THE NEW OPHIR.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1261, 30 April 1886, Page 3

THE NEW OPHIR.

Specially Written for the Otago Witness.)

Tenth Article. Tn the early days of quartz mining in Victoria, when corapaiatively nothing had been done in the way of exploration, Sir Roderick Murchison, upon very insufficient evidence hazarded the opinion that “ deep mining in solid quar'z rock was unprofitable.’’ rhis was an item of a theory con* cerningthe origin an I disposition ot gold every detail almost of which Ins since been proved to be incorrect and delusive But at that time it would have been scientific blasphemy to question the dicta of Sir Roderick Murchison. Ho was supposed to have discovered the existence of gfi t in Australia, whilst sitting in his philosophic attic in England. And so be did ; but he had in his possession some specimens of gold bearing quartz from Australia, which had been taken home by .Count Strezlccki, who gathered them in the Divi li 'g Ranges when on a cattle»connlry expedition years before. .“Never prophesy,till you know,” says the American humorist, and Sir Roderick acted up the piinoiplo so far. But unfortunately ha also ventured,to setup theories on his own account itid thereby did more harm to mining in quartz than is would be easy to estimate. That “deep mining was unprofitable " was accepted os an incontrovertible axiom. Nowa days we know that the quartz veins are interstratified by rich, poor, and barren strata ; but the time I write of, the first barren patch touched was generally considered the end bottom of the payable rook—an opinion based on the declaration of Sir Roderick Murchison. Those who care to verifv these statements relative to Sir Roderick's nowrdemolished theories may easily dti so by reference to his well-known work “ Siluna,” third edition. Here is an epitome from Mr Brough Smythe’s “Gold-fields of Victoria” {p. 262) :—“ The theory advanced by Sir Roderick Munchison relative to the mode in which quartz veins have been impregnated with gold requires for its support that the quartz veins-should yield gold in large quantities f nly near the surface ; that with an increase of depth there should bo a corresponding decrease in 'be yield, ami that deep mining in the solid quartz rock should be unprofitable.”

It would ho a was'e of ink and paper to discuss that theory now. Experience has blown away every shred of it. At the present day there are at least seventeen shafts sunk in the search of gold over 1000 feet in depth. LanseTs celebrated “No. 180” mine is 2041 feet, and ihit of tbe Victory and Pandora Company 2000 fret deep. Others range from 1193 feet to 1940 feet in depth, and the majority of those Arc on payable atone. Tbs yield of gdl at

Sfcawell from a depth ot l’2op feet averaged Sdwt. per ton, and simitar re-ults have been obtained from the deep min-'s at Sandhurst. Ballarat;CaStlamaine.Mai vbormigh, Beechworth, and TUppiland; ‘Prom mines of3oo to 700 feet in depth very good stone is almost uniformly obtained. It is apparent from this recapitulation oMooalities that the results are general, and therefore the argument that the bottom of the gold hearing quartz veins has not > yet been found is securely based. In N«\y South Wales the mines are as a rule comparatively shallow, ranging from 93 to 600 feet in depth but 1 find mention made of the Great Victoria Mining Company at Adelong “working from th,e 1060 feet level upwards.’’ The average yield of this mine is given as a little over 15jdwt per ton. It may not he quite out of place here to mention some very deep mines though they are not gold mines. 1 According to Mr O. W. Langtiee, the Victorian Secretary for Mines,the four deepest shafts in the world? are—the shaft at Spesenberg, near Berlin, 4175 feef (rook salt); that at Viviers, in Belgium, 3542 feet (coal) that at Adalbert, in Bohemia, 3288 feet (coal); and that at A-hton Moss, in England, 2830 feet (coal). These are the deepest shafts, bnt a bore for arstesian water has been put down at Potsdam, in State of Missouri. U.S. to a depth of 550 C feet, or One mile and 220 feet. This is believed to lie the greatest depth to which the crust of the earth has vet been pierced ” Victorian Year Book 1884 5. In Otago wo have a very poor record to show in the way of quartz-mining. It is true that the qmrlz veins here are not so regular and continuous as in Australia ; and farther, there has been much time and money thrown away in searching for the continuance of reefs which are mere fragmentary deposits, ns explained in my last article. The Bendigo and Bannockburn districts have aff >rded many disastrous instances ■of these failures. Even cur best quartz mines exhibit a limitation and restriction which it is difficult to account for. The old •* O P.Q,’’ mine, at Waipori, yielded, some very handsome-returns whilst it was in operation, and its sudden collapse appears to have been due to bad management more than anything else. But there was no continuing lode to the north or south. The Bendigo mine turned out a large quantity of gold, some of it going as high a< four and even five ounces to the ton. That also collapsed, hut it is now being vigorously tested again, and the result will he looked for with great and general interest. Bnt although scores of other mines were opened in the vicinity, none of them p-oved a success ; an 1 tee Bendigo lode itself began and terminated on the crest of one ridge, and could be tiacad nofuther in either direction. As to the others most of them were not lodes in situ hnt f agraents of lodes, and soon exhausted. Yet some splended gold was taken out of them 1 never saw a finer show of gol len quartz than the first few tons that were taken out of the Colclough Reef, but it was soon exhausted. The only reef presenting any appearance of permanency was in the Aurora Company’s claim ; and I am strongly disposed to the opinion that it has never been properly tested. Most of the reefs at Skippers have given out or hj en abandoned, an I the celebrated Phoenix mine has only attained its present success, after many years of determined pluck and pcssvevance. The Maeetown reefs, some of them at least, seem to indicate permanency, and from their position on the crests of the ranges they are probably true lodes. The same may be said - t th” I nvincible, on an outlying ridge of the Earnslaw. The Alpine reef, otua summit of the Old Man Range, is favorably located at the head of many golden gullies on both slopes of the moimtau. And I think White’s reef Las a fair show, although sufficient Iwork has not yet been done to warrant a positive opinion. Ofßmgh Ridge very favourable expectations may justly be entertained. When it was first abandoned there was gold in the stone raised and left at the mine, and there avas gold on the tables of the crushing machine. A more rash abandonment I never heard of, and it is to be hoped, and may he expected that the nnv workings will reveal a true lode. The Serpentine reefs are eiiher erratically wrought or the quartz veins are very capricious, for we only hear of them at distant intervals between long silences.

Here the list of our principal quartz working ends. It is very questionable, however, whether more than mere “ surface scratchiiu” has been done whether in many cases, quartz mines have not been abandoned too hastily—and whether a more systematic search would not result in discoveries of great importance. Whence came all the gold that has been taken out of Dryhread and Tinkers ? Or where are the sources whence the rich gullies of Conroy’s and Butch'-r’s derived their amazing store of gold ? There is every reason to believe that the Dunstan and Old Man ranges contain many valuable quartz veins, now abiding the pick: of the prospector. Yet thn only thing discovered in the Dunstan Kange is a “Hat reef’ - in the claim of the “Itise and Shine Company.” Quartz prospecting is not easy work, hue a onod claim ones secured is a fortune ; and so far is belter than a good alluvial claim, which must of necessity bo limited, whilst the possiidlities of qnarlz-nvning have n»vor yet been defined. It is also a pursuit that more than any o her requires the aid of capital. A man may have a mining pro« perty worth 1-20.00!) in hand, yet for’want of means be unable to work it. Unfortunately, there have Vieen so many bonus quartz companies cotup in the past, and so much goon money invested in worthless schemes, thit public faith is dead, and will with difficulty be re-fore.d Much, howeve;, may be accomplished by energy on the part of prospectors, and honesty on the part of promoters, and I am not without hope that our undeveloped quartz mines will yet contribute a handsome quota to the gold returns i f titago.

A few sprit- nces hack I quoted the returns from shifts 2000 feet deep in Victoria as being pay aide, with 8 hvt to the-ten. Other mines over lOliOft deep cave no more than from 7-iwt to 51 wt to the ton. The famous mines of the Port Phillip Company at. Clones pay handsomely with as little as 2dwt per ton. The same results would not pay in Otago, scarce)v even if the quartz lay on the surface. Why is this ? Chit-fly, I think, because of poor, 1 might almost say, antiquated machinery, and defective appliances for savin™ ihs sold. Owing to the general neglect with which this branch of mining industry has been treated, no improvements, or very few and insignificant, have been introduced. We are just where we were a quarter of a century ago. Consequently the miner despises stone that would bo considered “good ” in New South Wales and Victoria. Much gold is lost from the blanket tables for wanr, of proper attention, and a duo regard to the correct uses of q-iickailver- -the last being tbe outcome of ignorance. Then the pyrites, which is very plentiful and richly auriferous in some mines, is simply washed down the gullies. [ am satisfied that in many eas-s more gold has been lost than saved and the fmtunn of many a ivaina’de gold mine has been wrecked from want of knowledge. Energetic prospecting, sufficient capital, the best and pi iHt modern appliances, and a better knowledge of the nature of the quartz, and how to treat it—those are the primary conditions necessary to render veinmining payable.

VINCEST PvElB.