TASMANIA.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 683, 4 June 1870, Page 4

TASMANIA.

[h, t. mbbcuby and i/. chronicle to 14th may.] The Black-Boy Gold Fields, or as they might be moro correctly named the " New Ballarat" — inasmuch as the lands in this immediate vicinity very strongly resemble those of the Victorian Ballarat — were visited by me as desired. They were approached by a good bush road over a nearly dead level country from Fingal, aud like all the fields in this colony are well supplied with water. There are now from forty to fifty men in small parties sinking in Lucky Marsh, a most likely spot ; and the. holes being bottomed at from 3ft to 25ft, through easily worked land, generally yield a good paying prospect. A store has been erected and opened for the accommodation of the diggers, flying the "British Ensign," at aii altitude of about 50ft, and situated among . a number of canvas tents and shallow holes ; the scene altogether forms a miniature picture "of one's mining days on Ballarat in 1852." The sinking is light and the bottoms are blue pipeclay, producing very nice nuggetty gold, and yielding an average of something approaching an ounce per week for nearly all the men at present located here. The field is of very large extent, and if opinions of thoroughly practical men "go for aught," it will really turn out a new Eldorado. The most' paying prospect is in the hands of Messrs Legg and Clerk, who, having tested their claim thoroughly, are erecting a puddling-machine, which will be in operation." in .about three weeks. Some Victorian gentlemen who accompanied me to the Black-Boy pronounced the gold worth L 4 per ounce. piper's kiver. At the Commercial (late La Mer) Co.'s ground, boring operations are progressing satisfactorily, although they have been delayed for a time, having to send to town for additional bits. According to last accounts, they had reached a clay strata similar to that gone through in the Grand Junction claim, and there is every prospect of gold being shortly struck. NINE-MILE SPRINGS. A. large party of gentlemen left town yesterday afternoon for Nine-mile Springs, for the purpose of being present at the opening out of the iUxcelsior Reef, wherein capital indications have been found. Two shafts have been already sunk on the claim, in which the reef is well defined, and running to a depth of 5f fc, with plenty of gold visible in the stone. A gentleman Avho recently visited the place tells us that the reef is exceedingly well situated, and that crushing operations may be carried on at a very low cost. He believes that half-an-onnce to the ton will pay well. The reef struck in claim No. 1 south of the Specimen Hill Company, belonging 1 to Warren's party, has very fine prospects. Writing a few days ago of No. 2 south,, Mr George Webb says that the company have " an area of 210 yards along the course of the: lodo ;" and continues,' " Judging from the surface indications, I believe they will strike the reef at a depth- of about 15ft. The reef, I doubt not, will pass through the whole length, of ithe company's claim, as their base line is situated south-east of that of the No. 1 claim. In the No. 1 south the prospects are excellent. While there, I washed two dishes of the casing of the reef, each yielding a prospect of fully 3oz per ton * The lode is about 7ft thick, of a broken character, with gold showing through the solid stone wherever I broke it. .1 estimate the. yield at fully! 60.z per ton." We understand Mr Dowlin, mining hlanagjr,; has also jfeported .on this claim, and considers it superior to~ anything he has- yet- seen in Tasmania. We were shown yesterday some specimens of quartz from; this reef, which were- cerjaihly 'very irich^ancl from.allwo hear; it liaMsupsrior

prospects. A company is about to be formed for working it. FINGAL. Mr James Grant, jun., writing to us under date 7th inst, says :— " The result of the first two day's sluicing at Carter's was highly satisfactory, and beyond my expectations ; it was a fair indication oj the average yield per day, which we may put down at 4oz. After the first two days, they were unable to keep up the supply of washdirt from want of labor, and the fact of meeting and having to break through a reef ; and we must always bear in mind the vicissitudes of mining." THE PENGUIN SILVER MINES. The schooner Penguin sailed on Tuesday with a large quantity of stores, and some men employed to commence operations at the silver mine, Penguin Creek, on the North-west Coast. The company intend to commence raising ore from the lode already defined, a mile in length, immediately. The preparatory work will be for the erection of a reverberatory furnace, in which the metal is to be reduced to a regulus, in which form it is to be exported to England. A profit of LSO per ton is anticipated on the metal sold in that form by assay. Mr Cummings, the manager, accompanied by Mr Clarke, of Melbourne, left town on Wednesday, to proceed overland to the mine at the Penguin. .