Port Pirie Lead Smelter - SA

The Port Pirie lead smelters plant was developed into the world’s largest after the first processing of ore from the Broken Hill silver, lead and zinc mines in 1889.

The South Australian government cashed in on the rich ore lodes found in Broken Hill, just over border in New South Wales, in 1883 by building a 3’6” gauge rail line from Peterborough to the border in 1887. The private Silverton Railway Company was formed to take the line to Broken Hill within New South Wales and allowed timber and food to be railed from Port Pirie.

Broken Hill mining companies tried different ways to smelter ores. Some was smelted in Broken Hill but water was limited and fuel had to be railed from Port Pirie.

Some ore was railed and shipped to Port Adelaide; some railed to Port Pirie and shipped to Germany. In 1889, the minor British Broken Hill Company decided to build their smelter in Port Pirie. Major mine Broken Hill Proprietary followed in 1892. It took over the British Broken Hill Company smelter and enlarged it. In 1915, the smelting of five companies was amalgamated and the BHAS (Broken Hill Associated Smelters) developed into the largest in the world.