POWERHOUSE COLLECTION

Copper ingot from Nymagee, New South Wales

Object No. 4462

This is a copper ingot ready for market produced at the Nymagee copper smelter in about 1884. Nymagee is located 77 km SE of Cobar in the far west of New South Wales. Copper was discovered there in 1880 by Henry Manly and mining mainly took place between 1881 and 1894. The copper produced at Nymagee was always remarkably pure. In 1884 there were 14,743 tons of copper ore smelted which gave 2,207 tons of copper (15 percent). At that time the population of this mining town was about 2,000. The mining site included brick kilns, a powder magazine and reverberatory furnaces for smelting the copper. Reference: Phillip Simpson, 'Historical Guide to New South Wales', Australian Scholarly Publishing Pty Ltd, North Melbourne, Vic., 2020. Margaret Simpson, Curator October 2020

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Summary

Object Statement

Copper ingot, 'NGE', as sent ready for market, produced at Nymagee copper smelter, Nymagee, New South Wales, Australia, c.1884

Physical Description

Large ingot of copper(-1), smooth sides and rough bottom. Impressed in top: NGE, in ends: NG. Ready for the market. Also old museum label (-2).

PRODUCTION

Notes

Acquired in 1884.

SOURCE

Credit Line

Gift of Mr George Hardie, Esq, 1884

Acquisition Date

12 February 1884

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