State batteries program
Between the late 1890s and the 1950s the WA Government established 73 state batteries across mining areas. These ore crushing facilities supported small-scale miners and prospectors who lacked the scale of operations to justify their own facilities.
In the late 1980s, the state batteries were vested in several State Government agencies, including The Perth Mint which has responsibility for 22 of the sites.
We have identified that some of these sites require maintenance works and further investigation.
Our priority is to make the sites safe and secure and, as part of our refreshed corporate strategy, we have commenced a program to address any risks identified.
In June 2023, the Gold Corporation Board approved the delivery of a baseline knowledge assessment across the sites under its management order. The assessments were completed in April 2024.
This process has provided a detailed picture of each site’s risk and liabilities, which helps inform the program of works and the need for any further investigations.
We are engaging closely with the WA Government and other stakeholders as we progress these works.