Cast iron mercury bucket, used to hold mercury, potentially in the process of recovering minute pieces of gold mixed in soil and sediments. See research page for description of one process of using mercury to extract gold.gold mines, mining equipment, mercury bucket, miners used mercury in a number of ways to amalgamate gold, with each mill or battery operator having their preferred method depending on the nature of the ore. by the late 1850s the most common way of crushing goldbearing quartz ores or consolidated alluvial cements was in a stamp battery. the battery featured heavy iron stamp heads held in a frame, with each head often weighing up to 500 pounds (226 kg) or more (see msv 1880, page 45) (birrell 2005). stamp heads were lifted and dropped by a rotating overhead cam shaft driven by a steam engine or water wheel. ore was fed into a large cast-iron battery box, mixed with a steady stream of water, and pulverised by the stamp heads. in some batteries, mercury was placed in the base of the boxes to amalgamate with freed gold. the violent agitation of the mercury in the mortar box, however, could cause the mercury to break into myriad tiny globules that were carried away by the water with the tailings, thus losing a certain amount of gold in the process (thompson 1867; ritchie & hooker 1997). the water and sand slurry was splashed by the falling stamps from the box through fine mesh screens and onto inclined wooden tables below the mortar box (figure 2). the tables were covered with copper sheets or plates coated with mercury, which caught and amalgamated with a portion of the gold. the grey putty-like amalgam was periodically scraped off the sheets and retorted in a furnace to collect the gold and recover the mercury for reuse. mercury was inevitably lost from the plates, while poor maintenance resulted in further losses of gold and mercury in the tailings. mercury use and loss from gold mining in 19th century victoria. peter davies1, susan lawrence, and jodi turnbull, department of archaeology and history, la trobe university.

A black and white photograph of female Bendigo Teachers' College students in 1949 (?) sitting on the platform outside the common rooms reading, with a lecturer in the background. The Army hut had been brought from Tatura to form two common rooms.bendigo, education, bendigo teachers' college students, la trobe university bendigo collection, collection, bendigo, education, tertiary education, bendigo teachers' college, bendigo teachers' college students, photograph, photographs, photography, teacher training

Order form for a stamp of the common seal of the RHSV Bendigo and District Branch. Dated 9.5.1991.

A booklet to encourage the use of Maori language in homes. It contains a simple list of common phrases.Colour photographs, colour illustrationsmaori language, maori conversation, phrasebooks

The Squirrel is a small to medium sized member of the rodent family Sciuridae. They are commonly located in America, Eurasia and Africa. The Squirrel was introduced to Australia by humans. Interestingly, the tail of the Squirrel serves the purpose of keeping the rain, wind or cold off the body of the animal, to help it cool off in hot weather, to counterbalance when moving and can be utilized as a parachute when jumping from one location to the next. Squirrels consume foods that are rich in protein, carbohydrates and fats. They eat nuts, seeds. fruits and vegetation. This specimen is part of a collection of almost 200 animal specimens that were originally acquired as skins from various institutions across Australia, including the Australian Museum and the National Museum of Victoria, as well as individuals such amateur anthropologist Reynell Eveleigh Johns between 1860-1880. These skins were then mounted by members of the Burke Museum Committee and put-on display in the formal space of the Museum’s original exhibition hall where they continue to be on display. This display of taxidermy mounts initially served to instruct visitors to the Burke Museum of the natural world around them, today it serves as an insight into the collecting habits of the 19th century.This specimen is part of a significant and rare taxidermy mount collection in the Burke Museum. This collection is scientifically and culturally important for reminding us of how science continues to shape our understanding of the modern world. They demonstrate a capacity to hold evidence of how Australia’s fauna history existed in the past and are potentially important for future environmental research. This collection continues to be on display in the Museum and has become a key part to interpreting the collecting habits of the 19th century.Grey Squirrel standing on a wooden platform. The small sized specimen holds an acorn between its hands and has a paper identification tag tied to one of its arms. Small acorns are arranged around the specimen's feet. It has orange coloured fur with a pale belly and dark coloured glass eyes. It has a long and bushy tail that stands along its back in an arched shape. It has tiny hands and feet.42. Common Squirrel / Catalogue, page, 50 / A.4487 /taxidermy mount, taxidermy, animalia, burke museum, beechworth, australian museum, skin, reynell eveleigh johns, squirrel

Spirits came in bottles sold at licensed premises either locally or in larger cities visited during shopping expeditions. The shape, embossing and size of bottles varied. Small bottles of whisky or gin were used as a comforting drink for the sick. The embossed squares pattern was used on bottles containing medicine or poison.Historical: Change of bottles - shape, size, glass, embossing Aesthetic: Display showing embossing, shape and size.Small clear glass with mottled pattern and embossed with 4 rows of small squares around the bottom. On 1 side the glass is clear and shaped as a rectangle joined to a circle sitting on top of the rectangle. The opening is heavily embossed for a screw top. The sides are straight for three quarters of the way up then sharply taper to the neck before the lip and opening. Embossed on the base. The shape of the bottle is rectangular with curved ends. Common seal: 'A' followed by 'GB36' or '6836' followed by 'M'spirits, medicine, whisky, gin

Artwork by Bruno Simon, Dunera internee 1941-1943, 8th Employment Company A.M.F 1943-1945Grey card folio containing cream coloured folder with 6 listed Bruno Simon artwork prints and 1 single typed page/frontispiece. Interleaved with tissue paper.Bruno Simon To Philipp Simon in remembrance of the common experience.bruno simon, dunera, artwork

Seal/stamp black cast-iron embossing machine with ornate gold and red decoration and a turned wooden handle. The seal in the machine is that of the Wesleyan Church of Victoria Property Trust. "The Methodist Church "Victoria" Property Trust" "Common Seal"methodist church (victoria) property trust

One of a series of photographs taken after refurbishment of Museum, during "On Fire" exhibition.Colour photograph of the interior of the Home Economics room of the Common School Museum, featuring a display of photographsOn back of photo: "7 Historical Society. Fire photos. 20/6/03"on fire display, common school museum

One of a series of photographs taken after refurbishment of Museum, during "On Fire" exhibition.Colour photograph of the interior of the Home Economics room of the Common School Museum, featuring a display of photographsOn back of photo: "6 Historical Society. Fire photos. 20/6/03"on fire display, common school museum

In Australia, precious opal is found in Cretaceous age sandstones and mudstones. These sedimentary rocks were deeply weathered and this weathering released silica into the groundwater.Australia is the only part of the world where opalised animal and plant fossils have been found. Opal artefacts several thousands of years old have been discovered in East Africa. As early as 250 BC the Romans prized opals, thought to have come from mines in Eastern Europe, the ancient world's main source of opals. There are many aboriginal dreamtime stories that feature opal. Australian opals discovered during the late 1800's found little favour with European markets but their commercial value increased in the 1900's and in 1932 Australia took over as the major producer of opals in the world and remains the largest producer to this day. Opal is found around the world (Brazil, Mexico, Honduras and the western US) however Australia produces 95% of the world's precious opal and it is our official national gemstone. Opal was first mined commercially at Listowel Downs in Queensland in 1875 and later at White Cliffs in NSW. Today, Coober Pedy (SA) is the main producer of white opal, though in recent years this field has expanded and all types of opals are found. Other centres in SA include Andamooka and Mintabe. Lightning Ridge (NSW) is renowned for black opal and formerly White Cliffs was a large producer of high quality opal. Boulder opals (opals in concretionary ironstone) are mined in Queensland from numerous localities in a zone extending from the Eulo and Cunnamulla district in the south and northwest for a distance of over 700 km to Kynuna in the north. The towns of Quilpie, Yowah and Winton are the main opal mining and wholesale centres. Opals are considered gemstones and have been used in jewellery for thousands of years.Throughout much of history, opals were actually believed to be good luck. The Romans thought that opals were one of the luckiest gemstones and a symbol of hope. In the Middle Ages, opals were believed to be bestowed with all the positive properties of coloured gemstones due to its rainbow-like play of colour. Finally, there is a superstition that you should not wear an opal unless it is your birthstone otherwise misfortune will befall you. This, of course, is far-fetched, but the notion could have been promoted in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries by diamond traders who were trying to increase sales of diamonds and deter people from buying opals. Possibly related to this is the thought that you should set opal jewellery with diamonds as their powers of good fortune will override any negativity held by the opal. The great majority of opal does not show play of colour and is called common opal or potch however this is not the case with a precious opal. Opal is a precious gemstone, like rubies, emeralds or diamonds. Opal is rare, and it is expensive to prospect and mine for.Silica is one of the most common minerals on the planet, but precious opal is very rare – far more rare than diamonds. Precious opal is rare because the natural processes that create it rarely occur.Most (at least 95%) of the opal found by miners is common opal without gem colour. In Australia we call it potch. It can be white, grey, black or amber coloured. Even when a miner finds gem-coloured opal, most of it can’t be cut into gemstones because it’s too thin, or sandy. This specimen is part of a larger collection of geological and mineral specimens collected from around Australia (and some parts of the world) and donated to the Burke Museum between 1868-1880. A large percentage of these specimens were collected in Victoria as part of the Geological Survey of Victoria that begun in 1852 (in response to the Gold Rush) to study and map the geology of Victoria. Collecting geological specimens was an important part of mapping and understanding the scientific makeup of the earth. Many of these specimens were sent to research and collecting organisations across Australia, including the Burke Museum, to educate and encourage further study.It is not known where this opal originated, except that it is probably from Victoria, as it has been recorded from many localities in the State. Common Opal is formed from silica-rich water circulating through rocks near the Earth’s surface. It consists of minute spheres of silica arranged in different ways. In common opal, the spheres are of different sizes and randomly arranged, unlike in precious opal where the spheres are of similar size and uniformly arranged in three dimensions. These differences account for common opal generally being translucent to opaque and without the play of colours, or opalescence, displayed by precious opal. Common opal is found in many localities and different geological environments throughout Australia and the world. Precious opal requires special conditions to form and is much less common. Australia produces most to the world’s precious opal. burke museum, beechworth, indigo shire, beechworth museum, geological, geological specimen, precious opal, opal, brazil, mexico, honduras, queensland, coober pedy, gemstones, jewellery, play-of-colour, light blue

Agate occurs when amygdales (gas pockets) form in the upper levels of basaltic lava flows. If these pockets or bubbles are iniltrated by water bearing silica in solution, the fluid dries and hardens in layers, forming round or egg shaped nodules or geodes within the rocky matrix. Agate is formed of a silica mineral chalcedony similar to quartz. Although relatively common and semi-precious, agate has been prized since at least 1450 BC - an intricately carved agate seal was found in the 2015 excavation of a grave belonging to a Mycenaeum priest or warrior near Pylos in Greece. Agate is also used in jewellery and other decorative or ritual purposes due to its often striking appearance. These specimens originated in North Queensland, which contains noted agate-fossicking regions such as in the area surrounding Forsayth. They were collected in approximately 1852 as an adjunct to the Geological Survey of Victoria. It was donated to the Museum in 1868. Victoria and other regions of Australia were surveyed for sites of potential mineral wealth throughout the 19th Century. The identification of sites containing valuable commodities such as gold, iron ore and gemstones in a locality had the potential to shape the development and history of communities and industries in the area. The discovery of gold in Victoria, for instance, had a significant influence on the development of the area now known as 'the goldfields', including Beechworth; the city of Melbourne and Victoria as a whole. The specimens are significant as examples of surveying activity undertaken to assess and direct the development of the mineral resource industries in Victoria and Australia, as well as the movement to expand human knowledge of earth sciences such as mineralogy and geology in the nineteenth century. Two solid egg-sized pieces of peach/orange toned agate (a common semi-precious chalcedony, similar to quartz) with a striped pattern, embedded in a light and dark brown matrix. geological specimen, geology, geology collection, burke museum, beechworth, agate, north queensland agate, 1852 geological survey of victoria, l. hufer - donor, mineralogy, agate specimen, indigo shire

This bottle was used in the Tawonga District General Hospital which was built in the 1950's specifically for the increase in population due to the Kiewa Hydro Scheme.Clear glass bottle with straight sides tapering in to a short thin neck with a screw top.Base: Top - Common Seal; Middle 'J835'; Bottom 'M'medical, hospital, chemist

This jar was used in the Tawonga District General Hospital which was built in the 11950's specifically for the increase in population due to the Kiewa Hydro Scheme.Small wide white 'milk glass' jar with screw top. Used for ointment e.g.. zinc, magnesium sulphate. Embossed on base. Base is 'pushed inwards/upwards' forming a lip around the circumference.Base: Common Seal - A with G above and M below / 15 medical, hospital, ointment

Small green hardback bookCommon Commodities and Industries. Worsted. J Dumville. S Kershaw

Blue foolscap printed page relating to the Town Common at Smythesdale. It is signed by Henry Barkly and J.H. Brookesmythesdale, smythesdale town common, henry barkly, j.h. brook

The inscription in the brick was made by Lanzinger a German internee who escaped several times from Camp 1, recaptured and placed in Camp 4 gaol. The brick was recovered by the Stanhope Museum, where it is now on display. The curator of the Museum contacted Tatura Museum for information about Lanzinger, and was advised that Lanzinger's daughter ( Ann Flegel) had visited Tatura Museum and Camp 1, from Canada. A photo of the brick was forwarded from Stanhope to Flegels, who in turn forwarded it to Josef Friedrich whom she had made contact with through the Tatura Museum. Friedrich then forwarded a copy of the photo to Tatura Museum.Colour photo of common red brick with inscriptions carved by and named Lanzinger, a date in 1941,and two swastikas.lanzinger escape, camp 1, camp 4 gaol, photography, photograph, slides, film

Small black leather case containing black leather covered hymn book and common prayer book.books, religion

One of a series of photographs taken after refurbishment of Museum.Colour photograph of the interior of the Home Economics room of the Common School Museum, facing the north-east corner.On back of photo: "19 Historical Society. New floor & painted room. 21/9/03"common school museum

Colour photograph of pupils seated at desks, being instructed by teacher, in the school room of the Common School Museum.rutherglen primary school, school pupils, reenactment, rutherglen common school

Colour photograph of pupils seated at desks, being instructed by teacher, in the school room of the Common School Museum.rutherglen primary school, school pupils, reenactment, rutherglen common school

Colour photograph of the front of the Rutherglen Common School Museum with a man walking down the driveway toward Murray StreetOn back of photo: "Taken by Barry Hill on 2-3-1997. Henry Pleming walking out."henry pleming, rutherglen common school, common school museum