THE INANGAHUA AND LYELL REEFS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1369, 18 December 1872, Page 2

THE INANGAHUA AND LYELL REEFS.

We continue our quotations from the "historical narrative and catalogue of exhibits " prepared by the Reefton Committee for the special purpose of being forwarded, with exhibits, to the Christchurch Exhibition :— boatman's creek reefs. Thompson's Claim, Boatman's, Inangahua.—The claim has an area of 600 ft along the reef by 300 ft across. The reef crops out along the surface for about 60ft, beginning at the south boundary, running nearly north. The main tunnel is on the reef 40ft above Boatman's Creek, and about 300 ft below the top of the spur through -which the reef runs. On the opposite side of the spur northerly, and about 300 yards distant are situate the El Dorado and Fiery Cross claims. The reef was lost in prospector's claim at about 50ft from the mouth of the tunnel through a crush on the hill. Sinking on the reef is now proceeding to follow it to a lower level. It shows a width of from 2ft to sft with underlay to the east, and an apparent rise to the north. The appearances lead to the expectation that this reef will yield from loz to 2oz to the ton. Water supply is available, with a convenient site for machinery. El Dorado Company; Registered.— -The area of this claim is 5| acres, and it is situate 'at -Boatinßn'o Creek. The reef was found cropning through the surface; where first ope^^jSit was 3ft in width, further south it?^was cut sft in width. A paddock 20ft> long being sunk showed a fine solid reef. The gold is fine and well distributed through the stone. For the last five months the company has been engaged drivings tunnel 260 ft, and in a few weeks the reef at this level is expected to be reached. A tramway 17 chains long from the tunnel to the machine site has been surveyed, and a waterrace 108 chains, raising the water 96ft high, has also been surveyed. In addition to the quartz, alluvial workings are in progress both in the main creek and surrounding gullies. Zircons, garnets, cubical pyrites, mangauite of iron and sulphides of antimony are found iv the washdirt. A seam of excellent coal iOft thick has been opened one mile west of the reefs. (Specimen sent.) The quality is excellent, being entirely free from sulphureta. These beds of coal, Bhale, and sandstone have a westerly dip, resting uncomfortably on the upturned edges of the Silurian. The fossils are of great variety and interest, including the OldImmia Radiata, a rare fossil from the lowest member of the silurian group. Upper tertiary. beds are largely represented at elevations from 500 to 1000 ft.

Just-in-Time Company, Registered — This claim is situate at Boatman's Creek, about 9 miles from Reefton, and has nearly '309 ft on the line of reef by 300 apross. The small specimens wore broken off the large one in transit. Wfyere this was taken the reef is 3ft 6,in wideband it will be noticed much resembles the stone from Anderson's claim, Murray Creek (from which it is distant about 10 miles). A tunnel has been driven sft on the reef, from whence a shaft was sunk, following the reef down 40ft. Specimens taken 1 5ft below level of tunnel. The hill rises at an angle of 45 ° to mouth of tunnel 250 ft above Boatman's Creek, and rises another f 00ft above the iqouth of the tunnel. Negotiations are pending ior the immediate erection of machinery ty fee driven by water power. Water is readily "avail: able from B )atman's Creek. ■

Caledonian Company, Registered.— The claim (originally the prospectors) is situated at Larry's Creek, a tributary of the Inangahua. The reef, averaging 20in in thickness, is firmly imbedded in a solid rock, slate formation, and is noticeable for the coarseness of its gold. The samples contained in the phials are the result of a rough crushing of 21b weight of stone with a hand hammer. The small pieces in the larger phial are portions of the result. The residue was further reduced, and the loose gold, 3dw.t 4gr in the small phial, was the result of the opera* tion. The separated gold was collected by the usual panrwashing process, a large pej? pentage being unavoidably lost. WateV foj? machinery is readily available.

LYELL REEfg,

Alpine Company, Registered. « This claim possesses an area of 33 acres in two leases, and has been in operation since 1869. A large number of leaders are exposed in the different cross drives of the company, some of which have been intersected at different levels, They vary in thickness from 2 to 18in, and are nearly all gold-bearing. The leader farthest east in this claim is that now worked by the Little Wonder, the claim adjoining the Alpine. The strata shows the rock to be principally of a schistose character be- . longing to the metaphoric order. The strike or bearing is chiefly northerly— the several leaders and reef showing a strong inclination to follow the strike of the rock. The main reef, from which such rich specimens have been obtained, is 14ft thick, and is open from two points. All the leaders are making for the main reef at the lower levgl, which is estimated at 400 ft. The machinery consists of 8 head of stampers, situate at the junction of Irishman's and Lyell Creeks. A shoot 2700 ft long conveys the quartz to the battery. Water-power is used, the race being 3756 ft long, and having a capacity of 18 heads of water. The claim is open through tunnels of two levels, separated by a distance of 71ft perpendicular. These .being connected by a shaft which allows of quartz obtained upper level being sent down to lower, and thence by tramway to shoot. There are, amongst other workings, 2Qooft of cross tunnels, 1000 ft tunnels along lode, and 160 ft shafts. The claim as now open will admit of a considerable quantity of stone being raised without any necessity for new lower levels. Already about 1000 tons of stone has been crushed, averaging throughout l£oz per ton. The claim is estimated to contain upon a moderate computation 100,000 tons of quartz. ' ' ' ' l Little' Wonder Claim. — This claim, situate to the eastward of the Alpine claim, was originally Tield as five men's ground, but an application for a lease has been made for 4£ acres. The tunnel now used is situate at an altitude of 12QQft* above the Lyell Creek, and is distant about 3k miles from the Lyeli. township. Resides the leaders at present being worked there are three others, averaging from 4in to lft, while the casing in most places is highly auriferous. There is a well defined reef of sft wide, presenting characteristics similar to the leaders, and, although as might be expected ? not as rich as they

are, are pay ably auriferous* The first crushing of 85 tons (at the Alpine battery) gave a yield of 860ozof melted gold; Very rich Btone continues to be taken but, and a good crushing 1b anticipated at an early date. Machinery will soon be erected.

GoldenCrownClaim.— Thisclaira, originally 12 men's ground, or 720 feet along the line of reef, presents similar indications to the Little Wonder, although it is situate on the opposite side of the Lyell Creek. The claim was only granted in September last, and therefore extensive operations have not yet been completed. The richness of this locality is indicated by the avidity with which surrounding ground has been taken up and litigated between the parties.