Victoria Battery Gold site, Karangahake Gorge
Concrete cyanide tank stands, reminiscent of Roman ruins, are among the remains of the massive Victoria battery at Waikino. The battery was constructed by the Waihi Goldmining Company from 1897 to crush ore from the Martha mine, which was conveyed to Waikino along an 8 kilometre tramline. After the ore had been crushed to a pulp by stamper batteries, it was fed into the huge tanks containing a solution of potassium cyanide and water to dissolve the gold. The gold was recovered after the solution was run through extractor boxes containing zinc shavings. The battery closed in 1952, and the site is now a feature on the Karangahake Historic Walkway.g
