BANNOCKBURN AND THE CARRICK RANGE.

Cromwell Argus, Volume VI, Issue 291, 9 June 1875, Page 5

BANNOCKBURN AND THE CARRICK RANGE.

By Viator. (Continued.) Passing through the erstwhile busy township of Quartzville, in which a sort of " deadly liveliness" seems now to prevail, I came to the Grown and Cross Company's reef. The proprietors were engaged in making a dray road from the mine to the millsite, situated about 300 yards down the gully. 1 was shown over the workings, which are in excellent trim. A main level is driven about 120 feet into the spur, and drives are opened east and west along the reef. The stone looks very rich, but very full of arsenical pyrites. The reef averages about two feet in width, and there are ninety feet of backs above the present level. Between the millsite and the tunnel, a much deeper level can be reached at some future date. There are over 100 tons of stone in the paddock, and I should estimate it, from former experiences of similar stone, to yield an ounce and a half per ton, and a possible loss of an ounce and a half more from the present defective appliances for crushing and amalgamation. Gold-can be seen freely in the stone, which is of a much more solid character than the majorfty of Carrick reefs, and is traversed by deep blue veins of pyrites. I fancy it upsets Mr Ulrich's theory of mullock reefs, under which head he places the reefs in this locality, though to what class in geology the term "mullock" is applied, I candidly confess lam ignorant. One of the promoters, Mr Watson, explained an invention of his own, which seems to me to be an excellent plan, for amalgamation ripple. It is an entirely new idea, and he intends to have one constructed for their battery, when erected. While upon this subject, I may mention that 1 was shown by Mr Reid, mining engineer, his plans for a " tailings pulveriser" and amalgamator, and am confident, if they were erected at one of the mills, the results would give such an impetus to quartz raining in Otago, as no amount of new discoveries could achieve. The machine is not very expensive, very simple in its details, and certainly cannot fail to carry out the promises of the inventor, who cannot be called a tyro in such matters, having had twenty years' experience in the art. 1 trust some of the companies may shortly take up the question of the erection of one of these machines, and fairly demonstrate that our quartz reefs in Otago do not fail from want of a paying admixture of the precious metal with the ore. I grant that it is possible that even with the above all the gold will not be saved, but the quantities of pyrites, etc., will be so considerably reduced that the expense of treating them by roasting or any other process is reduced to a minimum.

To return to the reefs, I next visited the Try Again, late the White Horse, —Messrs iVl'Kersie, Saltoun, and Co. This company have a tunnel in on the same line as the Crown and Cross, and have a really good show of stone from sixteen inches to two feet in width. I saw a dish of stone washed, and can affirm that it was almost impossible to take up one piece that did not contain large quantities of gold ; but, as in the last described, pyrites here predominate, and the company are actually leaving the stone behind, because, as they have found, they cannot save a tithe of the gold, and are only taking that which is tolerably free from mundic. I saw some of the pyrites roasted, and a lot of gold was visible where none could before be seen,—a tolerable proof to me of a ruinous lo3s during disintegration. This party have lately purchased the Standard battery, and I wish them success.

Next, in order is the Caledonian. This company are just now prosecuting an expensive but necessary piece of work. They are driving a main level which will give them a vertical grip of ISO feet. The adit is in 272 feet, and a cross-cut is put in to the westward of 5G feet. Another shift or two will bring them under the Hue of reef, and before many days they may expect to cut it. This has been hitherto one of the best paying reefs on the Carrick, and I see nothing preposterous in supposing that it is.likely to retain this character. The work is performed under the superintendence of Mr Patterson in a very efficient and workmanlike style. He is evidently up to the business of manager, a desideratum rarely acquired by mining companies hitherto. Proceeding up the range, I came to the Star of the East. I found this company in full swing, and the mill "crushing away right merrily. The stone now being crushed is likely to yield from two to three and a half ounces per ton. I was kindly shown all over the mine by Mr Cameron, the mine manager, who seems to take a very justifiable pride in his work. The main level is in 530 feet, and is so perfectly straight that daylight can be seen from the farthest end. The reef now being worked is about twenty inches wide, and has a very considerable underlie to the east. The stone is very clean, and tolerably free from arsenical pyrites, although iron abounds in oxides. The last crushing of 230 tons gave 260 ounces, the greater part of which came from 60tons from the "make" lately discovered. The mill is under the superintendence of Mr W. Menzies ; it is in excellent trim. He showed me some of Mr Ulrich's " drop-wells," about which so much fuss has been made. He has placed them at the end of a flume which carries all the tailings from the batteries, and when he had them cleaned up, the result, was a quarter of a grain (!) per ton for the last two crushings. Seeing that Mr Ulrich's fiat was that the 1033 generally was equal to the actual yield At our batteries, this trial of bis plan for the

prevention of such loan does not say much for his practical know ledge of amalgamation, whatever his capabilties as a geologist may be. In any other hands I might have doubted, but Mr Monzies is so thoroughly trustworthy in such matters that I.fancy bur Viptorian mentor discovered what many a wiser man has done before, a " mare's nest." " The shades of evening closing o'er me,' I did not visit the Heart of Oak tunnel, but I was informed that Mr Holliday, the contractor, was pushing on his work with his accustomed vigour. There were several other lines of reef not now. in work, so I deemed it hardly necessary to visit them. The Carrickton township is here situated, and consists apparently of three public-houses and one store, and how they all exist with so many Templars about is somewhat of a mystery tome. Next morning I ascended higher, and came to the Young Australian claim, and can only remark that anyone who chooses to earn a livelihood at that elevation richly deserves to be well paid. Mr Sam. Williams, a very old quartz-reefer, one of the proprietors, took me over the mine and mill. They have a very complete crushing plant, driven by a 26-feet water-wheel, the power for which is supplied from the Oarrick Water Company's race, and when fine weather sets in will be in full operation. The yield has hitherto been over one ounce per ton. There has been an immense amount of work done in the mine, and thousands of tons of payable stone are now in sight, so that Mr Williams and his mates are likely to reap a rich reward for the*r pluck and energy in carrying on operations to a successful issue in the face of almost insuperable difficulties. There is work in the present reef for very many years, and when I was there they had struck a new reef in the claim, farther back, at 80 feet, which was also likely to pay well. 1 may remark, en passant, that if the Government were to extend the road by this claim, it would be a great boon, as there will be considerable traffic there next Spring. In the meantime, good luck to the Young Australian. Higher still I found the Leader reef, owned by Mr Evan Jones, several crushings from which have averaged over 24 dwts per ton. He had drawn his timber from his original level to use it in another he i 3 putting in lower down, on the opposite side of the spur, so that I could not get into the old workings. He is in with his new drive over 50 feet, and expects to cut the reef at 100 feet, or sooner. The driving is very easy, but I think if he had a larger company, work would be expedited and returns come in much sooner. He is at present sole proprietor, having bought out his former partners. Further on is a reef which, if not named, might be called the " Excelsior," —indeed I .thought it too much so for me. It belougs to Messrs Tupker and Wilson, and some of our Cromwell capitalists. Whatever shares may be sold at in this reef, they are sure to be considered "high." I saw some stone crushed and prospects washed from this claim previously, and they were, to speak honestly, excellent. The Carrick water-race is also available for this claim.

There being nothing more of note to see, I turned and retraced ray steps down hill, and penned this crude but veracious account of what 1 did see ; and, Mr Editor, your readers may rest assured that it is a "full, true, and particular account." I have no interest in the reefs or any other mining claims, but merely, as I said before, having a few days' idleness, "1 went, I saw," and, if any good results from my visit, I will say, " conquered."