Hunter Living Histories

This BHP Coal Geology plan set was donated to the Geology Department at University of Newcastle by BHP Coal Geology, in the early 1960s. The plans were transferred to Cultural Collections and stored in archives at the Auchmuty Library, University of Newcastle (2012), together with other archival material from the Geology Department. We wish to thank Russell Rigby for editing the scanned plans so they could be made accessible to the wider community.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW the ‘BHP Coal Geology Plans.

The plans were scanned at 400dpi in GLAMx Lab, Cultural Collections, in August 2017. This set of plans was generated from the scans by Russell Rigby in October 2017 – the original scans were adjusted using Irfanview software and the following steps:

1. the scans were “squared up” where necessary by fine rotation, and cropped to remove frayed edges, binding holes etc – all information was preserved.
2. the scans were resized to 160dpi (40% of original)to get a set of plans at manageable size.
3. the resized images were”auto adjusted” to improve colour rendition and contrast
4. the adjusted images were saved as high quality jpg files (80%)
5. the adjusted images were renamed for consistency.

The borehole and shaft numbers used on these plans are from sequential numbering of the data points generated within BHP Coal Geology. A reference listing of the BHPCG numbers used for the Newcastle Coalfield with the name and number of the data point is held in archives by Glencore, Mineral Resources, and may also be in the University collection (to be confirmed). Copies of the drillhole and shaft logs are contained in sets of typed sheets, with hand-coloured graphic logs.

The scanned plans are dye-line prints. They were printed from originals on transparent film which were updated from time to time in BHP Coal Geology. Later versions of these plans may be available from other sources, and the updated originals may still be in the archives now held by Glencore. The printed plans are hand coloured.
The plans are approximately 1050mm x 760mm, at a scale of 4 inches:1 mile (1:15840) unless otherwise shown. They are bound in a single hard-cover folio.
The borehole and shaft numbers used on these plans are from sequential numbering of the data points generated within BHP Coal Geology. A reference listing of the BHPCG numbers used for the Newcastle Coalfield with the name and number of the data point is held in archives by Glencore, Mineral Resources, and may also be in the University collection. Copies of the drillhole and shaft logs are contained in sets of typed sheets, with hand-coloured graphic logs.

If you have any information about the ‘BHP Geology Plan’ set, please contact us at Cultural Collections. We greatly value your contribution.