FACTS FOR QUARTZ MINERS.

Cromwell Argus, Volume III, Issue 128, 23 April 1872, Page 6

FACTS FOR QUARTZ MINERS.

BY VIATOR. Your correspondent "Crusher," speaking for himself and the public, decries my humble efforts to afford and elicit information in relation to quartz-mining and gold-production as uninteresting. Well, such may bo the case ; all people ai*o not alike, —and probably " Crusher," in following the avocation his norm de plume implies, has become too " mercurial " to partake of such heavy mental pabulum as geological study and research. He should, however, remember that to accomplish his desire of '' making our poor reefs pay," a slight acquaintance on the part of managers with geology would not be amiss, so that in the event of meeting with " faults," or any of the thousand-and-one peculiarities of quartz-lodes, they may know them at sight, when again to expect them, and how to deal with them. Miners have greater opportunities of gaining practical information, if they arc willing to take advantage of them, than the " most eminent scientific men," who, according to " Crusher," arc at variance on the subject. The eminent body of savans in Victoria, with Professor M'Coy at their head, evidently made a slight mistake in fixing the limits at which quartz-reefs would prove remunerative at 200 or 300 feet. If the miners had accepted this fiat <>f the " eminent scientific men," where would the industry of quartz-mining have been to-day ? I think, moreover, that, with all due deference to science and its professors, any man who is a gold-miner does not fulfil his part if ho neglects the opportunity of examining any new fact which may crop up in his path, which, by philosophical contemplation, may serve to elucidate the mysteries of the gold production. And how often do we find the most mysterious appearances prove to be the most commonpkxec objects in disguise ? However, to the point. "Crusher" wishes me to dismount my "hobby," and as I am not, like Mazeppa on his "Ukraine steed," bound, — I will oblige him. Of course, it would be invidious and arrogant on my part to profess to show " the best way of making our poor reefs pay," after the failure of probably better men to make them remunerative ; but I have a few crude ideas on the subject, and these I will make public. But before startin,.;, let me endorse " Crusher's" sentiments

on management by stating that, to his gloomy picture of ignorance, incapacity, and worse, ) I could add darker shades from personal experience ; but enough has been said, and if ' any of the unlucky subjects of his delineation recognise the sketch, let them reflect, and—repent. In most instances, the failure of quartz j companies may be traced to the undue haste on the part of shareholders to become rich, ; not allowing the mines to bo properly developed, expending their limited capital in the ] purchase of machinery before the paying nature of the reefs is determined, and leaving no surplus fund for what is technically known as " dead" work, such as sinking shafts, putting in main levels, laying down tramways, &c. &c. I vKmld recommend a different course, viz. : On finding a reef, and forming a company to work it, let the reef be thoroughly prospected, and the quantity of quartz estimated, to a given depth, and, if possible, as many tons' of stone raised as, at the estimated yield, will cover the expense of the requisite machinery. The reef would thus find the mill, instead of, as is usually the case, the mill having to find the reef. Further, no one should rush into such a speculation without a considerable stock of patience and capital, as it is generally found that a successful result can only bo achieved by a large expenditure of both. " Crusher" has said all that is required on the subject of management; so it will be unnecessary for mo to travel again over the ground. I will only reiterate his advice, — Get a competent man if he is to bo had for money. It will take a very rich reef indeed 1 to counterbalance the evils of mismanagement. I notice here generally that the mills are 5 at an inconvenient distance from the mines. This is a grave error, and one which might have been prevented if the calculation of carriage versus the expense of bringing water- : power on to the claim had been properly gone 1 into at the outset. 1 The chances of dividends are very much decreased by the method of raising the stone in vogue in this district, and that is by the ! old and ruinous plan of open cutting. Why ' it is persisted in, I cannot fathom ; in the » neighbouring Colony of Victoria it has been 3 many years exploded. Why not sink shafts to certain levels, and "stope" upwards, let--3 ting all the mullock fall below the workers - and strengthen the ground, so that nothing 3 but quartz is brought to the surface either from shafts or tunnels 1 More especially ought this plan to be adopted when our reefs arc usually narrow, necessitating the removal of a quantity of the adjacent slate to give room to the men. I Employ practical miners ; they are to be e had if sufficient inducement in the shape of - pay is offered. As it is a species of skilled i labour, some distinction ought to be made in e the matter of wages. It is unreasonable to y suppose that a man who knows his work will s put forth his energies when placed alongside - and on the same footing as one who does not. - This, at least, is the underground creed, and e who will blame its disciples ] Having, I presume, exhausted your space s and patience, I now conclude for the present; f and beg to inform "Crusher" that I intend , riding this " hobby (!)" unless again dis- " mounted by him or some other "free-lance."