Edna May Gold Mine

*Please note - the Edna May Gold Mine Lookout has recently been re-opened to the public. The Lookout is located just off Warrachuppin Road on the northern edge of the townsite and provides great views of an operating open pit gold mine.*

In 1911, the prospector Edmund John Annear applied for the first mining lease at a strike 1km north of the Westonia Townsite. He quickly established a mine at the claim which he named the Edna May after his aunt.

The Edna May mine produced 171,000 ounces of gold but by 1922 the mine was forced to close due to problems with underground water and the exhaustion of the high grade ore supply.

In 1935 mining resumed with around 355,000 ounces produced before the mine closed in 1947. Water was again a problem as well as labour supply shortages created by the war.

New mining techniques saw the Edna May reopened as an open pit operation by ACM Gold in 1985. The mine produced 274,000 onces at an average grade of 1.97 grams of gold per tonne of ore. Underground water and low ore quality were again factors resulting in the closure of the mine in 1991.

Ramelius Resources (previously Evolution Mining Ltd,Catalpa Resources Ltd & before that Westonia Mines Ltd) now owns the Edna May. After completing extensive drilling at the site, the company purchased a process plant from the Big Bell mine near Cue in Western Australia's north and transported it to the Edna May site in 2007. Catalpa Resources then commenced the process of re-building the Edna May mine and processing plant. This process was completed and Evolution Mining poured the first gold from the Edna May in April 2010. This signalled the Edna May's movement into full mining production for the fourth time. Ramelius Resources  are forecasting an effective mine life on the Edna May exceeding nine years. For more information about the current project contact Ramelius Resources  on (08) 9046 8000.

The photograph below shows the view of the Edna May Gold Mine from the Edna May Gold Mine Lookout which is accessed from Warrachuppin Road. The Edna May Gold Mine Lookout is located just one kilomtre north of the Westonia town site.  For more information on Ramelius Resources  and the Edna May mine click on the following link: Ramelius Resources Edna May Operations