In the early 1900's, Bendigo had at least four companies treating parcels of gold ores containing mineral sulphides (pyrites). They were the United Pyrites Co., Spargo's, Liddell's and Leggo's Treatment Works. Many banks also had their own assay equipment with a single furnace and a brick chimney n a small building in the yard behind the bank, for example, the Bank of New South Wales in View Street, Bendigo. The assay teaching facility at the Bendigo School of Mines was built in the 1880's and extended, to include a chemical laboratory in 1892. The building was brick with a round brick chimney to a height of about 7 metres above the ground. Two page document on the assay chimneys of the Bendigo goldfield and, specifically, the purpose built laboratory at the Bendigo School of Mines used to teach assaying. Copy of photo attached of the United Pyrites Gold Extraction Company Work c 1887-8. dr. ralph birrell, assay, assay chimneys, united pyrites co., spargo's, liddell's, bendigo school of mines

The Ballarat School of Mines was the first School of Mines in Australia and was established in 1870. 22 page booklet titles 'The Ballarat School of Mines: A Statement of the Objects and Resources of the School.' The book has a number of illustrations including the interior of the Ballarat School of Mines Laboratory, and the former Ballarat Circuit Court House. It includes a statement of the formation, progress, and present position of the School of Mines, Ballaarat. The image of the Ballarat School Mines Assay Room shows assay furnaces, crucibles, chimney, and teacher Joseph Flude on the far right. This room is now is a building known as the 'Old Chemistry Building'. Plan and elevation of the new Metallurgical Laboratory and Proposed Chemical Laboratory is depicted.On front cover "Recorded in M-A" "1873"ballarat school of mines, assay, courthouse, joseph flude, crucible, furnace, flude, warrington rogers, brough smyth, harrie wood, wood, james bickett, bickett, redmond barry, somerville learmonth, metallurgy, chemistry, laboratory, examinations, mining engineer, assayer, inorganic chemistry, underground managers, captains of shift, engieners, enginedrivers, louis balhausen, james campbell, l.s. christie, j.j. casey, alexander dempster, g. higinbotham, james martin, alexander millan, malcolm morrison, band of hope and albion, city of ballarat mining company, city of canterbury gold mining company, egerton mining company, el dorado gold mining company, golden reef gold mining company, happy valley company, hope quartz mining company, long tunnel gold mining company walhalla, hopewell quartz mining company, imperial quartz mining company, student numbers, fees, magdala quartz mining company stawell, mariners and sloane's quartz mining company, new north clunes company, park company, temperence quartz company, tookey quartz company new zealand, walhalla gold mining company, matthew seal, harrie woodmuseum, duke of cornwall claim, john lynch, robert m. sergeant, engineers, f.w. niven, william henry barnard, ballarat school of mines museum, museum, ballarat school of mines library, donations of specimens, mining

On 29 February 1892 'The Argus' reported on the first Annual Meeting of the Clunes School of Mines. "The annual meeting of the council of the Clunes School of Mines was held last evening at the town-hall. In place of members of the council retiring by effluxion of time the following were elected: — Rev. Elder Gray, Messrs. John Beveridge, R. Nichol, J. Bryant, W. T. Pitcher, J. H. Daley, and T. Gilbert. The first annual report, showing remarkable progress, was received and adopted. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year: — Rev. E. Grey, president; Rev. Father John Barrett and Dr. Gordon, vice- presidents; Mr. Joseph Bryant, hon. director; Mr. W. Y. Witherden, hon. treasurer, Mr. H. E. Sando retained the office of secretary, and the officers for the time being were appointed trustees." Great satisfaction was expressed with the success of the school, and the progress and extent of the classes. It was referred to a sub committee to make arrangements for allowing the free inclusion, in certain classes, of a limited number of boys and girls of 14 and upward, who on examination qualified themselves for the privilege. An offer by an anonymous resident to pay the fees for four miners for admission to any class in the school was announced by the president, and received with thanks.Two photographs showing the exterior of a weatherboard building known as the former Ballarat School of Mines Clunes campus. The Timber hall was erected as a School of Mines and later used by the Australian Natives Association. The retort furnace (indicated by the large chimney) is still located in the rear rooms.ballarat school of mines, assaying, clunes school of mines, john beveridge, r. nichol, j. bryant, w. t. pitcher, j. h. daley, t. gilbert, e. grey, john barret, joseph bryant, w. y. witherden, h. e. sando, schools of mines