MOUNT RANGITOTO SILVER MINE

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1381, 19 July 1878, Page 3

MOUNT RANGITOTO SILVER MINE

Although the development of the Mount Eangitoto silver mine has hung fire sadly, it appears that there is not the least ground to despair of the ultimate success of the enterprise. The delay in proving the mine seems to have been purely the effect of incompetent managemest, as will be gathered from the following extracts from the report of the new mine manager who was appointed in September :

“ I found that a large amount of tunnelling had been done on a surface vein, composed of galena and pyrites, the latter predominating ; and that for all practical purposes for opening the mine and establishing its value, the works undertaken were of no avail. The tunnels were all on too high a level, and driven at random towards the eastward, in a wrong direction to cut the lode. I therefore had no alternative but to abandon the whole of the previous works as valueless. “ I found that a number of promising veins of ore outcropped on various parts of the lease, all bearing from east to west and dipping from north to south on to the granite formation.

“ I therefore started a permanent main tunnel, such as I believe, will serve the company for many years to come, at a depth of about 100 ft. below any of the previous workings, at the junction of the granite and sh*to rock, which I carried in a course from south to north, which enabled mo to cut every leader and vein which occurred in the country. “I am pleased to report that I carried mineral rock of very promising character from a distance of 60ft. into my present workings, now 594 ft. in from the mouth. I have cross-cut it in three places to the granite wall, in all about 69ft. I found the country for a dis* auce of 550 ft. in a very unsettled state, owing to some early convulsions of nature. At a distance of 400 ft. I cut a vein of ore composed of galena of the richest kind intermixed with a small portion of pyrites and blende. It is’the best ore by far obtained from the mine. I carried the vein for a distance of 50ft. when it dipped under foot to the northward with a uniform character at a distance of about 25ft. from the granite. I have sunk a winze to a depth of 18ft. to follow the vein, which is improving fast both as regards the quantity and quality of the ore. The gangue of this vein is a quartz of very good quality, equal to any of the best quartz lodes of Victoria. I consider it to be a rich vein of silver ore and similar in character to the Andreasberg lode of the Hartz. I intend to follow it to a depth of 100 ft. at least, and am fully satisfied that when the crushing battery is erected I will be able to keep it fully employed from the vein alone, and am convinced that it will yield a satisfactory return to the shareholders, for I am of opinion that a good deal of gold will be found in combination with the silver.

“ I have been obliged to suspend operations in the main tunnel for want of air, but am putting in a cross-cut from the next tunnel, which will prove the ground in that direction, and give the ventilation required. lam also clearing a site for the battery. I may remark that my main tunnel is large, well timbered, and suitable for carrying on extensive operations. My general opinion of the company’s property is, that there is more than one lode in thg lease, and that the nature of the ore will be of the highest character, for it improves as the ground deepens, for that which I am now on is greatly superior to that obtained from the shallow workings. This feature of the mine gives me great hopes that success will attend your efforts, and you will yet be deservedly rewarded, for I have never seen a more promising country for rich mineral products than is. found at Rang.toto. It affords mo great yjeasure to hear that yo i have acted on my suggestion, and that the General Government are sending Professor Ulrich to visit the district. The opinion of so eminent a mineralogist cannot fail to be the most convincing proof of the importance of this great discovery.”