Mr. Arthur J Smith first pegged a claim in March 1906 and it was known as Smith’s Carnotite
Mine, later to become Radium
Hill. 460 Klms. North-East of
Adelaide
The claim lapsed in 1908 but was then taken up by the Radium
Hill Company when more shafts were sunk and a total of 350 milligrams of radium were prepared, together with 150 kg. of uranium.
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Radium Keith Lively was born at the
Mine in 1913. The miners and their families lived in tents and humpies on the banks of Olary Creek. Mining ceased in 1914 at the outbreak of World War I.
In 1923 the Radium and Rare Earth Treatment Company N.L. restarted mining operations, which ceased in 1931. Radium Lively’s elder brother Harry was a miner who suffered the only serious accident during this time when while “bogging out”, his shovel struck a detonator which exploded and caused the shovel to take off his left heel.
The next phase of activity commenced in 1944 when Reg Sprigg, a government geologist, accompanied by Harry Lively and Tommy Carpenter made a detailed geological survey.
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In 1946 the Department of Mines commenced preliminary exploration work followed by diamond drilling in 1947. By 1950 a
camp of 40 men had been established.
A spur line was constructed from the main
Broken Hill line, a distance of 18 Klm.
The first train into Radium
Hill arrived on the 2nd Oct 1953, and was called the "Atomic Comet".
An aerodrome was constructed and regular flights by Guinea Airways enabled
Broken Hill to be reached in 18 minutes and
Adelaide in 2 hours. The Royal Flying Doctor Service made use of the field for emergency and regular visits by the Flying Doctor.
The road from Olary but later from Cutana following the railway spur line. In the late 1950’s approximately 1000 people were living there in 165 houses and over 220 two-man cubicles. Over 35 different nationalities were represented with the majority being British followed by Australians.
Services provided included an A.I.M. Hospital, Public School and Kindergarden,
Post Office,
Police Station, Government Retail Store, weather station, State Bank branch, and a Civic Hall.
A Wet Canteen, Milk Bar, Library, Swimming Pool,
Recreation room and Drive-In Cinema were also provided.
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Official closure of the
mine occurred on December 21, 1961, at which time more than 3000 people had worked at Radium
Hill for varying periods during the mines life.