MOUNT RANGITOTO SILVER MINE.

Globe, Volume V, Issue 588, 8 May 1876, Page 3

MOUNT RANGITOTO SILVER MINE.

( West Coast Times ) ASSAY BY PROFESSOR BICKERTON. When Mr Rollestoo, Superintendent of Canterbury, was lately on a visit to Westland, he procured a few small specimens of the ore from the Mount Bangitoto miDe, and took them with him to Christchurch. There he submitted them to Professor Bickeiton, F.0.N.L., who tested them as far as the small quantity permitted of test. The analysis was obtained by the Superintendent of Canterbury, who forwarded it by the last mail to the Hon Mr Bonar, requesting him to communicate the information to the prospectors. The following is a copy: " Canterbury College Laboratory, "April 20th, 1876. "The sample of ore brought from the West Coast by his Honor the "-Superintendent consisted chiefly of iron pyrites (sulphide of iron), through which passed a small vein of galena (sulphide of lead). Two small samples of the latter wcro assayed and gave respectively 40 per cent and 61*6 per cent of lead. On cupellation the former gave 78oz, and the latter 87oz of silver per ton of lead. The two buttons of eilver left on the cupel were analysed for gold, which was present in considerable proportion in both cases. The quantity of ore sent was altogether insufficient to estimate the amount of gold, " The above assay can only be considered a very rough estimate, as the amount of galena present was only about one-sixth of that requisite for an accurate assay. In sending ores for analysis care should be taken, where possible, that thpy should be well sampled, and, where intended for assaying, a considerable quantity should be supplied. I would mention, for those unacquainted with minerals, that galena is of a dark red colour, and iron pyrites of a yellow colour. " A. W. Bickerton, F.C.S.L." ASSAY BY MR LEWIS. Mr Lewis, certificated chemist and assayer, Hokitika, has submitted the following report on his assays to his Honor the Superintendent : " Hokitika, April 23. " Sir,—l have the honor to forward herewith a report of the treatment of two samples of mineral from the bangitoto silver mine, given to me by Messrs Pollock and Sevan, "No 1 sample, reduced it the presence of your Honor, consisted of almost equal proportions of galena and pyrites. "No 2 sample consisted of a small percentage of galena, with iron pyrites. "I have preseuted samples of mineral heated. " I have to apologise for not submitting earlier the result of No 1. The reason was I could not get apparatus to treat No 2 until yesterday." REPORT OF ASSAYS FOR SILVER AND GOLD OF MOUNT RANGITOTO SILVER ORE. " Sample No I—About equal proportions of palena and pyrites gave of lead 365 per cent, equalling 42 14 per cent of galeua, of silver, l2oz lldwt 21gr to the ton of ore. " Sample No 2—Pyrites with a little galena gave 7 per cent of lead, equalling 8-08 per cent of galena, of silver, 3oz sdwt Bgr to the ton of ore; of gold, 16dwt Bgr troy weight in each case. " The small sample in No 1 would not admit of the gold being estimated. " Isaac Lewis, " Certificated Chemist and Assayer of " the School of Mines, Ballarat."