INTRODUCTION

Like the deep ocean, the highest mountain peaks or

outer space, the environment and atmosphere of
an underground mine is a rarefied one, alien and
extraordinary. It is a place of pitch-black, hot,
humid, claustrophobic conditions. The sheer weight
of the earth hangs above. A complex mix of earth
and environmental sciences, economics, engineer--
ing, explosives, chemistry, construction and heavy
machinery are combined to locate and extract
precious natural resources from within the earth’s
equally complex crust. It is a workplace like no
other, in a world restricted to a select few.

The Tasmania Mine Holographic Experience is a

multimedia exhibit that recreates the contempo-
rary underground environment, working culture
and various methods employed in mining and
processing gold at Beaconsfield. Incorporating
holograms, audio and video, access is given to the
otherwise off-limits world plunging 1.2 kilometres
deep into the West Tamar geology.

Concentrating on key features of gold & gold

mining, the Tasmania Mine Holographic Experience
presents the stark contrast of modern methods and
technologies, as compared with those of the
historic operation on this site (1877-1914).
Students have the opportunity to consider changes
in design and technology, relationships between
humans, the earth, and its precious resources, and
the continuing economic, environmental and
cultural significance of the mining industry in
Australia.

TEACHERS EXHIBITION NOTES 1

ENTER>
WHAT YOU WILL SEE
Entering the exhibit, ten choices are available from the
touch screen. Each component combines video footage,
audio commentary and holographic imagery to discuss
the following topics:

WHAT IS DOWN THERE

As a result of the rock-fall and rescue of 2006, the
Tasmania Mine headframe at Beaconsfield has become a
nationally & internationally recognised piece of architec-
ture. But it is only a tiny visual clue to a much larger and
more complex architecture and infrastructure hidden
below it and beneath the town. A holographic fly-through
of the mine schematics shows the orientation, layout and
depth of the operation as it follows the gold bearing
Tasmania Reef deep into the earth.

Mine animation holograph still shots.

TEACHERS EXHIBITION NOTES 2

MINING LINGO
Over time, a unique dialect has developed in under-
groung mining. Words and word combinations unfamiliar
to us above ground are used, a type of foreign language,
and seemingly familiar words have entirely different
meanings in the underground context.
NO SUIT & TIE JOB
When workers descend the shaft into the mine, they
rapidly leave the environment we know and enter another
world. To work safely underground, they must wear
specific clothing and carry specialised equipment, which is
detailed in this segment.
ENGINEERING A MINE
Mining gold at Beaconsfield involves far more than simply
digging it out of the ground. There are considerations such
as supplying fresh air to the labyrinth of tunnels and
drives over a thousand metres underground, pumping
millions of litres of water to the surface, monitoring seismic
activity and controlling the stability of the rock faces, and
how to do all of this safely and economically.
WATER CAN FLOW UPHILL
The historic ruins that the Beaconsfield Mine & Heritage
Centre occupies once housed possibly the largest mine
dewatering pumps in the world when they were installed
at the beginning of the 20th century. The volumes of water
pumped out were staggering. Water is no less an issue for
the contemporary mine operation. Follow the ‘flow’ of
water uphill from the bottom of the mine to the surface.
KEEPING IT TOGETHER
How do you handle the enormous stresses of the earth as
you dig deep within its crust? Rock-bolting.
Patterns of mesh and rock-bolts decorate the walls and
roofs of the underground drives, transferring weight and
pressure and preventing rock-fall.
TEACHERS EXHIBITION NOTES 3
A MAJOR VEHICLE FLEET
The vastly scaled-up mining operations of today are
perhaps best represented by the machinery that moves
around in the darkness below. The various vehicles and
heavy machinery sent underground for specific tasks are
detailed, as is the unique way they get down there.

FINDING THE GOLD

Geologists combine with engineers to closely follow the
irregular, twisting and fragmenting quartz/gold vein down
through the complicated and diverse rock types that bound
it. Drill rigs extract core-samples which are analysed for
rock type, structure, and mineral intersection. Geophysics is
employed to ‘see’ the terrane in three dimensions. Samples
are taken from the working faces, and resource quantities
and grades of gold per tonne are estimated.

GETTING THE GOLD OUT GOLD BENEATH YOUR FEET

This is explosive! An almost daily performance of geolo-
gists, engineers, drilling teams and shot firers, all involved
in a choreographed preparation of the gold bearing
quartz reef for an event that always ends with a BOOM!
Trace gold, from extraction and processing at Beacons-
field, shipment to the Perth Mint in Western Australia
where it undergoes final refinement, and on to final desti-
nations in vaults, electronics equipment, medication, teeth
fillings, as jewellery, on skyscrapers and space-craft. You
may be surrounded by gold and not know it.

TEACHERS EXHIBITION NOTES 4

For further information on the Telephone - 03 6383 1473
TASMANIA MINE HOLOGRAPHIC EXPERIENCE Fax - 03 6327 4826
exhibition, or to book a visit, Email - museum@wtc.tas.gov.au
please contact us:

P O Box 59
West Street Beaconsfield
TAS 7270
www.beaconsfieldheritage.com.au

© Beaconsfield Mine & Heritage Centre, Beaconsfield, 2011.