PROSPECTING M‘LEOD TERRACE, MIKONUI.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 11 September 1901, Page 3

PROSPECTING M‘LEOD TERRACE, MIKONUI.

The following is the gold discovery referred to by the Hokitika Guardian yesterday. There is a large body of wash here, of a gold bearing nature. It is without doubt, the run of gold similar to that of the Mount D’Or-Kohinoor etc. The wash is of a sandstone formation, exactly the same nature as that found in the Mont D’Or. In the terrace there is a height of gold bearing wash, reaching 200 feet. Gold can be got up the whole of the face, and no dish can be tried without some gold being obtained. In the last tunnel of four, put in by Mr M‘Lcod,onedwt to the load was obtained. The tunnel being driven is at a lower level than the last, and the same wash has been struck. The water can be brought from Shearer’s and Black George creeks, and with a dam 20 heads can be obtained, 100 feet of pressure can be got and there is quite 150 of a dump for tailings. Some splendid prospects have been obtained recently by Mr H Boyes, one of the representatives of the syndicate formed to develop the ground. Mr Macfarlane has been authorised to take a survey of the race so within a very short time work will be well under wayI am indebted to Messrs M’Leod and Boyes for the above particulars regarding the Mikonui river. Mr M’Leod senr. for the last 15 or 10 years has been intermittingly working in the locality having great faith of an ultimate grand reward. The difficulties to the coped with to properly prove the ground compelled him to give an option to the present wealthy syndicate represented by Messrs M’Leod jnr. and Boyes. Since their advent these representatives have most energetically carried out their onerous duties. Through them the syndicate is in possession of several moat promising dredging properties, but the

present discovery will put them all in the shade. I have been shown a sample from a dish of dirt; it consisted of two specs, one much like a small bean and the other more scaly. The gold too is not only on the bottom, but is obtainable more or less in every dish that is washed to a height of 200 feet. It is quite unnecessary to enlarge or speculate upon the value of this wonderful deposite of alluvial wash. According to prospects the ground would pay well for box sluicing and hand lifting. What then will it yield with the hydraulic force of 20 heads with a fall of 100 ft. Moreover it is now shown the Mt. Greenland, Mont d’Or and Kohinoor deposits continue to the south side of Mikonui and may pass through the spurs of Rangitoto southward.