.
The Spectre of low copper prices continued to dog the operation between 1969 and 1971, prices for the metal fell from £750to £390 per ton, a body blow where low grade ore is concerned. The West Avoca production was intended to supply the exploration finance for a major development and production programme at East Avoca. The Avoca Belt has vast resource potential which demands realisation
Current Exploration 1973 from the Mining Journal
Little absolute risk capital is available for exploration work in view of the slim margin of excess of metal market prices over production costs. Avoca Mines main effort goes into consolidating the efficiency of the West Avoca operation to trim costs against a possible revival in the price of copper.
Speculation has featured strongly in the geological effort, and mine exploration has been limited by existing access. Diamond drilling at West Avoca has served the prime function of closely defining the ore geology, in order that mining may be to optimum grades. At this stage the search for parallel ore structures to the known orebodies under close definition, is the secondary consideration. Such a search does go on however.
The first phase of Avoca exploration involved the sifting and interpretation of centuries of reports and papers in the mining area and a rationalisation of the mass of facts, which emerged. The experiences of 1958-1962 taught that it was imperative to have a full understanding of the range and nature of old men’s workings before any modern work involving them was feasible. As a point of policy in 1969 Avoca Mines Limited determined that no work would be carried out closer than 50′ to old workings. The interpretation of historic data led to the evaluation of the Cronebane weathered orebody and the decision to lay out an open pit to mine it was taken after a limited amount of confirmatory exploration. From the Nucleus of this important open pit, the exploration of East Avoca is radiating. Reconnaissance prospecting over leases 1545 and 1546 is being carried out to suit government requirements.
Geochemical soil and stream sediment sampling is employed to outline target areas for eventual major follow-up work.
The West Avoca Mine
The Geometry and copper grade of the West Avoca orebodies was outlined and defined by Diamond drilling underground.
The plan view of the important ore bodies resembles that of the U shaped cross section- a horizon of banded sulphides (type B) surrounded a core of sericite schist, and wrapped round itself by a horizon of siliceous ore (type A). The northern, or underlying limb is extended in a westerly direction much further than the overlying.
Ore types A and B are anachronistically called South and Pond Lodes at Avoca harking back to old men’s mining parlance. (The South Lode was the most southerly of the West Avoca orebodies, while the pond Lode was discovered outcropping during the 19th century excavation of a stream engine reservoir pond). The terms are traditional, and are still in use even in application to East Avoca. A better understanding derives from blocking the orebodies out for mining purposes. With such low copper grades, high production tonnages are essential to reduce costs and realise copper for marketing. Mining methods at West Avoca are required to provide this rapid tonnage efficiently. The design must be for a small number of large underground working places, and a fast means of ore withdrawal and delivery to the concentrator. Mining methods are developed from geological considerations, the most important of which the size of the orebody and the competence of the rocks which enclose it. Support of ground is the dominant consideration in any mining operation. The safety of personnel is dependent on a sound analysis of ground.
The U shaped West Avoca composite orebody was considered in terms of its opposing limbs.
- South or overlying limb. The strata which overlies this limb (hanging wall strata) are tough quartz schists with good standing characteristics. The rocks which underlie it (footwall strata) are weak, incompetent sericite schists.
- (b) North or underlying limb. The opposite to the South limb, applies, with a weak hanging wall and a tough footwall.
The conclusion was that the South limb was fully amenable to large scale mining in which large areas in which large areas of hanging wall can be opened without fear of collapse, and a consequent lowering of grade.
The North limb was amenable to a mining method in which only limited areas of hanging wall were opened at any time. This would also mean that the maximum width of workings required limitation. Modern ideas on rock mechanics were employed to reach the solution.
Conventionally sea level, sea level at Avoca Mines is termed the 1000 level. The lowest operating level that driven for exploration by Mianrai Teoranta is 670 feet below sea level and is hence the 1670 level. The deepest old men’s workings in south Lode were determined by Diamond drilling to reach irregularly between 1300 and 1400 levels. In the Pond Lode, they reach 1120 level. There were hence 2 potential mining blocks above 1670 level for exploration. These were blocked out as tabular units for ease of mining in 1969, using cut off grades of .65% copper. The Cut-off grades were based on existing and possible copper metal prices, and potential costs of the mining methods selected. Special attention was given to keeping 50′ of virgin ground between old and proposed new workings. In view of ground conditions, it was elected to mine ore horizons A and B in the South Lode, but only the richer horizon B in the Pond lode. Preproduction estimations of available undiluted ore were :-
- South Lode 2,446,031 tons at .94% copper in a block up to 300′ feet high, by 60 feet wide and 2,000 feet long.
- The Pond Lode 2,053,879 tons at 1.29% copper in a block 600 feet high, by 30 feet wide by 100 feet long.
Bulk and comparative tests were carried out to authenticate this estimate.
These reserves were all above the 1670 level, but the orebodies extend to greater depths, indicated by diamond drilling to 2200 level. Beneath 1670 level the present estimated undiluted ore reserves, as yet untapped are 8,332,399 tons at .95%tion, but the poor metal prices have not permitted this to happen, instead The West Avoca mining is a holding operation which has required imagination and tenacity to make it work.
The tunnel and descent
Mine Access and facilities very well documented by Jim in the Mining Journal
Principal access to the West Avoca mine is by 12.5 % incline, driven to an 18’by 12′ cross section and maintained 150 in the orebody footwall. This incline has its portal at 800 level at surface, and is continuous to 1670 level in four legs, totalling 7,00 feet in length. Shaft access via Ballygahan shaft is obsolete today for any purpose other than service hoisting.
The shaft facilities are antiquated and limited in scope.
When introduced in 1955, the idea of incline access to the mine was revolutionary. It still has an ease and flexibility that the standard shaft cannot compete with, and opens all working places to immediate accessibility by personnel and machines.
All entrances to the orebody South Lode Sub levels haulage tunnels, Pond Lode inclines- branch from the Avoca main incline which is the Artery of West Avoca.
The incline also acts as a downcast tunnel for fresh air to enter mine workings. Foul air is exhausted by fans centred on one old shaft to surface in the centre in the central mine area from 1430 level; and a new Alimak driven ventilation raise to surface from the far West mine on 1670 level. These fans draw up 250,000 cubic feet of fresh air per minute through the mine workings via the main incline and Ballygahan shaft exhausting blasting smoke, dust and fumes associated with the use of diesel equipment, to permit a cool and comfortable working atmosphere.
All mining at Avoca is trackless, and rubber tyred diesel equipment is used exclusively for all haulage and transportation of men and materials. Roadways are surfaced with diorite chippings obtained locally, and are regularly swept and graded using a Komatsu D 50 Bulldozer hired from a local contractor. The very large fan used for extracting fumes may be the one that Barry Mc Keon told me they bought from a coal mine in Scotland.
Pond Lode stoping, and South Lode 1670 level draw points, were cleaned out by Wagner ST 4 Scooptrams with a 5-cubic yard bucket and one ST 2 with a 2-cubic yard bucket for the load and carry operation bringing broken rock or ore on the 1670 level main haulage area to into the central crushing facility a central crushing plant situated in the central South Lode area in the case of South Lode. Any rock or ore greater than 3-foot cube in size at the large Grizzly screen were brought off to the large cavern area called the Graveyard where they could be blasted again into smaller broken rock for the crusher and was crushed to 6 inches and placed on to a 42″conveyor 250 feet long and fed into a 1500-ton bin, which fed into a series of 3 conveyors, that conveyed the crushed ore at a 17-degree grade to the concentrator storage bin at the surface. The original 100 Hp CAT 944 rear wheel steer with a 2-cubic yard bucket would have been bought early 1970 and had to be dismantled to be placed in a skip and lowered down through a shaft in to the part of the tunnel it was needed and reassembled down there. A Terex R 17 dumper was used to assist the Scopptrams.
ST4 Scooptram
The Cronebane open pit
The spectacular location of the Cronebane mining area, high above the Avoca valley in East Avoca was, in 1969 inaccessible to West Avoca
Jim documented on page 82The nature of the sub surface70’ deep block of the Cronebane orebody has been discussed above. Initial estimates of available ore tonnage in this weathered zone were 450,000 short tons at 1.75% copper. This was a prize worth winning, and the decision to mine was taken when metallurgical tests showed that moderate concentrator recoveries of copper could be obtained from Cronebane ore with end results open to improvement.
The orebody was determined to have a tabular shape, and to be steeply dipping at 60° to the South East, conformably within the rocks which enclose it. In fact, “orebody” is here a sack term, combining up to four horizons of old-men’s “lode” trials. The clayey consistency of the ore, it was later discovered, meant that many trials had been abortive, for reasons of ground failure. Although few openings have been found during mining, there has been an abundance of timber supports buried and enclosed by slumped clay, with large numbers of huge granite boulders- presumably backfill. The timber, well preserved, is predominately oak. Some pieces may date from the 18th century, and many are speckled with fine crystals of native copper.
Cronebane orebody is about 1200’ long, and 50 to 80’ wide, disturbed only by a feldspar porphyry intrusive dyke rock half way along its length. The footwall consists of immensely tough quartz schists and rotten porphyry intrusive. It was decided to mine the orebody as an opencast proposition, the form of the pit being that of a long trough. Since the plan was only to mine the weathered clayey ore, the tough footwall was expected to stand easily to the maximum pit depth of about 100’ without recourse to benching. A single45 ° slope was applied to the hanging wall, laid out so that the pit floor would be just wider than the orebody at its ultimate depth. Access would be maintained from the Tigroney (west) side, the access road lowering being included in stripping calculations. It was estimated that for every 2.5 cubic yards of waste removed, one cubic yard of ore would eventually be made available. There are a number of complicating factors, but the trough concept of open pit geometry is basically that followed since March 1971, when the first stripping commenced. At the same time a wide all weather access road to the Cronebane pit was prepared from the Whitebridge at Tigroney into the Cronebane pit. One mile long, it rises 700’ in broad sweeps and is 75% paved. Stripping was carried out with two CAT 627 scrapers, push loaded with a CAT D 8 bulldozer.
One can view the Motte Stone which is up on the top far left of the entrance to Cronebane. 
View of the Cronebane open pit from the other end where the 1200-Foot-long Orebody Lay, and a view of one of the scrapers beginning to climb up with its load
The CAT D 8 H and the two CAT Scrapers
The Richier Oleomat H15 C excavator loading the soft Blue Clayey Ore in to a Terex R 17, Photo courtesy of J Platt about 1971, Tony Levingstone told me he started work in Cronebane December 1971 removing
timbers in the Ore from the old tunnels that were causing problems at the mill. A piece from J Platt Page 85 The mining Journal : Jim had noted there were 48 shafts at Cronebane
Mining Ireland Page 85
Continuing from Cronebane piece on page 82
And all other plant used in the Cronebane mining operation were hired in from a local contractor at production rates. All stripping to date (31/10/72) has been carried out by the scraper/ bulldozer tandem, and amounts to approximately 460/000 cubic yards. The basic pit stripping to the “trough layout” is practically complete.
The mining method is likewise simple. The low point of the pit about halfway between the limits, centred on a 19th Century hanging wall shaft through which all drainage water discharges. This water eventually makes its way into the copper cementation plant at Tigroney. Pit roads grade gently in each direction away from the central shaft in the orebody hanging wall, and are kept at an elevation
10feet lower than the orebody surface. This creates, at its optimum, a ten feet high bench of ore the full length of the pit for mining.
The usual practice is to concentrate mining East or West of the central shaft, mining a bench out in one direction before commencing mining in the other. Road lowering to create fresh ore benches always commences at the west end of the pit.
No blasting is required. The ore is dug neatly and easily with an Oleomat H 15C backhoe, and loaded into a fleet of three Terex R 17 and one Terex R 25 rear dumpers for transportation to the West Avoca concentrator. The ore is manually cleaned of debris and sampled in the pit. A Komatsu 50 bulldozer keeps roadways graded, assists the backhoe in tougher ground conditions, and haul trucks from the pit when wet conditions prevail. Mud is a major hazard at Cronebane. The weathered rocks of the hanging wall pulp at the least fall of rain.
Mining at Cronebane began in late October 1971, and the first year of production.
The first two or three Terex R 17 dumpers had GM Detroit two stroke diesel engines with blower boxes, and one of the fitters told me they used to give a bit of trouble if dirt got into the blower box
Lorcan Doyle standing alongside the cliff wall with the colour rising up , an excavator digging out the blue ore in the background.
3,000 tons of Ore mined every day
Avoca has the lowest return of copper concentrate for every ton of ore mined and consequently this means that production costs are on the high side at Avoca in relation to other mines to insure continuation operation, costs must be minimised by producing all copper possible. At present, approximately 3,000 tons per day, seven days a week are being milled. Ore is crushed to pebble size before being hoisted to the surface by means of a conveyor belt.
Fine ore
The conveyor belt brings the ore from the crusher right up to the concentrator. On entering the concentrator, the ore is put through two more crushers and then stored in a fine ore bin. From there the ore is passed through a rotating steel barrel called the Ball-mill, and water is added and as a result of this grinding ore is able to pass through a very fine mesh. This fineness is required to extract the copper minerals from the rock. The mixture of fine sand and water is then pumped into a tank where chemicals are added and these chemicals make bubbles that have the peculiar ability of attracting the copper minerals and repelling other minerals. The mixture is then passed through flotation cells through which compressed air is blown. These bubbles pick up the copper minerals and they float over the edge of the cells to make copper concentrate. The copper concentrate is put through a similar process again to make for greater purity and it is then dried to 8 per cent moisture on a device called the filter. Steve Young has some excellent photographs on The Avoca mines Community Face Book page along with a very good explanation of how the process worked
Pyrite
After the copper minerals have been extracted the mixture is pumped to a second set of tanks where different chemicals are added and these chemicals attract pyrite minerals to make pyrite concentrate by the same process as for copper. This copper concentrate is exported through Roadstone jetty to Spain and Sweden while the pyrite concentrate is sent to the N.E.T. factory.
From the 3,000 tons of ore mined each day at Avoca some 120 tons of copper concentrate is extracted and some 175 of pyrite concentrate.
Barry McKeon’s photo of our Ford tipping up copper concentrate at Roadstone Arklow
Barry Mc Keon’s photo of copper concentrate being loaded on to the boat, Roadstone’s 50 ton Mack dumper alongside the red cinders storage area from the pyrite roaster plant in NET, waiting for a boat to be shipped also.
Tailings from the copper cells flows to more conditioners and banks of flotation cells. Although depleted in copper, the tailings contain pyrite, the important secondary product of the Avoca concentrator, and these conditioners/flotation cells form the pyrite concentration circuit. Copper sulphate is added to the grind pulp in the pyrite conditioners to activate zinc minerals for their removal to tailings, and sulphuric acid is added to raise the acidity (PH 6.5). The zinc is removed prior to pyrite concentration using sodium isopropyl xanthate and frother. Pyrite concentrate is cleaned in one stage. Cleaned copper and pyrite concentrates are thickened and pumped to rotary vacuum filters for dewatering. Copper filter cake is dried in a rotary drier in readiness for shipment and marketing.
The Cronebane ore is kept separate from the West Avoca ore at all times in the concentrator, a particular problem being the high percentage of activated zinc which the former contains. Fresh ore from the Cronebane is dumped into a 1200-ton storage pad at West Avoca and is fed via front end loader into a rotary hammer mill, which pulverises the material, and reduces rock and hard ore fragments to “1” particle size. The ore from the hammer mill is then slurried in a log washer, and the slurry is passed to a pump box and cyclone closed circuit. Coarse slurry is cyclone to a 9’x9’ ball mill and fine slurry passes directly to flotation. Regular thrice hourly monitoring of feed to the Cronebane flotation circuit ensures that the variable metallurgy is kept under fair control.
The flotation of Cronebane ore is basically similar to that of West Avoca ore. Extra steps may be needed to control acidity, and depress zinc concentration in both pyrite and copper flotation stages.
Hard ore rejects from the log washer are being stockpiled for use in a planned development of the Cronebane circuit into one of strict crushing and grinding, with the elimination of log washer. The entire milling process, both West Avoca and Cronebane is monitored on a systematic basis, so that operators are always firmly in command of the complex chemistry involved. The regulation of reagents set against ore feed rates and 6” ore from West Avoca conveyor is stored in a 1500-ton surge bin at the surface, and fed from hence to a crushing circuit, to be crushed in two stages to ½ inch Symons standard and shorthead cone crushers are employed. The ½ inch product is fed to storage bins of around 6,000 tons total capacity and from these passes to two identical grinding circuits. Each consists. Each consists of a 9’ diameter by 12’ long primary ball mill; a 9’x9’ the secondary ball mill; and a hydrocyclone classifier. The secondary ball mill is in closed circuit with the cyclone. The ball mills are lined internally with corrugated plates and are charged with a load of 3” steel balls. The weight of balls, the speed at which the mill turns, and the rate of feed of ½ inch ore+ water are all precisely calculated to give the optimum grind to suit eventual concentration of copper minerals. The objective in grinding is that each particle which leaves the circuit should consist of one mineral only. The closer the intergrowth of sulphide minerals, the finer the grind must be and the retention time of fine ore in the mills may need extension. Each mill circuit handles up to 1400 tons per day -almost 60 tons per hour.
To prepare the grind for concentration, lime and sodium Di thiophosphate in calculated amounts are added to the primary mill. The grind leaving the primary mill is cycloned, and by percentage and any percentage of particle size above that required, passes to the secondary mill for further grinding. The finer product is pumped to conditioning tanks where “frother” is added to aid concentration of copper minerals. An alkaline liquid mix is needed for copper concentration (PH 10.5-11), and this has been supplied by the addition of lime at the primary grinding stage. The secret of concentration is in the property sulphide minerals have, under definite conditions and with the required chemical additives, of adhering to air bubbles blown through the grind mix. Sulphides float to the surface on the air bubbles and may be skimmed away, leaving rock material behind. The conditioning tanks prepare the West Avoca grind for chalcopyrite flotation. The grind is pumped to flotation cells together with its chemical additives and air is bubbled through it. Rough and scavenger concentrates of chalcopyrite are produced- the latter is returned for regrinding and reconditioning; the former continues to a further bank of flotation cells for cleaning metallurgical must be rigid to ensure good recovery of sulphides in flotation. Final copper concentrates grade about 21%, and represent a recovery of 93% of the copper contained in West Avoca ore and 75% of that in Cronebane ore. When dried, concentrates are trucked to a storage shed on the Irish Sea coast property of Roadstone Ltd., 7 miles from the mine. Regular shipments to continental smelters are made from the Roadstone jetty, close to the storage shed.
Historic bottle reported in the Wicklow People 20th July 1973
Historic bottle unearthed at mine
During mining operations for copper ore, discarded by earlier miners, two bottles were unearthed at Cronebane belt of Avoca Mines. One bottle carried the inscription Falkner bottling, which seemingly used crossed pistols and an eagle as a trade mark.
Avoca Mines geologist Jim Platt has this historic bottle at his home, and he is seeking information on the Falkner bottling company, where and when it existed. What is already known is this bottle is over 100 years old was unearthed 120 feet down in an old copper working at Cronebane where mining has not taken place since 1850. Despite the passing of years both bottles were found in good condition, one still having portion of its cork in position. Mr Platt would like people with relevant information on the Falkner company or the war like crest to contact him
An example of an old type 6X 4 Wheel drive Magirus Deutz dumper and the old type the six-wheel drive dumper had a grey coloured cab which came in around 1973 which were good at climbing up out of the Cronebane open pit when the single axle Terex was finding it difficult in greasy conditions, Later in ’76 Dick bought three new Type,
Steve Young has given me his kind permission to use his photo taken in 1976 of the new type 6×6 Magirus Deutz waiting to tip at the apron feeder to the jaw crusher, and I was just amazed when I saw this photograph for the first time, as it evoked a a very vivid memory of myself and Henry Kinsella and Pat Maher drawing to the crusher The Jaw crusher would sometimes block with a large rock and there was a light up on in front and if it were red you did not tip until the men had cleared the crusher and then was switched to green to indicate Ok to Tip the load, but sometimes the blockage could take ten minutes, because the Terex was a single seater Henry would hop into the Deutz for a chat, which I enjoyed too as he was a very pleasant person, Pat Maher was drawing that day also , I was drawing from Tigroney and either Henry or Pat was drawing from the Pond Lode otherwise known as the Falls. Henry 30 years old was was injured Friday 9th December 1977 when a Colfix tar Articulated lorry came in off the main road at Inch during a heavy rain storm and stuck Henry’s car and he was taken off to the Richmond hospital, Dublin, and sadly he died the 14 December 1977, aunt Doreen was driving Mrs. Kenny just to break the news of Henry’s death when a lorry which would have been one of a couple of lorries that I had been loading in the Buff Doyle’s gravel pit nearby a couple of years earlier happened to hit the passenger side of the car going through the crossroads and Mrs. Kenny was killed outright, and my aunt was injured but recovered after being in hospital.
Later on, one we increased the digger size a little with a Richier H 17 during the build of the tailings dam and Ford bought a major share in Richier around 1972. 
We bought a JCB 807 for Cronebane, and after74 the Oleomat H15C evolved into a FORD H 44 and the H17 into a H45.
The CAT D8’S had given trouble with the track links breaking and Dick decided to go with two or three Komatsu 155’s
These next two Scanned jpeg of Sam Mc Cormick Cat earth moving product range available in 1973
One could see how copper prices were going from reading the Wicklow people from 1972 to 1976, and every effort being made to keep costs down, and the struggle to keep going when prices were low
3 August 1973 but in 1972 the price of copper rose to £428 The Spectre of low copper prices continued to dog the operation between 1969 and 1971, prices for the metal fell from £750to £390 per ton, a body blow where low-grade ore is concerned.
Friday, 27 September, 1974 Grave situation at Avoca 40 laid off and 150 get put on Notice
Friday, 11 October, 1974 Mines Boss spells out hard facts Arklow Chamber of Commerce
Friday, 11 October 1974 Recent sharp drop in copper prices from 1K to 600 pounds per metric ton over the last three months
Friday, 25 October, 1974 Mines gloom deepens
Friday, 25 October, 1974 The Outlook at Avoca mines where 175 men have been laid off, is not at all bright would be only at breakeven at £ 750 to £700
25-Oct-74 instead the price has fallen from £1,395 to £564
30 April 1976 £890 per ton
The larger CAT Digger was very efficient at loading rock. after most of the Scraper work was done and the new road into Tara mines was finished the two CAT 769 35 Ton Dumpers and a CAT 988 Wheel loader were purchased with TARA mines in Navan in mind. these were too big to to fit under the railway bridge.
These two CAT dumpers were replaced with two new type Terex R 25 fitted with an electromagnetic Retarder System to avoid constantly using the brakes coming down the steep incline, and one or two of the men using them tell me it was fitted somewhere around the drive shaft area and even though it was very hard on the batteries it worked very well and avoided the constant strain on the gearbox holding back. The Terex R17’s had a really crude gearbox but I used to enjoy driving them as a young fellow and try to master a smooth gear change after John Turner showed me how to do it using the engine brake and double clutching, and then how to do it without using the clutch by matching the engine speed. The engine brake or exhaust brake worked well from the point of view holding back coming down the steep incline and not overheating the brakes by constant use, but It tended to be quite noisy and the dumper would tend to hop out of third gear from constantly holding back in that gear on its constant decent fully loaded. One man told me he had a piece of wood cut the correct length to jam between the gear lever and the rear of the cab to try and prevent it hopping out of gear. there could be quite a roar off the Terex engine, perhaps some of the earlier ones fitted with GM Engines although the old type R 25 with its Cummins engine also had quite a roar.
The electro magnetic retarder had one other advantage in reducing the noise level that would have been created by the engine brake.
There was a temporary bridge constructed to span the river just below the white bridge and parallel to it for the dumpers to cross and a roadway running on the inside of the main road as far as the Mines gate entrance so as they could avoid using the White bridge and the road, clearly seen in Roger Browns great 1973 photo.
The First big build on the Tailings Dam at Shelton by Avoca Mines organized by the Golder Brawner engineer Mr. Leo Laithti began in 1972, where the team of men agreed to do twelve-hour shifts, seven days a week for eight or nine weeks, to get the first big lift on the Dam completed on time and there was an outlet point for the water, and the depth level of the water in the Dam could be adjusted by plugging different holes in the concrete outlet. As the years went by the Dam would be raised again, by different engineers. Here is a photo of Steve Youngs, probably three or four years later.
I could remember the CAT 950 had been bought new for the Tailings Dam and I could remember Hughie loading mine tailings into the dumpers and I was a little puzzled thinking about it in later times, but after seeing a photo from the Photographic Collection of Ross Corey 1956-62 donated by his daughter Kathleen to the Wicklow Heritage, I could see and recognize that St Patrick’s copper mine had run a tailings pipe out as far as Shelton at that stage, when I viewed the photo of the woman standing on a Dam and looking down on what appears to be an outlet pipe for the water, and the wood to her right in the photo
During August 1970 Robert Kilgour told a reporter in the Herald The waste from the mill, known as tailings will be pumped four miles to the 90-acre site at Shelton, used during the previous mining operations when 3.5 million tons were deposited. The company is negotiating with the forestry division for an additional eight acres. They managed to acquire some of the land from the forestry for 1972, which proved very useful for building part of the Dam . Stephen young has some really good shots of the Dam around 1979 on the Avoca Mines Community Page. I knew we had built our workshop on top of an old tailings dam site, up near the end of “The Red Road” which may have been just a temporary one from the St Patrick’s Mine. This next photo of the Tailings pond with rough grass growing on it in June 2016.
1977
Avoca struggles against a combination of problems
A piece from the Engineering and Mining Journal October 1977
“The Avoca mine, 40 miles south of Dublin, is located in one of Ireland’s great tourist attractions The beautiful Vale of Avoca noted in the Irish poet Moore’s Meeting of the Waters. The mine is on the left bank of the Avoca River. The government has actively supported the operation, management and workers have kept costs down as much as possible, and Avoca has everything going for it- except ore grade. The mine is currently producing from two underground lodes, The Pond and the South, and from an open pit extension of the Pond Ore Mill heads average 0.64% copper and 7.16% sulphur, and concentrator recovery of the two values is 87%and 70%, respectively. The Pyrite and copper concentrates are trucked 7 miles to the port of Arklow. The Pyrite concentrates, containing 48.5% sulphur, are received by the Governments Nitrigin Eireann Teoranta. The copper concentrates. Containing 20% Cu are shipped to Rio Tinto Patino SA in Spain and to Philipp Brothers AG in Sweden. Avoca mines Canada Ltd., the parent company, has not made a profit on the operations since they started up in November 1970- Although not for want of trying. Judged by most operations, Avoca Ireland has performed well in the face of inflation; a dull- if not deadly market, and lower than expected grades. The lack of profits has negatively affected search for better ore- which may be but a will O’-the-wisp. The possibility of a takeover by a new owner may improve Avoca’s prospects by the infusion of more money.” (See box.)
Avoca mine fact sheet
Owned by: Avoca mines Ireland, a wholly owned subsidiary of Avoca mines Canada Ltd. The major holder of the Canadian firm is Discovery mines Ltd. (53.5%).
Production: 1976 mill throughput -1,855 tons per calendar day; copper production-7.2 million Lb in concentrates; pyrite production-63,521 tons. Mining rate- 2,000tpd of ore from two underground lodes and one open pit; ore grade-0.63% to .75% Cu.
Reserves, proven and probable: 3.2 million tons grading 0.8% Cu Ore amenable to open pit operations.
Start up by present owners: November 1970, at initial cost of $4.5 million and $2.5 million debt.
Mining method: Blast hole stoping, sublevel caving, and open pit.
Mineralization; Massive cupriferous pyrite, massive copper-lead Zinc sulphides, disseminated chalcopyrite.
Major mining equipment,
Drills two three boom Jarvis Clark MJM 21S with ES 300 Tampella drills;
Holman 90s ; two Twin Long Toms- one tractor mounted, one converted ST2A; ; BBC 120F COPCO/DH 1123 Gardner-Denvers mounted on tracked rigs; Tamrock L 500 on Zoomtrack rig.
Loading and hauling: five Wagner ST 4As, one ST 8, one Terex R 17.
From Engineering and mining journal October 1977. Barry Mc Keon piece from Engineering & mining Oct 77
Ballymurtagh
Some of the rocks
Avoca Mines Ventures openings and closures through the years
Cronebane Copper Mines in the County of Wicklow
Freemans Journal report 30-May1836 with Advert for Auction
Peremptorily to close the Estate by order of the Assignees of Caldwell and Smyth, Bankrupts.
To be sold by Auction at the Golden Lion in Dale Street, Liverpool on Thursday 2nd day of June 1836, Two o’ Clock in the Afternoon, subject to conditions,
One hundred shares in the associated Irish Mine Company which comprises the above-mentioned Mines, established under an Act of Parliament, upon which a Dividend of Two Pounds per share was declared and paid for the last year. The Mines are now in full work, the same Being let to Messrs. Williams and Co. for the term of about thirty years, commencing in 1833.
For further particulars apply to Mr. Chamley, accountant, Exchange-Alley; or, to Messrs. Leigh and Saunders, solicitors, Basnett street, Liverpool 12-May 1836.
Auction 27-May-1836 -June-1836 27-May-1875 Freemans Journal 27-May1875 Conoree Mining Company by Public Auction 17-July-1875 four steam engines 2-Feb-1859 Freemans Journal The Carysfort Mining Company Ltd. Capital £50,000 Freemans Journal 28-Sept-1861
1861 Ballymoneen Mining company closure and Auction Copper and Sulphur mining property.
Very interesting piece Re sale of Valuable mineral property in the Wicklow Copper and Sulphur mining District by Auction 1-Oct-1861
Advert Freemans Journal 28-September-1861 for Mines Auction 1-October 1861
Important Sale of Valuable mineral Property in the Wicklow Copper and Sulphur Mining District
To be Sold by Auction, on the premises known as the Ballymoneen Copper and Sulphur, Tuesday, next the 1st October at the hour of Twelve O’clock at Noon, one lot, or otherwise separate lots, so far as the Plant and Machinery are concerned, as may be determined on at the time of Sale, subject to the conditions to be then and there produced,
all that valuable Mineral Property known as the Ballymoneen Copper and Sulphur Mines, situate near the Vale of Avoca, and adjacent to Ballygahan, Ballymurtagh, Cronebane and Conorree, Mines, The great Sulphur Mines belonging to the Wicklow Copper Mine, H. Hodgson, the Messrs Williams, and others in the County Wicklow.
Together with the Buildings, Plant, Steam Engine, Stores, Ores, Materials and Pit-Work, as now on the Premises. The Mining Set now offered for sale extends over an area of over four hundred acres, and is situated nearly in the centre of the group of mines, which have been and are now unrivalled for the production of Copper and Sulphur. Nine well-known defined copper and Sulphur Lodes traverse the entire range of the set, and which are the same as are so productive in The great Mines referred to. The present company have only opened one of these Lodes, leaving all the others entire; and in the driving of a very extensive Adit level across the Property, the erection of Machinery, Plant, Buildings and working the Mines, have expended £20,000; but being a Company under the Limited Liabilities Act, and having expended their capital, they are compelled to windup, and offer their property for sale, when they believe they were on the point of discovering a very valuable and productive mine. Some hundreds of tons of Ores have been sold from this one Lode, but it is thought all the others will be productive; and a very great expense has been gone into the erection of Houses and Mining Works, and it is considered by eminent mining Authorities that the expenditure of a small amount of additional Capital would enable a new Proprietary to obtain “The Prize” sought by the present owners. The Machinery and Plant are nearly new, and in excellent condition. This appears to be an opening for a new limited company seldom to equalled. The Set is held under a lease dated 29th day of January 1841, for forty-one years from the 1st November 1840, subject to the head rent of £50 per annum, and Two Royalties of one-thirtieth each; but such Royalties are only payable in excess of the £50.
The Plant and Machinery consist of a double acting rotary condensing steam engine, adapted for working and pumping 22 1/2 inch cylinder, 5 feet stroke, with boiler, about 10 tons, all complete’ balance bob and that ditto complete, one piece of connection rod, with caps and brasses complete, one crab winch (double power,) one 8 feet 8 inch 11 piece wind bore, one 10 feet 8 inch working banol, two 3 feet, one 4 feet 9 inch door-piece, one 4 feet 8 inches door piece, nine 9 feet 9 inch pumps, one 9 feet 6 inch windbore, , one 9 feet 6.5 inch working banol, two 3 feet 7 inch door-pieces, ten 9 feet 7 inch pumps, one 8 feet 7.5 inch plunger sole, with stuffing box and gland complete, one 4 feet 8 inch H piece, one 4 feet 8 inch door-piece, one 4 feet 7 inch windbore, two 9 feet 7 inch pumps, one 2 feet 7 inch ditto, brass clock settings, valves and bucket rods, one horse-whim and stands complete, three whim kebbles, two winge ditto, two tram wagons, three hundred fathoms of railroad iron, a quantity of ladders, smiths bellows, tools, anvils, and vice, miner’s tools, screw stock, carpenter’s shop, bench, and stable, a lot of iron and steel (new), one hundred fathoms of chain, four pullies, a quantity of timber, office furniture.
Particulars and conditions of sale may be had of Charles Edwards Esq., the Liquidator of the Ballymoneen Mining company.
Freemans Journal 27-May-1875 Report
In Chancery
Highly Important Sale by Auction of Valuable Mining Property, lands, Houses and Machinery, situate in the County of Wicklow, in Ireland. In the matter of the Conoree Mining Company (Limited), the Companies Act 1862
To Be Set up for Public Auction, Upon Saturday the 17th Day of July, 1875, at the hour of One O’clock in the Afternoon by Mr John Burke at his Great rooms, No. 14 Upper Sackville-Street, in the City of Dublin,
Four Lots by direction of the Right Honourable the Master of the Rolls, subject to Conditions of Sale which have been settled and approved by the Judge
Lot 1 The Conoree Mines, situate in the Barony of Arklow and County of Wicklow, held for a term of 41 years, from November, 1859, under a Lease dated 4th November,1859 together with all the Valuable Steam engines, Machinery, implements, working gear and Plant Launders, Vats & in upon, and about the same, and theretofore, used in the working of the said Mines.
Lot 2 Part of the Lands of Rockstown, situate in the Barony of Arklow and County of Wicklow, immediately adjacent to Lot 1, containing 2 a. 3r. 32p. or thereabouts, English statute measure, held under a conveyance dated 8th February, 1862 for two lives therein named, with covenant for perpetual renewal, and indemnified against the payment of any rent.
Lot 3 A Plot or Piece of ground and Yard situate in the Borough of Wicklow. At the north side of the river of Wicklow, fronting to the quay 99 feet 7 inches, held by Lease dated 2nd April, 1855 for the Term of 75 years from the 29th September, 1851, at the yearly rent of £7 10 S.
Lot 4
The Two Messuage’s or Dwelling houses, one of which was formerly used for the residence of the Captain or Agent, and the other as residence of the Engineer of the said Mines, with certain closes, enclosures and pieces of land adjoining thereto, containing 40a, or thereabouts, with 9 cottages there on, situate in the Townland of Kilmacow, in the Barony of Arklow and County of Wicklow, held by Lease dated 19th June 186, for the Term of 31 years, wanting 10 days from the 1st August,1859 at the yearly Rent of £75 payable quarterly.
Descriptive Particulars.
Lot 1.
Under the Lease the right of Mining extends over many hundred acres. Within the last few years several thousand pounds have been laid out in developing the resources of developing this valuable property, which it is believed at a comparatively small outlay, can be worked so as to realize a large profit. Several Shafts have been sunk and large quantities of ores (principally composed of copper and sulphur) have been raised. The Mines adjoin the well-known Cronebane Mine, and are in the centre of the rich mineral district of the County of Wicklow, and are distant about two miles from the Avoca and Rathdrum stations of the Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford Railway, and about seven miles by road from the town of Wicklow.
Upon The Mines are Four Steam Engines for pumping, drawing, crushing, ores Etc, with Engine houses and all appliances and plant necessary for resuming the immediate working of the Mines, the water pumped from, which being strongly impregnated with copper, and passed through launders, yields a large return of precipitate of copper, which realises a high price.
Lot 2
Adjoins the Dublin Wicklow and Wexford Railway and was purchased by the Conoree Mining Company in order to afford facilities for the more economically working and unwatering the Mines by the construction of adits, which have been partly opened at a large cost.
Lot 3. Is a shipping yard and sheds upon the Quay of Wicklow, very valuable for storing coals and ores, accommodation of this description being now very limited and difficult to be had. This Lot has been let by the month by the Liquidator to the Wicklow Manure Company, but the tenancy can be terminated on one months’ notice.
Lot 4
Immediately adjoins, and is a valuable adjunct to the Mines, containing several houses in addition to the land, which is of fair quality, suitable for the residences of officials and workmen who may be employed at the Mines.
A Copy of the conditions of Sale and of the several Leases and Assignment hereinbefore mentioned, with a map of the Mines and copy of report of Mr Jehn Hitchins, the eminent Mining engineer, can be seen up to the day of Sale at the office of the solicitors having carriage of the proceedings.
Mr Fowler Connoree, Avoca, who is in charge of the Mines, will show the several lots to intending purchasers. The Biddings will be taken by the Auctioneer and submitted to the Judge.
Such a favourable opportunity seldom offers for an individual or company with moderate capital to acquire a valuable Mining Property Free from all debts.
For Further Particulars apply to Messrs. John Smyth and Son, solicitors having Carriage of the proceedings, Offices, 2 Clare Street, Dublin; or to
John Burke
The Avoca Mines Leitrim Observer 15.09.1925 Page 4
The Avoca Mines
Syndicate to develop the area
In connection with the positive development of the Avoca Mines, notices have been served on landowners and farmers in the district to extend facilities to a syndicate, who propose to develop the mineral rights.
The mineral area in Avoca, a press correspondent was informed, was primarily opened up for copper mines. It was developed before the middle of the eighteenth century and has been worked with varying success down to recent years. The principal mines were Conary, Cronebane, Tigroney, Ballygahan, Ballymurtagh, and they produced copper, iron ore, sulphur ore, ochre, lead and zinc.
Silver was also obtained. The smelting was done at Swansea.
Exploratory work.
The development of the district for the production of sulphur ore rather than copper ore took place in 1840. During the European war a small percentage of copper in some of the sulphur ores was again commercially worked. Though copper and small quantities of gold have been regularly extracted from the ores, the interest of Avoca in recent times was in the production of sulphur and ochre.
Between 1918 and 1922, the Electrolytic copper Co. systematically carried out extensive boring and explanatory work in Avoca valley, and very large bodies of low-grade copper ore were proved as a result of their investigations. Hence there was good reason to believe that the district would become highly important for the production of copper as well as lead and zinc.
During the war sulphur ore raised in the Cronebane mine was used in the sulphuric acid in the newly constructed furnaces at Kynoch’s works, Arklow.
Thirty years before this a report in the People Newspaper re: Arklow Bridge the People Newspaper 1915
Fine specimen of primitive architecture
Interesting discussion
At the monthly meeting of the Arklow urban Council, the condition of the famous bridge, one of the outstanding features of the town and other interesting matters arising out of the surveyor’s report were discussed. Town Surveyor’s report.
The report of the town surveyor (Mr L. O’Toole) was as follows: In accordance with your instructions, I beg to report that I examined the bridge and could not find any cause that would warrant uneasiness. Since above survey, a huge boiler consigned to Messrs. Kynoch, Arklow, weighing close on 30 tons, hauled by two traction engines, weighing 20 tons, passed over the bridge. Owing to the heavy fresh in the river I have been unable to examine the underside of the arches, but judging from external appearance, there appears to be no damage done to the arches, I have made an inspection. I have made an inspection of the Coomie-lane sewer, and in my opinion, you are liable for same. The discussion continued.
One of the Tigroney Engine houses.
One Sunday while on a walk in early July 2012 up through the old Avoca Mine beginning at the “White Bridge” and heading up through Tigroney for Cronebane, I noticed what appeared to be bullet holes in an aluminium warning sign. I used a small 6mm stud to measure the diameter of the hole and noticed it was a little loose suggesting it was a bit bigger, and the next day I brought a few drill bits a little bigger than 6mm the next day , and from using the smooth ends, I could see the holes were just very slightly more, and a 6.5mm bit, which was too big to fit, and so it appeared they had been made from a .22 rifle , like someone was using it for target practice , further up on Cronebane there were plenty of broken clays , and loads of empty shotgun cartridge shells from some clay pigeon shoots.