Experience the Waihi Goldmine Tour -
Past, Present & Future
Waihi township has a fascinating mining history and a Waihi Gold Mine Tour is a must-do for those wanting to get up-close and personal with a modern-day working gold mine.
Although mining operations are ordinarily off-limits to members of the public, Waihi Gold Mine Tours offers visitors an opportunity to find out about the mining of precious metals and Waihi gold mining history.
You’ll be fitted out with safety gear in preparation for going on-site and will view the mine workings from the best available vantage points. You’ll be shown every stage of the mining process from ore extraction and crushing through to final processing. There is plenty of heavy-duty mining equipment on show too.
We’ll furnish you with facts and figures about the mining operations, relate some colourful stories from the mine’s past and answer any questions you may have.
Perhaps you’d like to know:
- how much gold and silver the mighty Martha mine has yielded
- why many miners from yesteryear had no thumbs
- how much gold is likely to be in each 100 tonne truck load of rock
- how gold mining has shaped Waihi’s economic and social landscape since 1878
Photos - Click image to enlarge
Did you know that more silver than gold is extracted from the Martha Mine?
An average of around 100,000 ounces of gold and 700,000 ounces of silver have been produced annually since 1988.
Did you know there are two gold mining operations in Waihi?
The Martha Mine has been operating as an open pit since 1987. The Favona Mine is an underground operation which began extracting ore from stopes at the end of 2006.
Belong to a hobby or special interest group?
We recently had the Northern Adventure Aviation Group along as part of a 'Waihi Big Day Out'.
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