Mr Warden Pyke's Quarterly Report.

Cromwell Argus, Volume 2, Issue 95, 5 September 1871, Page 6

Mr Warden Pyke's Quarterly Report.

I do myself the honour to report concerning the condition of my district for the quarter ending 30th June, IS7I. All branches of mining have been very dull indeed during the past quarter. Heavy frosts have chained up the water-supply, thereby checking both quartz-mining and sluicing operations in a very large degree throughout the Dunstan district. A fine winter liar vest was expected by the riverdredgers, but great disappointment has resulted owing to the immense quantity of tailings deposited in the river-bed. Til--- tuiitogs ate now i« --- me £~ QS s ; x aIK ; even uighu tacc deep, and, being of a loose descrip- ; tion of shingle, as fast as the spoon removes a j quantity an equal quantity Hows in to occupy the space. Many well-known rich patches are | overlaid by tailings, and although occasional i patches may yet be reached by present dredgI ing appliances, it is apparent that more ! powerful apparatus is requisite to work the I river-bed systematically. Our enterprising j dredge owner, Mr Siedeberg, has sent to | Europe for necessary machinery, which he I informs me cannot bo obtained of the rej quired construction in Dunodinor Melbourne. j As some interest appears to be taken at prc- ! sent in this matter, I will explain that the | Dunstan dredging ground of proved aiirij ferous character extends from Clyde to ' Alexandra, a distance of about eight miles, i During this part of its course the river runs | smoothly, and with an easy current, there ! not being any rocks to impede the navigation !or disturb the flow of water. The bottom is a soft yellow pipe-clay of untried depth, and i it is on that the auriforoxia wash is found. j On other parts of the river, both above Clyde i and below Alexandra, I understand that rock I bottom is met with, but pipe-clay is the more j usual bottom, underlying, indeed, not only I the Dunstan basin but also the vast auriferous area extending from the head of the i Bannockburn to the Wanaka and Hawea i Lakes.

The bank sluicers on the Duustan Flat, a little below the camp, have laid bare the geological formation of the basin to the depth of 80 feet. Under, and sometimes on the immediate surface, there is a compact layer, of glacier boulders varying from 3 feet to fi feet in thiekne33. Under these 13 found a vein of auriferous wash. Then line shingle extends downwards to the yellow clay, on which another vein of wash-dirt is mot with. The el ay-bed dips inwards and has never yet been pierced. I have reason (arguing from analogous geological data in Victoria and California) that beneath this pipe-chiyanother gravel wash containing much heavier gold will yet bo found. It is matter of great regret that no one has yet sunk a, few shafts for the purpose of testing this.

The above description is equally applicable to the Danstan Gorge and to the basins of theßannockburn, Kawarau, and upper Clutha, above Cromwell. It is in the plains (or "flats" as they are locally termed) lying along and adjacent to the great river Clutha that true " deep leads" (ancient river beds) will, if anywhere, yet be found, I am in possession of information which points to the existence of one such river-bed in the Dunstan plain. I have no doubt that the present river-bed is,. geologically speaking, of comparatively modern formation. In remoter ages the deeper currents of tlxe river ran in other, probably several other, channels, and in these old channels there is every reason for supposing heavy auriferous depo3its to exist.

Although reefing is just now at a standstill, never were the prospects of the quartz-mining community brighter. At Bendigo, the Carricks, and Convoys, and also at Thomsons, payable stuff has been discovered, and very large returns may be confidently anticipated when summer enables operations to be profitably conducted. I feel assured that the district will yet be noted as the richest quartz field in the province.

The total number of miners in the district is 1550, of whom 1000 are Europeans and 550 Chinese. 850 Europeans and all the Chinese are employed in alluvial mining, and 150 Europeans in quartz mining. The approximate value of all the mining plant in the district is £30,000. In addition to this, there are 92 water-races, valued at £40,250, and carrying 342 sluice-heads ; 15 tail-races, valued at 11,125 ; and 22 dams, valued at £I,OOO. The price of gold per ounce is from £3 12s to £3 14s. .

The rates of wages are asfollows : —Chinese, 7s per day ; Europeans, 103 per clay ; miners, 10s per day; quartz do., 12s pur day ; domestic servants, £52 per annum.