Jean-Paul Turcaud
Encyclopedia
Jean-Paul Turcaud is a French
mining
pioneer, and one of many claimants to the discovery of the Telfer Mine
in Western Australia
, for a time Australia's
largest gold mine. The discovery of this prospect is officially attributed to David Tyrwhitt for Newmont Mining in 1972.
as a Second Lieutenant
in Algeria
.
Great Sandy Desert
, was the first prospector to find the mineral deposit that eventually became the Telfer Mine. Turcaud claims he found the Telfer deposit two years before Newmont did and fought Newmont in legal battles throughout the 1970s without an outcome. Eventually, Turcaud left Australia, exhausted from the emotional and financial strain, while the Telfer Mine was opened by newmont in 1977. In the early 1980s, Turcaud reached a settlement, accepting $25,000 from Newmont's head office in New York
but continued his claim, demanding a Royal Commission
into the matter.
, was that discovery of a mineral deposit does not, in and of itself, constitute recognition of that discovery. They argue that discovery of a prospect usually goes to those who (1) physically peg the area and (2) correctly identify the mineable minerals in the deposit.
Jean-Paul Turcaud, for various reasons and in contradiction to the Mining Act, failed to do either of these. Whilst there is little argument that Turcaud was prospecting in the area and that he did find and identify mineralised gossan
s, he failed to identify the project as being prospective for gold. On several occasions he attempted to interest local mining companies, like WMC Resources
and Anglo American, in the tenements based on its base metal (primarily copper) potential.
David Tyrwhitt, the recognised discoverer of Telfer stated in an interview that while he did not think Turcaud deserved any credit for his claimed discovery, he did admire the man's pioneering spirit, going out into the desert alone. Tyrwhitt eventually rose to the position of a director of Newmont.
as the Discoverer of the Telfer and Nifty Mine.
Turcaud lives in north-western France where he operates a website on the Internet. The site is called, in reference to Telfer:
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
pioneer, and one of many claimants to the discovery of the Telfer Mine
Telfer Mine
The Telfer Mine is a copper and gold mine located at Telfer, in the Great Sandy Desert of Western Australia. It is owned by Newcrest Mining, Australia's largest gold producer....
in Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, for a time Australia's
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
largest gold mine. The discovery of this prospect is officially attributed to David Tyrwhitt for Newmont Mining in 1972.
Early life
Jean-Paul Turcaud arrived in Australia as a young immigrant from France in the late 1960s. He had served in the French ArmyFrench Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
as a Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
.
Turcaud's claim
There are many prospectors who claim to have discovered the mine. However, in this case, the officially recognised claimants do not deny that Jean-Paul Turcaud, after having spent a considerable amount of time searching Australia'sAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
Great Sandy Desert
Great Sandy Desert
The Great Sandy Desert is a desert located in the North West of Western Australia straddling the Pilbara and southern Kimberley regions. It is the second largest desert in Australia after the Great Victoria Desert and encompasses an area of...
, was the first prospector to find the mineral deposit that eventually became the Telfer Mine. Turcaud claims he found the Telfer deposit two years before Newmont did and fought Newmont in legal battles throughout the 1970s without an outcome. Eventually, Turcaud left Australia, exhausted from the emotional and financial strain, while the Telfer Mine was opened by newmont in 1977. In the early 1980s, Turcaud reached a settlement, accepting $25,000 from Newmont's head office in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
but continued his claim, demanding a Royal Commission
Royal Commission
In Commonwealth realms and other monarchies a Royal Commission is a major ad-hoc formal public inquiry into a defined issue. They have been held in various countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia...
into the matter.
Counter claim
The counter claim by Newmont Mining, the project was later spun off into Newcrest MiningNewcrest Mining
Newcrest Mining Limited engages in the exploration, development, mining and sale of gold and gold-copper concentrate. Newcrest is an Australian based Company which initially incorporated in Victoria in 1980. Today it has become Australia’s leading gold mining company...
, was that discovery of a mineral deposit does not, in and of itself, constitute recognition of that discovery. They argue that discovery of a prospect usually goes to those who (1) physically peg the area and (2) correctly identify the mineable minerals in the deposit.
Jean-Paul Turcaud, for various reasons and in contradiction to the Mining Act, failed to do either of these. Whilst there is little argument that Turcaud was prospecting in the area and that he did find and identify mineralised gossan
Gossan
Gossan is intensely oxidized, weathered or decomposed rock, usually the upper and exposed part of an ore deposit or mineral vein. In the classic gossan or iron cap all that remains is iron oxides and quartz often in the form of boxworks, quartz lined cavities retaining the shape of the dissolved...
s, he failed to identify the project as being prospective for gold. On several occasions he attempted to interest local mining companies, like WMC Resources
WMC Resources
WMC Resources Limited was an Australian diversified mining and fertilizer company formerly listed on the Australian Stock Exchange. WMC was an acronym for Western Mining Corporation. It was delisted on 29 June 2005 following a successful takeover by BHP Billiton...
and Anglo American, in the tenements based on its base metal (primarily copper) potential.
David Tyrwhitt, the recognised discoverer of Telfer stated in an interview that while he did not think Turcaud deserved any credit for his claimed discovery, he did admire the man's pioneering spirit, going out into the desert alone. Tyrwhitt eventually rose to the position of a director of Newmont.
Current situation
Turcaud continues to sign posts to newspapers in regards to Global warmingGlobal warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
as the Discoverer of the Telfer and Nifty Mine.
Turcaud lives in north-western France where he operates a website on the Internet. The site is called, in reference to Telfer:
- The Greatest Australian Mining Covered up Swindle of the 20th Century.