1884
Come 1884 and gold mining was once again in the doldrums. The optimism and promise that the new Temora fields had brought to the new decade was long gone – together with much of the new field’s gold.
Yet again – the ever present drought conditions “seriously retarded mining operations during the first half of the year, and almost entirely prevented any attempt at prospecting. Added to this, the discovery of silver lodes in various parts of the Colony drew away numbers of miners from many of the gold-fields.”
As the report noted however “in some of the older gold-fields no doubt many of the alluvial deposits have been so far exhausted that they no longer yield remunerative employment to the individual miner, though there are strong grounds for believing they would if worked on a large scale with suitable appliances prove profitable.”
Left: Mines Department Annual Report 1884. Images and content presented here from this report reproduced courtesy of NSW Trade & Resources, Minerals & Energy
THE OVERVIEW OF THE STATE’S GOLD MINING FOR 1884
“In some of the older gold-fields no doubt many of the alluvial deposits have been so far exhausted that they no longer yield remunerative employment to the individual miner, though there are strong grounds for believing they would if worked on a large scale with suitable appliances prove profitable.”
THE OVERVIEW OF THE STATE’S GOLD MINING FOR 1884
In some of the older gold-fields no doubt many of the alluvial deposits have been so far exhausted that they no longer yield remunerative employment to the individual miner, though there are strong grounds for believing they would if worked on a large scale with suitable appliances prove profitable.
It is to be hoped that the facilities afforded uuder the Act 48 Victoria, No. 10, for leasing Jarge tracts of abandoned auriferous lands will be extensively availed of, whereby profitable employment will be provided for a very large number of miners.
In the Bathurst district the Wardens and Mining Registrars report :
-Mount M’Donald is at present the richest field for gold in the district, the total yield for the year, 5,815 oz. 6 dwt. 5 gr., being 1,814 oz. in excess of 1883; 3,494 tons of quartz crushed yielded 5,117 oz. 5 dwt. 3 gr.
The satisfactory yields obtained from some of the mines has given quite an impetUt~ to mining in the locality.
Ophir.
The prospectors are prt/ving good coari:ie gold in Stoney Creek, about 5 miles from Ophir. Lucknow is again coming to the front, the New Reform Company’s output for the year being £7,500. The Frederic’s Valley Company are about starting Oil un extensive scale to work veins which formerly yielded ,ery handsome returns.
The Lumpy Head Company at }~orest Reefs is Itill persevering, but has not yet reached the deep ground. The lead in the south-west end of the Great Extended mine is yielding about ~ oz. per ton.
The Inspector of Mines says :-The Great Extended Company is working a lead 230 feet deep under basalt; the lead is 40 to 80 feet wide, the wash is 20 inches thick, and is cemented, requiring crushing. From the 14th .Tanuary to 12th April, 1884, the Company crushed 858 tons, yielding 712 oz.
In the Tambaroora and Turon district the Wardens and Mining Registrars report :-At Hill End the quantity of gold sent by Escort during the year was 6,202 oz. 3 dwt. 3 gr. Carver and party have now reached a depth of 140 feet; the stone averages nearly 4 oz. per ton, country soft and easily worked.
Scholbert and party on the same line Routh have obtained good stone at 130 feet, which averages I} oz. per ton. Myers and Northey, Specimen Gully, at several levels to a depth of 150 feet, have obtained stone which averages 3 oz.; the country is soft.
Ackermann and party at Golden Gully have raised stone yielding 2i oz. per ton, but the ground is patchy. Ellis and party at Tambaroora have had several crushings yielding 1 t oz. per ton.
Christy and party, on the Independent Reef, had a crushing in December which gave 3~” oz. per ton-ground patchy.
The Red Hill Company during the year crushed about 400 tons, average 2 oz. The following are some of the princiI?al crushings :-Tonkin and Company, 170 tons, 350 oz.; Carver and Company, 421 tons, 1,605 oz.; Myers and Northey, 174 tons, 522 oz.; Perseverance Company, 50 tons, 170 oz.; yield of gold at Hill End for the year, 7,232 oz. 14 dwt. 2 gr.
At Sofala the following crushingf1 have been had during the year :-Crawford and party, 19 tons, 62 oz., vein 6 to 10 inches wide; Surface Hill, 14 tons, 23 dwt. per ton; Solitary Creek, 26 tons, 1 oz. per ton, vein 10 inches wide; Scott and Clarke’s, vein 9 inches wide, 1 to 3 oz. per ton, average for year, 2 oz. ; Perseverance Company, Solitary Reef, 1,263 tons, 723 oz., at 340 feet deep, vein 18 inches wide; Bullock Flat, 226 feet deep, vein 9 inches wide, 20 tons, 23} dwt. per ton; yield for year in the division, 4,386 oz. 15 dwt. At Ironbarks the majority of the mines are idle for want of appliances to treat the pyrites in the reefs.
A new reef has been discovered at Mookerawa by Halliday and party, which, so far as prospected, appears to be an immense blow, showing thousands of tons of quartz. A trial crushing gave 7 dwt. per per ton-287 tons quartz, crushed in the division, gave 174 oz. 4 dwt. The alluvial minel:J at Mookerawa are idle, although the ~Iookerawa Company is said to have obtained 400 oz. of gold, and the Junction Point Company, on the opposite side of the River, obtained 5 dwt. per load from a trial washing. Total yield for the division, 1,361 oz. 6 dwt. 3 gr.
At Wellington mining very dull. In the :3fudgee district the Wardens and lfining Uegistrars report :-At Gulgong the output of gold for lSSJ. cxceed~ that of IS83 by upwards of 9da OZR., although most of the principal mines were engaged in preliminary work during the yoar. Rouse’s paddock and ;:icyeral other mines on well known leads are in the possession of a Vidorian Company, who are likely to thoroughly test them, haying erected. ther(‘on very complete machinery.
On the Star Lead Sweeney and party, after great difficulties, have reached the lead w:u;h ‘1} fect in heigl1t.
A trial washing gave 9 dwts. per load. The White Horse mine has been purchased by a Victorian Company, who raised 500 oz. of gold, but finding the underground works unsafe, have allowed the ground to RettIe down, and are sinking a new shaft. The wash as tested by horin~ ii-l :31. feet ill height.
The Canad.ian and Mudgee Company, who commenced about l:fay, 1883, had great difficulty in on·reoming the water, and were not able to raise wa~h-djrt till towards the end of 1881. The average yield for the few weeks was 30 oz. per week; total yield, 440 oz. At old Appletree several parties are on payable wash; depth of sinking, about 20 feet; thickness of wash, 2 feet 6 inches; yield, G to 10 dwt. per load. The Hhobardah Company’s mine contains a pyritous vein, samples of concentrated jlyrile~ from whieh have lJPen tested and have given very high yields.
A parcel of 6 Ibs., treated prj ratd)” i~ ~aid to havc yielded at tho rate of’ 417 oz. of gold and 114 oz. of silver per ton. &tmples of the ore are to be sent to Europe for treatment. 12 nuggets have been found in the division during the year varying from 3 oz. to 39 oz.; yield of gold for the year, 5,681 oz. 5 dwt. 13 gr.
At Hargraves and “”Vindeyer there is an increase in the output of gold over the previous year of 1,010 oz. Bond and party at Hargraves raised 35 tons, which yielded 1,500 oz. during the first five months. Since then they have been engaged erecting powerful machinery.
At Tomingley the number of miners is considerably decreascd. About £7,000 worth of gold was won during the year. At Myall they are about to erect a 20-stamp battery; 1,000 tons of stone at grass ready to be crushed. No alluvial deposits have been found near Tomingley. :3 miles we~t of the Ten-mile Ridge, Farrell and party have obtained a good prospect; one shaft sunk 190 feet, and some alluvial gold has been found at Buckinbar. In the Lachlan district the Wardens and Mining Registrars report :-
At Bald Hills, 3 miles from Forbes, the only place in the division where any number of miners is employed, they are working an old lead called the British Standard, 190 feet deep; wash, 2 feet thick and from 70 to 80 feet wide, but only 50 feet of the width contains gold. The three parties working on it are just clearing working expenses.
No discoveries cf importance at Forbes, though a good deal of prospecting has been done; yield of gold, alluvial, 750 oz. 10 dwt. 7 gr.; quartz, 177 oz. 4 dwt. 10 gr. In the Parkes division there is a steady improvement in quartz-mining. From some of the reefs near the town splendid stone .was raised.
In July, Pennington and party discovered payable gold in quartz at the head of Magpie Gully, near Tichborne; the first crushing of 20 tons gave 3 oz.6 dwt. per ton; a second crushing of 20 tons gave 11 oz. per ton, not picked stone. The reef is from 2 feet to 2t feet wide. They have sunk a perpendicular shaft and cut the reef at 80 feet, where the stone appears to contain a large quantity of gold. This reef is named the Eldorado.
There are 5 claims besides the prospectors at work on it, but they have not yet struck the reef. During the first five months of the year mining was almost at a standstill for want of water. A vein in the Buchanan line of reef has been struck; it varies from 1 foot to 4 feet wide, and nearly vertical.
Two claims, Hazelhurst and Quails, have given good returns-the former obtained about 800 oz. from 210 tons; the latter 700 oz. from 237 tons Another claim on the line is paying £4 per week per man.
A new reef has been found in a selection known as Coulson’s, which is said to be good. Between Parkes and Porbes, 8 or 9 miles from the latter town, a reef has been found, 46 tons from which gave 12 dwts. per ton yield of goid. Parkes division (7 months’ work)-3,023 oz. 8 dwt. 18 gr.; 2,170 tons quartz gave 2,684 oz. 2 gr.; aycrage, 1 oz. 4 dwt. 13 gr. per ton; and 1,218 tons alluvial gave 339 oz. 14 dwL, equal to 5 dwt. 13 gr. per ton.
At Temora the number of miners has considerably reduced, some having been attracted to Sunny Corner, others to Silverton and elsewhere. Of the 13,791 oz. of gold purchased by the banks, 9,742 oz. WH.B obtained from alluvium, and 4,049 oz. from quartz_ During the first four months of the year very little mining was done owing to the drought. The quantity of gold sent away by escort was 14,381 oz. 16 dwt.1 gr.; this is supposed to include the gold won at Temora, Barmedman, and Sebastopol. Of the above quantity 3,351 oz. 5 dwt. 6 gr. was from Barmedman, and probably some 430 oz. from Sebastopol. During the year 21 nuggets were found, varying in weight from 5 oz. to 175 oz. 15 dwt., and weighingin the aggregat0 675 oz. 14 dwt. No new leads have been discovered. There are Bome payable elailWJ llear to but at a shallower level than the old Temora main lead, and it is not unlikely that a large tract 0of payable ground will be found in that direction. Between 45,000 and 50,000 loads of wash-dirt puddled during the year-yield, 10,000 oz. 9 dwt. 3 gr.
There aro only two quartz-mines at work, viz., tho South AU8tralian Company, who crushed during the yoar 64S tOllS for 340 oz. of gold, and the Hidden Star, which is said to hae crushed about 100 tons, yicldiug nearly 1 oz. per ton. At Barmcdman, from 16 claima, 6,216 tons have been crushed, yielding 3,351 oz. 5 dwt. 12 gr., the averago yields from the several claims varying from 5 dwt. IS gr. to 2 oz. 15 dwt. 12 gr.; the reefs are large and easy to work ..
Tho prospects of the Barmedman Company appear to have considerably improved. During the past yearfrom the Little Ada claim some stone near tho surface gave 3 oz. per ton, and soveral crushings from the Fanny Park have gien payable returns, but the year’s average has been seriously decreased by reason of a large quantity of inferior stone raised from some of the large reefs having to be crushed. Attention has recently been called to the splendid reef country north of Barmedman, and a prospecting party is now engaged in that direction. 30 tons of quartz, taken from an abandoned mine on Pike’s Reef,25 miles south-west of Temora, yielded 173 oz. ; 50 tons of quartz from Doctor’s Reef, Old J unee reefs, llas yielded 6 dwt. per ton; 47 tons of quartz from Sebastopol gave 35 oz. Between 300 and 400 tons of stone has been raised from the Evening Star Claim, Sebastopol, which is expected to yield from 12 to 15 dwts. per ton. The reef is from 11 to 13 fect wiele at a depth of 65 feet.
At Young tho season has been generally unfavourable for mining. The machinery erected at lIinter and Company’s mine to work thedeep lead is not sufficiently powerful to overcome the water and raise wash-dirt, and additional plant is being procured. The quantity of gold purchased by banks at Young is 716 oz. 3 dwt. 20 gr. Tho prospecting claim and No.1 are the only claims at work on the newly discovered deposit at Sherlock Creek, near Wombat.
At Blind Creek, near ~Iurrumburrah, about 100 miners have been at work. During the year 615 oz. 6 dwts. 1 gr. of gold was purchased locally. In the Tumut and Adelong district tlle Wardens and Mining Uegistrars report :-From Blatchford’s mine at Captain’s Flat, Queanbeyan, 2,386 tons of quartz crushed gave about 360 oz. This mine was idle during seven months of the year for want of water. The stone assays from 10 to 15 dwt. per ton, but is difficult to treat. lIontgomery and party crushed about 800 tons, which yielded 6 dwt. per ton. The reef has widened to about 30 feet. Ore which assays 140 oz. silver, and 59 per cent. lead has been found on the hanging wall of the reef.
The character of the reef is auriferous, iron gossan, overhanging a. large copper lode of low per centage. Gold has been found on private property at lIolonglo, but could not be worked on account of the quantity of water, the prospectors having no machinery for pumping. In the Gundagai division Frearson and party at Coolae crushed stone from the 100 feet level, which gave· 21 dwt. per ton. At Mount Adrah, Cole and party have crushed 87 tons for 320 oz.
At Kimo reef Hurford BrotLers crushed 6 tens for 17 oz. A dyke of gold-bearing material, averaging 10 feet to 20 feet wide, is being tested to a depth of 100 feet, and as the stone can be raised and delivered at the battery at a very low price, it is expected to prove remunerative. A simila:r deposit is being tested at Tarrabandra.
At Adelong there is a great falling off in the yield of gold from the quartz reefs, but the· alluvial mines continue to yield well. 1,536 tons from the Adelong reef gave 1,577 oz. 11 dwt., the Great Victoria Company having been working from the 1,060 feet level upwards, the average yield being 15’68 dwts. per ton, total quantity crushed, 6,308 tons 9 cwt.; yield, 5,762 oz. 9 dwt. The u,lluvial mines, chiefly on the Adelong Creek, at Shephardstown and Grahamstown, yielded 4,962 oz. 15 dwt. 5 gr. At Shepha.rd’s mine the works have been shifted to the upper part of the ground, where the opening drives have given exceptional prospects.
At Kiandra there are five companies at work sluicing; yield of gold, 1,958 oz. The Kiandra Company, sluicing 2,997 hours, washed 169,651 tons of earthyield, 933 oz. The hydraulic works at Kiandra were much retarded by want of sufficient water. A vein of quartz was opened in Pollock’s Gully, a trial crushing from which gave 4! oz. per ton. At. Yarrara the Rangatira Company, at a depth of 130 feet, cut a reef which varies from 6 inches to 3 feet wide showing gold. 8 tons sent to Adelong to be crushed gave 2! oz. per ton; since then they haveraised 100 tons. At Albury 263 tons of quartz gave 271 oz. 9 dwt. of gold.
A rich reef is said to havo beell opened at Hawk’s View, on private property. There are some good claims at the Black Uange and Portuguese GuUy. A Company has been formed to work the Black Uange Flat. At Tumberumba the· United Trades Company, who have been three years constructing a very extensive and exper.sive iail and flood ditch for the purpose of working the bed of abandoned workings on the Tumberumba Creek.
The tail-race is 1,800 yards long, and is now ready for work. Total yield of gold, 2,414 oz. 14 dwt. 4 gr~ from alluvium; and 1,106 oz. 2 dwt. from quartz.
In the Southern district the Wardens and Mining Registrars report :-At Braidwood mining very. depressed from want of water; yield of gold from alluvium, 528 oz. At llajor’s Creek; no water for ground sluicing. Alluvial gold, 594 oz. 3. dwt.; quartz 37 oz. At Little River a new reef named the “Day Dawn” has been opened, a trial crushing from which of 1[) tons gave 3D oz.; yield from alluyium, 1,200 oz_ At At Araluen there was an increase in the yield of gold as compared with 1883 of over 1,000 oz. Tho total for 1884 was 4,732 oz. from alluvium, and 92 oz. 14 dwt. from 196 tons of quartz. A larger area of ground than usual was worked, but want of water retarded operations. At Yalwal the output of gold was 883 oz. 10 dwt. from quartz. Although the Shoalha,ven River has been proved to be auriferous throughout its courso, there are, with the exception of a few wandering miners without capital, no mine on its course from Nel’riga to Yalwal, a lineal distance of 80 to 100 miles; the same may be said of several of the creeks in the district.
An attempt was made to bottom the drift at the JUDction of the Shoalhaven and Kangaroo Rivers, but was abandoned for ,vant of capital. At N crriga-yield from alluvium, 1,100 oz.-the heavy rains stopped work in the river bed. At the Dromedary 97 tons of quartz crushed gavo 120 oz. At Bombala 332 ozs. 16 dwt. 6 gr. obtained from alluvium.
In the Hunter and lfacleay district tho Wardelli:l and Mining Registrars report :-The severe drought caused Copeland to bo almost deserted during the first part of the year; but since the rains set in, and the striking of tho rich stone in the No.2 East :Mountain lfaid, there has been a revival. From this claim 50 tons of quartz gave 16 oz. per ton, and 60 tons from No.1 East Mountain llaid gave 9 oz. per ton. Other claims followed suit, and during the last half of the year work has been carried on successfully; 1,034 tons of quartz crushed gave 2,768 oz. 3 dwt., equal to 2 oz. 13 dwt. 13 gr. per ton.
he total yield for the year was 4,250 oz., being 205 oz. in excess of 1883. At Boranel, where there arc five reefs 3 feet wide, the stone from which has averaged 4 oz. per ton, all the claims aro idle for want of a crushing plant. The Inspector of lfines reports that Moore and Company crushed 100 tons for 425 oz. 16 dwt. 12 gr., and No.1 west crushed 10 tons for 33 oz. 12 dwt. At Dungog, Hancock and Co. crushed 230 tons for 150 oz.-reef 6 nchos wide. Vanderkolk crushed 282 tons for 155 oz. 8 dwt.-reef 4 inches to 2 feet 6 inches wide.
In the Clarence and Richmond districts the Wardens and lVIining Registrars report :-At Dalmorton Hi3 tons crushed from the Sir Hercules Reef gnye 75 oz. 6 dwts-80 tons at gra~s. 20 tOllS from the Union Reef gave 11~ dwt. per ton. At NanaCreek the Hidden Treasure Company crushed 60 tOllS for 16 dwt., and 80 tons for 13 dwt. per ton-reef 2 feet wide. 55 tons from Bungalow Reef gave 1 oz.4 dwt. per ton. 30 tOllS from Laura Reef, 1 oz. 7 dwt. per ton. :From the Waratah Reef, 7 miles from Nana Creek, 19 tons gave 31 oz. 15 dwt. WaratLh No. 1 crushed 20 tons for 11 oz.
From N ymboida, 7 miles from N ana Creek, 5 tons gave 61 oz. 8 dwt. 12 gr. Prom Eleven Tree Creek, I~labo, 25 tons gave 19 dwt. 12 gr. per ton; 16-~- tons from l~ise and Shine Reef, 1 oz. 13 dwt.-2 tons from this reef, sent to the liint, gave (j oz. 14 dwt. The stOlle from the Lady lVIary Mine, Little Plains Creek, yields 1 oz .. ,t dwt. [) gr. per ton. Total for Kana Creek division, 452B tons yielded 410 oz. 4 dwt. 21 gr. In tho Peel and U raUn, district the Wa,rdens and liining I{egistrars report :-At Scone 44D tons quartz crushed gave 409 oz. ~rhe Inspector of Mines sn,ye 570 tOllS crushed from the Grosvenor Reef at Stewart’s Brook gave 225 oz. 10 dwt. The Just-in-Time Company crushed 3 tOllS for 17 oz. 10 dwt.
At N undle, though, owing to the drought, there has not been more than three months sluicing-1,626 oz. have been obtained from alluvium. At Bowling AHey Point, King and party crushed 40 tons for 3 oz. per ton-great quantity of water. lIarquis of Lorne: 460 tons gave 317 oz. 7 dwt. At Hanging Rock a new line of reef opened, 10 tOllS from which gave [) oz. Nethersole and party crushed 20 tons for 60 ozs. Total for division: 559 tons crushed, yield, 512 oz.; besides G2 oz. from patches in quartz. A tBarraba, the yield of gold was 2D3 oz., and at Bingera it ‘vas 2,964 oz. At the Tia Reefs, ‘Valcha, Matheson and party crushed 40 tons of surface stone for 40 oz. 12 dwt. 12 gr.
At Uralla all the mines were retarded by reason of tho drought; gold obtained, 863 oz. 11 dwt. 18 gr. At Armidale the Eleanora Company obtained 1,566 oz. 11 dwt. 18 gr. from quartz, from the alluvial mines in the division 116 oz. 19 dwt. 15 gr. was won. The Inspector of Mines, speaking of this mine, says: The veins vary from 6 inches to 3 feet; 1,576 tons crushed yielded 710 oz. 1·.t rlwt. 23 gr., the tailings by assay containing 1 oz. 1 dwt. of gold per ton. In addition to the gold they raised antimony to the value of £150. In the New England district the lfining Registrar at Boorook reports: The Poverty Point Company find the rock too hard to be reduced by hydraulic sluicing, and are intending to erect crushing appliances. :lfr. Horton haB discovered a tsimilar dyke about 50 feet wide, and intends to erect a battery to crush the granite in which the gold is found. At Pretty Gully the quartz-reefs are attracting some uttention, but the absence of crushing plant prevents a proper test being made.
Total gold, 738 oz. In the Albert di::;triet the vVardens and Mining Hegistrars report: At lfllparinka during the first five months of the year mining was at a standHtill for want of water, dry hlowing being the only mode available of treating the stuff. By this mode over SOO oz. was won.
A t the latter end of lfay 2 inches of rain fell at Milparinka and ‘l’ibooburra., but none at lfount Browne. This enabled the miners to wash up the alluvium, which yielded I} to 3 dwt. per lon,d. In June over an inch of rain, and in October a general rainfall.all ever the district. A
t Mount Browne it wa!; so heavy that it wa,shed away all the dams and reservoirs. ~t Wittabreel1ah 125! tons of quart7. crushed gave 39 oz, :3 dwt. At Mount Browne good wages are made by crushing cement found at a de~ I,.i vf about 20 feet; the goM is I:Ihotty, but the appliances are so rude that much of the gold is lost. There is one puddling machine at work on tailingR and surface clay, which yields It dwt, per load of 15 cwt. Coarse gold has been found at Stringer’s Hill at a depth of 3! feet. A 15-oz. nugget was found at Tibooburra. Total yield of division 2,527 oz. 2 dwt.
MINES INSPECTOR SUMMARY OF THE MAJOR FIELDS
The only bright spots in the Mines Inspectors reports really were in the places where some serious company investments were occurring on the well established fields. In this Adelong was the pre-eminent NSW field with state of the art mining technology installed to treat the challenging pyrite laden ores coming from the mines. Lucknow also showed what some modern mining practices could achieve if given a chance and proper management.
MINES INSPECTOR SUMMARY OF THE MAJOR FIELDS
ADELONG is being so far the most permanent quartz-reefing district in New South Wales.
Payable gold is obtained below the perpendicular depth of 1,000 feet from surface; although it may be said that this is only the case on the Victoria Hill, it nevertheless points to the probability that if deep sinking was adhered to in other parts of the Adelong district, results may prove beneficial to all parties concerned.
The quartz-crushing and bold-saving appliances at·Adelong are of a very superior kind, and certainly not inferior to any in Australia.
Generally the richest quartz on this gold-field is heavily impregnated with iron and arsenical pyrites, copper and bismuth, as well as zincblende and galena, which base have the tendency of sickening the mercury used for amalgamating purposes.
Quartz-crushers have therefore therefore been compelled by force of circumstances to erect such appliances as would separate the base metalls from the quartz brought to their crushing mills with the least possible loss of gold or mercury.
In this they have been equal to the task, and have brought their appliances to such a perfection that instead of as formerly the loss of mercury being 1 lb. of mercury for each ton of quart.z crushed the loss of mercury is now reduced to almost a minimum.
In the alluvial, Mr. A. D. Sheppard’s mine and Travers Jones mine on the Adelong Creek, near Grahamstown, are still carrying on extensive mining operations, with apparently payable results. Both Companies deserve success for their enterprise and perseverance.
Although no new discoveries have been made during the year 1881, still there are miles of auriferous and metalliferous country which is well worthy of a thorough prospecting.
Temora. This gold-field, from which some portion of our mining community expected such great results, has dwindled down considerably, Loth in the yield of gold and population.
My opinion, from the first time I yisited Temora, has Leen that the quartz-reefs so far opened wonld not prove payable, Lut that narrow rich veins would be discovered at or near the allu.Yial workings along the valley out of which such heavy deposits of gold have been taken. It is quite evident that there is no continuous lead in the Temora valley, and hence miners must look for the source froUl which said valley received its payable auriferous deposits in the narrow quartz-veins from the brow of hills ill the immediate vicinity of the alludal workings, or in the alluvial itself.
N early all the nuggets found appear as if they had been part and parcd of some narrow veins close at hand; few if any of the nuggets have a waterworn appeamncc.
There is still ample room for prospecting in this district, and soonor or later the Temora gold-field may once more advance.
Barmed1llan ‘Vas inspectcJ by me in February. The population at that time was about 300, but Ims greatly diminished of late. Vith one or two exceptions the quartz-yeins at Barmedman arc vcry irregubr; their strikes are almost all points of the eompass j they occur in blocks or fragment.s of v(~iJls, and their very irregularity compels mining managers and miners to follow a system of fossickiug rather than systematic mining. The Barmedman United G.1I.C. arc still sinking and otherwise developing their mine; they have a 25-head crushing plant at their mine, and during the year 1884 crushed about 1,200 tons of quartz, yielding about 6 dwt. of gold per ton.
In alluvial a little prospecting has been done during the ycar, but the Jrought has principally prevented a proper system of prospecting for alluvial gold to be carried on. Burrangong (Young) Coldfield.
At the beginning of the year the Burrangollg GolJ·milling and Prospecting Company were vorking at their mine situated on the Burrangong Creck, about 3 miles Horth-west of the town of Young.
Two shafts had heen bottomed, each 80 feet in depth, and 74: ft-’et apart from each other, payaLle gold having Leen obtained at the bottom of both. A 12-h.p. double cylinder portable engine Jrh-es the pumps in both shaft.H (the flow of water being very heavy) but had not sufficient power to do the winding j the latter was done by the slow process with horse and whim.
The main or northern shaft had been opened out and driven north-north-west 47 ft’ct, and was intended to connect the two shafts. Total length of drives, 69 feet; height, 5 feet, and width, 5 feet out of which 75 oz. Odwt. 17 gr. of gold, valued at £285 17s. 7d., were obtained.
The gold seemed to be very evenly distributed through the wash, which rests on a soft granite bottom, and which is about 18 inches in thickness; but there is a little gold for several feet in height through the drift; hence the drift could be taken for the whole height of the drive and put through the sluice boxes.
The lead has been named Minter’s LeaJ, and it is likely to he vorked for a consideraLle distance along the Burrangong valley. On the western side of this valley are several shallow, formerly rieh, but now ‘Worked-out alluvial workings, tributaries or feeders to :Minter’s Lead; this lead, probably the main channel of the Burrangong or the Lambing Flat golII-field, is very wet, and too costly to wOl,k for tlle iudi vidual miner, or for the speculator who has not sufficient capital, or is not willing to erect sufficient powerful pumping and winding machinery.
Very little has been done in sluicing during the ~ear owing to continued dry seasons, and very little ha..~ been done in quartz or alluvial mining.
A quartz-reef, or rather quartz containing very rich gold, “”,’as found at Wombat, but it is likely only to be a patch, as years gone by patches similar to that fOUlHl this year were of frequent occurrence; the quartz in which these patches of gold appear are generally of a very glossy nature, what miners would call very raw quartz, not likely to contain any mineral or metal in large quantities.
Gren/ell. The population of this once famous gold-field have emerged from a mining to an agricultural community. Very few miners are now at work at its former rich quartz-reefs or alluvial workings. There is, however, a great probability that these quartz-reefs will, by force of circumstances, again be taken up, and that by proper system and economy they will prove profitable investment for capital expended.
Cct1’coa1’. Since my last inspection the lIount li’Donald gold-field has undergone a great change. At that time it existed on capital brought from Victoria, and money expended on a few of the numerous leases taken up, but since then some of the Companies have wholly or partially faileJ, in consequence of which nearly the whole of the gold-field has been left in the hand~ of the individu3.1 miners.
It is a notorious fact that the Victorian capitalist or scientists ha ve not introducod a better system for crushing, a.malgamating, and gold-saving than those adopted for several years past on the gold-fidJs of New South Vales. The gold at Mount M’Donald is found in short shoots or bunches; some of these bunches or fragments of quartz veins contain rich golJ, generally with an east and west course.
Some of the gold-mining leases are let on tribute, and in many instances where Compallies f~liled, triiJutors, or the individua.l miners, obtained large returns.
Several cases of this kind were brought uIlder my notice at the time of my inspection, but I will only note one, thinking it sufficient for the purpose of this report. Three miners named Voodward, Lynch, and Tough, took a lease on tribute, known as the Woman’s Lease.
They went to work, employed wages men, and at the time of my inspection had, during seven months, netted £25 per man per week. I sa. w one crushing of 25 tons finished which yielded 200 oz. 10 d wt. or 8 oz. of gold per ton of quartz
The Balmoral and other tributors were also on fair gohl. .Mr. Easedown, the energetic anl very able manager of the Association ground, also obtained some highly payal)le quartz. He cruahed at llis large battery during the first four months of 1884, 789 ton~ of quartz yielding 1,192 oz. 6 dwt. of gold.
The above yield would have been considerably increased, but owing to the severe and protracted drought milling and crashing wr.s f,rreatly retarded. The Burnt Tard Aline is f>ituated about 9 miles from Uarcoar, tnd 3 miles from the Belubula RiM. The workings consist of a network of small quartz-veins with decomposed diorite, iron bands, and iron con .. cretions, forming a dyke which is several yards in width.
Over 2,000 tons of stuff had been crushed at the time of my inspection. There was a ten-stamp crushing plant in connecting with this mine about! a mile diRtant, but is connected with the mine by iron tramline. The Uompany’s main shaft is down about 500 feet. The whole of the workings is under the able management of Captain 1faustaka. The Frenchmen’s iR about 3 miles from tho Burnt Yard Mine, on the banks of the Belubula River, and consist of quartz-reefs several feet in thickness, lying horizontally, of which several thousand tons had been crushed.
‘The ./unction JVine.-Tllis mine i:-; Rituated at the junction of the Belubula River and Combing Oreek; has been working for several years past with various success. There are several reefs overlaying each other in a horizontal position.
Commencing on the surface there are two reefs, 1 foot and 3 feet re8pecti vely, next a layer of state 12 feot thick, resting on a 6-ft. reef; this again rests on slate 12 feet thick, which overlays a reef 20 feet in thickness; again, a layer of slate 3 feet 6 inches in thickness, overlaying a reef 11 feet thick.
Through the vhole of these horizontal quartz-reefs and bands of slates vertical faults occur, conRisting of diorite reefs from!) to 12 feet in thickness. The Company have a 32-stamp battery ,vorked hy a turhinc. JJla!Jnf?Y· The Brmvn’s Creek Gold-mining Company is still in full work; they have now worked down to the depth of 150 foet from surface, where dlO lode or dyke, which consists of clay, quartzite, limestone, flint, and other matters, is from 20 feet to 90 feet in width. 3 dwt. of gold per ton pays all expenses, a lesser yield paid dividends in times gone by, but the scarcity and high price of mining timber has considerable increased the expenditure in working this mine, every ·1 fect or set of timber costing 58. The mine is worked on the block system.
Everything in and about the mine is in good condition and creditable to the management. The Company have now three large hoileri’l, a 50-h.p., 12-h.p” and 8-h.p. engines, with fifty head of stamps; of which six batteries or thirty stamps are 5 cwt. each stamp, and twenty stamps are 8 cwt. each stamp, forty stamps werc at ,vork at the time of my inspection and the remaining ten stamps were to be started at an early date.
There is abo at work a plunger, a Tangye pump, and a draw lift. The blanketing tables at the battery are 40 feet in length; each table for each battery has six of Roberts’ electric copper plates, and thero are also four of Denny and Hoberts’ grinders and amalgamators to treat the blanketings. 11r. Villiam Roberts is the general manager of the machinery and mine.
Everything reasonable has beCl~ done by Captain John Rmitll amI John Carry, mining and underground managers, for the prevention of accidents. Number of men employed in and about the mine and machinery is about 80. This is exclusive of wood and coal carters. At; the Forrest, about 12 miles from Blayney, tllC Great Extended Golcl-mining Company are carrying on extensiTe alluvial gold-mining operations. Their maiu shaft is 230 feet in depth of which 225 feet had to be sunk through hasalt which required blasting.
The wash, which is cemented, averages about 20 inches in thickness, containing in addition to the gold fossil nuts, leaves and wood similar to those found at the Black: Lead, Gulgong. Several hundrctl feet of drives ha(I been driven, proving the lead on the eastern side fully 40 feet in width, and on the western side 80 feet had been driven across at the time of my visit. The wash-dirt is crushed with a 9-strtmp hattery through fine gratings, and discharged on the usual mercury ripples antI blanketing tables rtttached to crushing machines. By the courtcsy of 1lr. O’Shea, the managing director, residing on the mine’, I am enallled to give the crushings and the yield of gold from wash-dirt ra1s(‘(1 from 1Hh January up to the day of my inspection, l:2th April, 1881, as S5S tons of wash crushed yi(‘lding 71:2 oz. of gol(l which was payable.
Four diffi’rrnt pyritous veim have also been intersected in the allm’ial workings, which, from assays lnrt(lC’, haxe r(‘alizrd from I!) dwt. to 2 oz. !) dwt. per ton. The basalt wllich restrd on the wasIl-dirt forms the roof of tbe workings, and tends largely to the reduction of expenditure as, with the excrption of the main drives very little tim I)er is required for the roof, and although the roof is wet single timbers (props) are suflicient.
Ventilation is made complete to all parts of the mine by water jets of simple construction which discharge the water through one-sixteenth of an inch opening which forces the air through a G-illl’h gah’anisccl iron pipe.
The jets receive their pressure from a 2-inch iron pipr. connected with the top of the pump alHl le’ading dOvn the shaft 230 feet perpendicular. The machinery cClllsists of a 3;’-h. p. aUll 1 :!-h. p. (‘llgillt’S, a nine-st.amp battery, and 10-inch pump; the latter works with a .q fret stroke. Th(‘ mine [InrI machillery was, at tllC time of my inspection, under the able management of .Mr. Villiam Ovington, ailtl eycrything in al!d about tho mine and machinery was in good order and creditable to the management.
If this district was more thoroughly prospected, which, however, can only be done by the aid of capiti1l, great results might be expected. Some two or tlJrC:c Companie.~ were prospecting, and expected to carryon extensi ’e wining operations before the emI of the yeur.
Ophir. At the Ophir gold-fiel(l there is an extensive area of basaltic country, well ~orthy of being prospected fot, pn.)”:lhle auriferous drifts, although tIle patel I)’ Ilature of Ole nUl’if(~l’OllS lh’posits, and t.he hard sinking generally met willl, l)Otll ill alluvial awl quartz, \’ill :-;Olllewlmt rchu’d the progress of successful mining operations. N ear Slater’s Hotel a Company, principal1y residents of DathurRt, haye for several yearR paRt expended large sums of money ill tnlllldlill,!.!’ illto a ll[tsaitie hill opposit.e ll II rray’s Hill ; hut it appeared to me, at the timn of my insp(‘etioll ill llay last, that hy thn illdieatiomi in tlw fnee of the different 1l’iv{,R k~Hling from titr’il’ hlll1Hl, tIlt’ CC)]llpallY will most lik(·ly HOt. illCl’l’St’(.’t any hptlYY nUl’if{,t,ous drifts aht’a1 of their present (It’iv’s, 1)11t that. whatever payalth’ fWl’ifrrous drifts the!’(‘ may Itl’ fOUllll will lH~ on the si1ling of the hill llcnrcst the gully whirh (livid!,,:; Rlayt(‘t; allil ~[nl’rnytfi },il!s. The pro~p(‘d~ of the Compnny ‘Were hot 5-P , . 6ilCOtn’f.giIig~ encouraging.
At the Upper Ophir, Horrick’s and party were also tunnelling under the basalt to, if possible, intersect auriferous drifts. A few persons were also at work near the Belmore Reefs and along the Ophir Creek. A 15-stamp battery and a large reservoir were in course of crection by a Bathurst Company a few hundred yards from “Slater’s Hotel,” on Slater’s freehohl, and close to a reef, or rather large blow of quartz, which the Company intended to work. This olow of quartz, which has been named tho Queen of the Ranges, contains a little gold, both in the quartz and the matrix associated with the quartz, but it will require the greatest possible economy and systematic working to make it a. payable venture.
The quartz appeared to me to contain too little mineral ever to pay. At Lucas Gully very rich patches of gold have heen obtained by ]tIro R. Spencer, who manages for an Orange Oompany. The gold occurs in narrow horizontal quartz veins, which are met with between perpendicu1ar walls of metamorphic rocks. The Belmore quartz-veins have also been rich j a thousand pounds worth of gold has often been taken out of a bucketful of stuff. These veins were lying idle j but it was intended to start work ag’1in at an early date. The principal quartz reef or blow, known as the Bluff, is at or near the historical spot where Hargraves found the first gold, the discovery of which has been the principal cause of Aust.ralia’s rapid advancement.
Here a solid mass of quartz, several yards in thickncss, and fully 100 feet in height, meet the eye. The quartz has a decidedly auriferous appearance, containing galena, iron, and arsenical pyrites, and probably a good percentage of silver. There is a yery excP.llcllt site for quartz-crushing machinery near the Bluff j the quartz can be obtained in almost unlimited quantities, and if worked with a proper system and economy, a small percentage of gold per ton of quartz ought to give payable returns. The country between Ophir and Orange, a distance of about 18 miles, has an auriferous appearance, more especially so within a few miles of Orange, and on the estate known as Trewecke’s.
Lucknow. This famous gold-field has, through the great energy and perseverance of ~Ir. H. V. Newman, lately made considerable strides in the advancement of our mining industry, and instead of the deserted shafts, or miners’ huts, which a few years ago forcibly reminded the visitor to Lucknow of its declining greatness, the working of extensive mining machinery can oe IleaI’d, and newly-erected comfortable miners’ houses can bo seen in different directions. The New Reform Gold-mining Company, which is under the able management of ~fr. II. ‘V. Newman, has been fully reported on by me in my unnual report for 188:3 as to geologioal formation, the treatment of the pyritous ores, and the machinery in connection with the mine_ I can only add that the prospects of the mine looked rather better at. my last than the predous visit of my inspection, and that I found everything in and about the mine and machinery in good orner-a credit to the management.
Another mine adjoining the New Reform Gold-mining Company has been opened during this year, also under the management of ~Ir. H. ‘V. Newman, and is named the Frederick Valley Gold-mining Company. This Company is composed of English capitalists, who have taken up a large area of land, which they intend to work extensively, and it is to be hoped for the benefit of our Colony at large that the results will be successful and that ample returns will be obta.ined for the capital invested. Machinery,- 25 horse-power and 10 horse-power engine, ten ht·ad battery, and the usual gold saving appliances. A tramway, 700 feet in length, has been constructed along the mines in connection with the mine and machinery; a large dam has also been constructed of bricks and cement on the top of the hill, and the Oompany have adopted the plan of some of our copper-mines by building comfortable housos for the miners at work in their mine at a very low rental.
I hope to be able to report still greater progress from the Lucknow ~Iines before the end of 1885.
Cudgegong. The Rhobardah quartz-mines, which we!’e inspected by me, are situated about 21 miles east of the township of Oudgegong. They consist of, at least, four parallel running veins, namely, the Blanche, the Cheshire, the Francke’s, and the Abel.
A tunnel had been driven into the hill by which the Blanche vein was intersected from mouth of tunnel about 150 feet, the vein measuring 3 feet in thickness, but of rather inferior quality and containing a large per-centage of lime; the other abovementioned veins have also been sunk and driven on, but as far as I could see none of these quartz-veins presented very encouraging prospects. A 10 stamp battery had been bought, which it was intended to erect on the banks of the Cudgegong River within a short distance of the quartz-veins to be operated upon.
Gulgong. In former reporti I pointed out that this gold-field had received but very scant prospecting, and that if capital was judiciously invested by prospecting the lower basaltic covore(1 parts of tlw Gulgong Leads, results would probably be such as to place Gulgong as the Ballarat or New South ‘Vales. Extensive mining operations are now carried on in various parts of this gold-field, principally by the enterprise of Victorian capitalists.
At Rouse Paddock, at the Black I.ead, the Canadian and Britannia J.Jcarls near HQme Rule, powerful pumping and winding machinery has been el’cctd, and the theory that heavy deposits of alluvial gold existed in these valleys will now be thoroughly tested by practical results. Great credit is due to Messrs .. Marshall & Co., and the Syndicates they represent, for their pluck in furniHLing capital (and such large amounts) to thoroughly test these leads, for which they deserve every justifiable en~onragement. Great credit is also due to l:Ir. Plunkett, J.P., of Gulgong, who never lost an opportunity for years past of placing before the public, in the press or otherwise, the supposed groat wealth in the shape of deposits of gold still lying dormant in the Gulgong valleys.
I sincerely hope that Mr. Plunkett’s prognostications which coincides with my own opinion will be fully horne out by practical re~ults. Several local Companies have also prosecuted mining operations on extensive scales, foremost of which is a Mudgee Company on the Canadian Lead which are likely to be repaid for theii”large capital laid out and the great difficulty they had to contend against in the early part of the year by the grent flow of water in their mine. This difficulty has now been overcome and payable gold has bee11 obtained during the last few months. Quartz·mining has been dull of late, hut soonrr 01’ later rich lmt narrow quartz-yein~ are almost certain to be discovered.