The talc deposit at Three Springs, first known as Coodawa, was discovered in the 1940s.  It is still referenced as Coodawa talc deposit in various technical papers.

Universal Milling Company started underground mining in 1948, using the ‘room and pillar method’. This became too dangerous when ‘pillar robbing’ allowed backs (ceiling/roof) to collapse. Underground mining ceased in 1959.

Western Mining Corporation purchased a half share in the mine in 1960 and began operating it as an open cut. Between 1961 and 1994 the operation produced 2.6 Mt of talc.

Underground mining yielded about 50% recovery whereas open cut methods recover almost 100% of the talc.

In the mid-1970s, Western Mining, Universal Milling, and Southern Gold Mines NL entered a joint venture. Western Mining Corporation bought out the other partners in 1987, and continued open cut mining. Most talc mines worldwide are open cut.

In 2001 Rio Tinto purchased the mine from Western Mining Corporation  on behalf of its French subsidiary Luzenac Group. In 2011 Rio Tinto sold the mine to its present owners, another French company,  Imerys Talc,  and it continues to be run by them.

The predominant ore body at the Three Springs mine is magnesium carbonate. This produces the whitest and purist of all talc ores although it can vary in colour from pure white to dark green, dependent on the level of chlorite contained in the ore.

Talc is the softest known mineral, however, in its natural state it is locked within hard rock.  The rock overlaying the talc vein is removed by large mechanical shovels capable of shifting 1500 tonnes an hour. Once the talc is exposed it is extracted using smaller backhoes. The sorting of the differing ores begins as soon as the ore is removed from the seam.

Ore is sorted by talc content – based on its brightness, established by the use of image analysis and art laser technology. Flotation and friction properties are also used in the sorting process.  The ore is dried before it is crushed and finely ground to less than one micron.

Treatment of the talc powder takes many forms depending on its final use. Talc used in fertiliser is amine coated, rubber industry talc is silane coated., and talc used in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry is heat treated for decontamination purposes.

Depending on end use the talc is bagged or transported in bulk. The talc produced at the Three Springs mine is used in the paint, paper, cosmetic, agricultural and ceramic industry.

The open-cut talc mine at Three Springs is the largest in Australia and, indeed, the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. It is the world’s second largest talc mine.

All employees of the Three Spring talc mine reside locally, providing immense benefit to the local community.

The Viewpoint overlooking the mine is easy to access and well worth the drive.

© Kim Epton 2025
526 words, one photograph.

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