Oroya Brownhill Gold Mine (Brownhill lease; Oroya Block North; Oroya Block South), Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines, Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Kalgoorlie-Boulder Shire, Western Australia, Australiai

Regional Level Types
Oroya Brownhill Gold Mine (Brownhill lease; Oroya Block North; Oroya Block South)	Mine
Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines	Group of Mines
Kalgoorlie-Boulder	- not defined -
Kalgoorlie-Boulder Shire	Shire
Western Australia	State
Australia	Country

This is a mine some say had the richest lode of any on the Golden Mile in its early years. It was a star which shone brightly early on, but faded rapidly. Measurements are in imperial in keeping with the historic references.

It started as two companies, operating mines on neighboruing leases. The Hannans Oroya Company established its mine and treatment plant across 1896-1898, led by a Captain Parkes. The initial rich lode was met at 100 feet down the shaft. The Hannans Brownhill Company was registerred in London in 1894, with 75 000 pounds of capital, and developed the neighbouring mine, and also erected a treatment plant. In 1901 it replaced this with a state of the art Diehl treatment plant which had the ability to obtain gold from sulphide, not just oxidised ore.

In 1902 the two companies decided to amalgamate to form the Oroya Brownhill company. At the time the press were critical Brownhill was the weaker of the two parties. The oxidised ore on the Brownhill lease was almost exhausted and no new lodes had been found. The lease did however contain a modern treatment plant. Oroya on the other hand was one of the richest on the field for its gold potential, but no money to develop it. The new company only lasted till 1910.

The company controlled the Brownhill lease,Oroya Block North and Oroya Block South. The Oroya Block South mined a lode called Australia East from its Pomeroy Shaft. Meanwhile, the Oroya North Block accessed a rich shoot which had initially outcropped on the surface of the neighbouring Brownhill lease. It was 1600 feet long through the Brownhill lease and 700 feet long through the Oroya lease, and was one of the richest telluride ore lodes on the Golden Mile. It averaged by volume an incredible 60% gold. The shoot saw 1.325 Mt of ore processed from it for 7 million pounds monetary wise in gold in early Twentieth Century figures. The ore lode had outcropped on the surface at the north end of the Brownhill lease in its north-east corner, and traversed Cygnet, Brownhill Extended at its north-west corner, Associated Northern, Oroya North Block at 1000 feet deep, and pettered out in the Associated lease. Its total length was 3300 feet long, averaging 150 feet wide and 70 feet in height.

In 1910, Golden Links Limited and Kalgoorlie Amalgamated (1900) Limited came under the control of the company. Shortly after, Oroya Brownhill ceased as an entity. The company was split into Oroya Exploration Company Limited which developed assets outside the Golden Mile; Oroya Black Range Limited which operated gold mines in the Mid-West region of Western Australia; Oroya Leonesa Limited which operated mines in central America; and Oroya Links Limited which continued the operations on the Golden Mile.

Oroya Exploration Company Limited amalgamated with Lake View Consols in 1911, so Oroya could obtain capital to develop its mines. It formed the new company Lakeview and Oroya Exploration Limited. At the time Oroya Exploration owned the Transvaal Mine at Southern Cross, Ingliston and Queen of the Hills Mines at Meekatharra, and the Youanmi Mines south of Sandstone.

Increased costs and labour shortages during World War One saw the company suffer losses. Its small profit after the war was wasted fighting court battles with the Commonwealth Government over taxation rulings. At the 1918 shareholder meeting the chairman stated the court proceedings meant the company was 'out of action'. In 1920 the Lake View Investment Trust acquired Lake View and Oroya Exploration Limited.

Meanwhile Oroya Links continued to mine on the Golden Mile, but was suffering similar losses during World War One. In 1913 it was in control of neighbouring Croesus Proprietary lease, and its Eclipse Shaft. The company focussed on developing this mine. It also controlled the Levant lease immediately to the north, which also included part of the Eclipse lode.

During the war, the company let out the Brownhill and Oroya North Block leases on tribute. This did not help and losses continued, and by 1925 they had abandoned all their leases except Croesus. In 1928 mining at this location was also suspended, and shortly after the company, its leases, plant and equipment was sold to neighbouring North Kalgurli (1912) Limited, and as such beyond this date the leases are tied to this mine.

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