The Victoria Battery
In the earliest mining days, only a small percentage of gold and silver was extracted by the old pan amalgamation process.In 1896, the Victoria Battery began its ear-splitting work. With 200 stamps, it was the largest quartz crushing plant for gold extraction in Australasia, capable of crushing over 812 tonnes of ore each day to the consistency of sand.
The adoption of the cyanide process by the Waihi Gold Mining Company in 1894 was one of the crucial factors in the success of the Waihi mines. Prior to the cyanide process (pioneered in Karangahake), only a small percentage of gold and silver had been extracted by the old pan amalgamation process.
In 1952, it was closed most of the plant has been removed but the foundations now form a popular tourist attraction. You can wander through the quiet foundations and imagine the fearful, 24 hour pounding that could be heard from as far away as Waihi.
I was lucky to see at least the remains.
http://www.waihi.org.nz/about-us/history-and-heritage/the-victoria-battery/
http://jennymatlock.blogspot.co.nz/
