Mines Department

It may be worthwhile checking through the listing of Mines Department files (see AN 350 and AU WA A16 Department of Mines) to find information on various aspects of mining in Western Australia. The files commence in 1892 and the most important of them are: applications for gold mining leases (often the name of the mine is given in the listing, but not the name of the person applying), applications for other mineral leases, applications for miner's rights, staff appointments and applications for positions, warden's reports, rewards for gold discoveries, deaths and suicides on the goldfields, mining accidents, and personal files.

Mines Department records also contain early registers of leases and lessees, registers of prosecution, registers of gold buyers and dealers, registers of assayers and Mining Wardens' records such as registers of miners' rights, registers of various business licences, exemption registers, transfer of lease registers, etc.

For more information please consult Miners Rights & Leases, Mine Managers, and Mining Accidents and the State Records Office webpage: Mining and Resource Records.