When NBHC was formed by the Zinc Corporation in 1936, they developed mining leases at the end of the lode south of the Zinc Mine.
Ore production did not commence until 1945 due to the interruption of mining operations during WWII. Two large circular concrete and steel-lined shafts were erected in close proximity, one for hauling skips and the other as a service shaft for the cages that carried miners up and down the shaft.
The Haulage Shaft was refurbished in 1988 by Pasminco Ltd to a capacity of 2.9 million tonnes per year to carry ore hauled from both the Zinc and NBHC mines. The mine produced about 36 million tonnes of ore up to 1990.
Pasminco ceased operations in 2001 and the mine has been operated by Perilya since June 2002.
Audio transcript available.