SILVER LEAD.

Hokitika Guardian, 11 October 1923, Page 4

SILVER LEAD.

RICH FIND IX NORTH QUEENSLAND. SYDNEY, Sept. -0. The whole■ of North Queensland is agog with excitement at the new and rich rind 'of silver lead, which has been made about 2(5 miles due north of Chillagoo, a famous mining centre, where the State smelters tire situated. At the first intimation of this important discovers- the Cos-eminent- Geologist (Mr Saint-Smith) was despatched to the scene, ami his report, declaring that it must prove ol great advantage not only to the osvners, hut to the State smelters and to Northern Queen-hind generally, conlirms theoptimism of the lirsl accounts. T lie Minister of Mines, indeed, is so impressed svit.lt what the geologist says that he believes Queensland will have its osvn Broken Hill—-an allusion to the w, rid-famous mines in the south-west corner of New South 'Wales.

dr Pnim-Pmith, in his report says

"When consideration is taken of the great length of lode formation already actually sisible, the regular distribution and ratios ol the silver-lead values. the high silver-lead contents in both tile galena and carbonate areas ihe extreme probability—amounting practically to a certainly—that the ore bodies will not only persist to a great depth, but also maintain their present metal values, it is diHieult to arrive at any cmieliision other than that tl’.e Mavoower line of lode ssilt ultimately pinside ;i huge total tonnage of highly payable ore. The exploitation ol the ore IT urn t his important line ol losle must in my opinion prove of great advantage, not only in the owners, hut

also to the ('h ill ague Mate smelters, ami A >i-11 1 Queensland generally. In mans- respect.- these lodes resemble in recurrence those .-eon at the famous Yi-rranderrie silver field in New South Wales.”

Elsewhere in his report, Mr Saint

Smith remarked that the Xightllower lease gave promise of ultimately developing into not only an important producer of silver lead ore, hut also of being the premier lease along tileline of lode. The first oflicia 1 intimation of the discovery sens received a few weeks ago from the general manager of the Chillagoe State smelters i.Mr P. Coddardi. svlio then staled that Che outcrop svus approximately three-'iuarlers of a mile in length. Ten samples taken from places about KlOfl apart averaged from .72 to 7li unities of silver and 70 per cent of lead. In a gully between two hills there was pure galena, showing hit in length and assaying lib ounces of silver and 70 tier cent lead. Tim outcrop for the whole length stood about. 2ft celt of the ground, and in one jihing on the top of the hill, stood out about I."ift in height and •loft in length and about 2.1 T in thickness, and with very high lead and silver values. Mr fhiddard added that it was impossil.lc- vet lo sav what was under the

ground, hut a shaft sunk Illft heshh the lode di-elosed a solid wall of gal-

ena io i hat depth. The Mini-tie- for Mines says ilutl numerous analyses have been made. I lie. l -'.' reaeliing up to 117 ounces of sil-

ver and 10 per cent of lead per ton. lie added that, i'l was interesting to note ihoi the outcrop itni-t have been known io prospectors many years ago.

a- three trees in I he vicinity Imre aii-ei-'iit blase marks. If was rediscovered l-y i-ni aboriginals in dune last, ami

they informed persons at Chillagoe, Mount Mulligan, and Mungann. Private persons iield leases, but the Coverniont had secured for the Chillagoe smelter-, three 20-acro areas alongside those of the original holders, and on the line of lode. A party had now been despatched to prospect, those areas on behalf of the smelters.