Ottery Mine - Emmaville, NSW
Posted by: 
Tuena
S 29° 24.500 E 151° 39.759
56J E 370251 N 6746029
The historic Ottery Mine was an arsenic & tin mine that operated between 1882 & 1957.
Waymark Code: WMY22J
Location: New South Wales, Australia
Date Posted: 04/04/2018
Views: 5
Ore was mined, crushed and partly processed in furnaces at Ottery prior to smelting at Tent Hill. Given its age, Ottery has important historical features with significant conservation and heritage value.
Historical mining and processing activities at Ottery and Tent Hill have left behind residual mining wastes such as waste rock dumps, tailings storage facilities, and a slimes dump. There are also arsenic salts coating the historic Ottery refinery. Residual mining wastes act as contaminant point sources for the generation and release of acid and metalliferous drainage (AMD) into the downstream environment.
Ottery Mine is the oldest principal ore refinery in Australia and listed on the State Heritage Register under the NSW Heritage Act 1977. As such the site attracts many visitors.
Much of the mine infrastructure remains at Ottery, though in a state of disrepair, including the former refinery, calciner, kilns, arsenic chambers and chimney stack. This infrastructure has been fenced off from the main footpaths, with signage erected to inform visitors of the cultural and heritage value of the workings.
Arsenic condensates and salt efflorescence from the former refinery process is evident as white/pink residue on the surface of brickwork in the arsenic chambers, calciner and refinery furnace.
Source: NSW Planning & Environment Resources & Energy (
visit link)
Visitors can walk all around the mine & associated structures although the shafts are covered by cages. Signs explain what the structures were & an information kiosk has a history of the mines operations.
There is no entry fee.