Streets Paved with Gold!

In May 1896, gold telluride was first identified in the gold mines of Kalgoorlie-Boulder by metallurgist Eric Huntley, with confirmation a few days later by assayer Arthur Holroyd and Peter MacIntyre. Before this discovery, the gold-bearing rocks containing gold tellurides were mistaken for pyrite (commonly known as ‘fool’s gold’) and were discarded as waste.

Unaware of their true value, miners used these rocks as street pavers, laying them on cart tracks, walkways, and even in construction. For a brief moment in history, the streets of Kalgoorlie-Boulder were literally paved with gold! This remarkable story highlights the early challenges of gold identification and the rich natural wealth of the Goldfields.