Wynne's mine, near Filabusi, Zimbabwe

Wynne's mine was an asbestos mine near Filabusi in Southern Rhodesia, which the U.S. Bureau of Mines' Minerals Yearbook names in 1955.⁵ In January 1927 Asbestos, the industry's trade journal, listed "Wynne's Asbestos Mines, containing 323 claims in the Bulawayo District" among the properties of the Rhodesian Asbestos & Chrome Syndicate, and that December it reported development work there "for protection purposes."^1,6 In 1930 the journal understood that the London and Rhodesian Corporation intended "to erect a plant capable of producing 200 tons of asbestos monthly," but the Rhodesia Chrome & Asbestos Company's report for 1930 said that, "owing to the continued slump in the asbestos market," operations at the mine "were discontinued in October."^4,7 In 1953 the mining engineer W. E. Sinclair named "Wynnes (Dominion Base Metals)" among the district's principal producers, and in 1955 the yearbook reported expansion plans "with expectations of increased mechanization."^2,5 In 1977 Asbestos listed "the Wynnes/Wynnes South Mine at Drumbulchan" under Kudu Mine (Pvt) Ltd., of Bulawayo.³

The documents report this mine producing asbestos fiber for sale.²

Location

Year by year

Every statement about this mine in the documents, in each document's own words, by the year it is about.

1927

• Ownership: “Wynne's Asbestos Mines, containing 323 claims in the Bulawayo District” (Rhodesian Asbestos & Chrome Syndicate), p. 46¹
• Exploration: “Development work has been going on at the Wynne's Asbestos Mine for protection purposes” (Rhodesia Asbestos & Chrome Syndicate, Ltd.), p. 48⁶

1930

• Mill: “London and Rhodesian Corporation intending to erect a plant capable of producing 200 tons of asbestos monthly” (London and Rhodesian Corporation), p. 54⁴
• Idle: “Operations at Wynne's asbestos mine discontinued in October 1930; mine extensively developed, ready to produce when the market warrants” (Rhodesia Chrome & Asbestos Company), said by Rhodesia Chrome & Asbestos Company, as reported by S. A. Mining & Engrg. Journal, p. 52⁷

1953

• Worked: “Wynnes (Dominion Base Metals)” (Dominion Base Metals), said by W. E. Sinclair, M.I.M.M. (Consulting Mining Engineer), as reported by Asbestos (magazine), p. 12²

1955

• Description: “Expansion plans were announced at Wynne's mine near Filabusi”, as reported by Mining, p. 13⁵

1977

• Worked: “the Wynnes/Wynnes South Mine at Drumbulchan” (Kudu Mine (Pvt) Ltd.), p. 36³

Other names

Documents call this mine “Wynne's mine”, “Wynne's Asbestos Mines”, “Wynne's Mine”.

References

1. Asbestos Magazine, 1927, January 1927 (January 1, 1927), p. 46.
2. Asbestos Magazine, 1953, September 1953 (September 1, 1953), p. 12.
3. Asbestos Magazine, 1977, December 1977 (December 1, 1977), p. 36.
4. Asbestos Magazine, 1930, May 1930 (May 1, 1930), p. 54.
5. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1955 (January 1, 1956), p. 13.
6. Asbestos Magazine, 1927, December 1927 (December 1, 1927), p. 48.
7. Asbestos Magazine, 1931, September 1931 (September 1, 1931), p. 52.