Story: Mining and underground resources

Adze made of adzite

This is an example of an adze made out of adzite (baked argillite) from the Nelson area, possibly from D’Urville Island.

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Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Permission of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Simon Nathan, Mining and underground resources – History of mining, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/9233/adze-made-of-adzite (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Simon Nathan, published 2 March 2009.