Gold is discovered on Forth Mountain

May 1987

Significant traces of gold have been discovered in streams on Forth Mountain. After just two weeks of river panning, prospectors say they are ‘pretty optimistic’ about the results.

‘ They are on a level with other finds around the world which turned out to be viable,’ says Michael Murphy, of Burmin Exploration.

But it will take more than a year before experts can conclude whether or not Forth Mountain will become Wexford’s answer to the Klondyke.

The Mullinahone (Co. Tipperary) company struck it rich in three mountain streams within days of receiving prospecting licences from the Department of Energy.

And the company claims early results are on a par with those of the Sperrin Mountains in Co. Donegal in 1983. A full mine is now in operation there.

Mr Murphy, Chairman of Burmin, gave details of the find to a geological conference in Wexford over the weekend.

He later said rock formation on Forth Mountain was similar to that of the Sperrins and of another area in South Wales, where another viable gold deposit was discovered recently.

‘What we have to do now is hone in on the source,’ he said. ‘We should have full knowledge by September 1987.’

Two tenths of an ounce of gold per ton of rock is needed for a viable mining operation which would be a huge boost in efforts to reduce Wexford’s jobs crisis.

The company says it would mine up to half a million tons of rock if an operation was in full swing.