ST. BATHANS GOLDFIELD.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 257, 6 February 1874, Page 3

ST. BATHANS GOLDFIELD.

It is a matter of regret that this important and productive field has received bo little attention. Although it may seem paradoxical, there can be no doubt that the prosperity of the district has been a principal cause of its , being so little known to the public generally. It is not easy to obtain accurate returns which would at all fairly represent the amount of gold returned from Bt. Bathans, as, in former times, the gold obtained from a large area of country, and from independent townahips, was jumbled into one. The prosperity we speak of has not, it must be remembered, come unsought for. On the contrary, an amount of energy, skill, pluck, and perseverance has been bestowed from the beginning of the workings, and is notably conspicuous at the present time. The formation of the auriferous .ground is peculiar, and presents problems to the investigator of natural .science of no slight interest. Mount St. Bathans, from its bold and clear

outline, is conspicuous from almost any part of the Mount Tda district. A leading spur extends, with moderate undulations, from the summit to the very town itself. Immediately above the town, the top of this spur, or ridge, appears to divide two large areas, or basins, of auriferous ground. Looking at the basin immediately facing the town, at the crown we observe thereof dipping at an angle of forty-five degrees into the hollow, while the Burface slope was, when unbroken, probably about twenty degrees only. On the reef are immense beds of quartz-gravel formation, which appear to have been deposited by water. As evidencing the age of these latter deposits, we find on the top again, in places, still further deposits of what once was peat and wood, but now is lignite." These beds of quartz drift are very remarkably and plainly marked, owing to the workings that have taken place during the last few years. They appear to have been deposited under the; quiet and placid conditions offered by river estuaries or inland seas.

On the reef itself the gold obtained has not, so far as we can learn, been of any very great extent, nor of a coarse nature.' The best gold is in a layer, considerably in advance, so,to speak, of the reef. This layer, as all others, follows the same angle or dip as'the reef itself. Very successful efforts have been made from time ■to' time to follow this lead, by excavations underground, from 100 to 200 feet having been driven, with highly payable returns. It is commonly conjectured that the richness of the lead would be found' to increase proportionally to the depth driven, but we do not see that such a supposition is grounded on any sound reason, for evidently not only the .portion of the drift that is now exposed to the surface, but also the portion that is now deep apparently under the township itself, was on a uniform horizontal flat at one time. Such a supposition is amply established by a visit to the | basin falling towards Muddy Creek—presenting an auriferous area which many years will be required to despoil of its mineral deposits. The natural conjecture is, at onco, that Mount St. Bathans, and, this dividing spur we have spoken of above, have been at one time or another upheaved by violent volcanic action, through the accumulated drift, turning it off on either side at the angles at present observable. That, at anyrate, is the effect as shown, although, if we had space, we should join issue with the cause ascribed. Be that as it may, we have this very startling phenomena of a deSosit of great thickness collected uner conditions that must have been singularly level and placid, now appearing at an action of forty-five degrees with the same regularity of stratification as clear and distinct as if no power stronger than the summer breeze had ever there been exercised during the history of the globe. It has been firmly established by Sir Charles Lyell and modern geologists that these irregularities of strata, amounting in many places to convolutions like the letter V, or even W, have been formed by lateral pressure caused by heat—not only the heat from the earth's centre, but from the effects of different cli-. matical temperatures upon the rocks: the differences producing contraction or expansion, as the case may be—the broken water-jug in winter giving a homely example of what a very small cause will effect. As a practical rule resulting from this lateral pressure, it is generally found that, in valleys that have endured for a length of time, the strata will be found to curve, although apparently dipping at the surface, at a very sharp and straight angle. Accordingly, we should expect to find at the back of the town, indications of an outcropping reef, with quartz aurife* rous gravel at no great distance from ! the surface. This theory would defend a good deal on the relative age of the hill at the back of the town. If the bill be of a more recent formation,* as is probable, we must look farther for the edge of reef completing the curve we have reason to believe exists. Turning from theory to practical results, we find a great amount of work as having been done in both the basins we have spoken of, and a great deal prepared still to be done. Unfortunately, Muddy Creek has filled up to a degree that blocks the working of a great portion of the best ground. The Scandinavian Company's tail race, at the upper end, indicates the embarrassments and difficulties that already are arising from this cause. Efforts have to be repeatedly made by this company to extend their race, to prevent an ab-, solute choke up, and this near ajpoint where not long ago there was a waterfall of nearly thirty feet in height, now a level flat of tailings. > The two outlets to the Dunstan Creek are, we are glad to see, working well. The public channel, it will be remembered, was cut by the enterprise of the residents, subsidised by Government, money. A flushing race is brought in from the Dunstan Creek; which effectually acts as a cross scour, and which has proved perfectly efficient in providing against any choking up. Although on this occasion we do not intend to particularise the individual parties who are Working on either or both sides, we must still be permitted to give great credit to the Scandinavian Company for developing . an immense amount of enterprise in the se-' veral Works they have so successfully undertaken; and, although• the querolous may ask us, And has it not paid them ? we would reply to our questioners, Did you say it would pay them when they commenced? Did you not theh' perhaps, think their schemes, .were foolish—would never bring in returns? And finally, in justice, if you recognised then the risks

as so great, would you now withhold or grudge the reward that, in our opinion, deservedly accrues to the undertakers of practical, though possibly risky, mining adventures. "We observed in one of the company's claims, as also in Mr. J: Ewing's, long lengths of iron piping in full work. The amount of pressure brought to bear by the use of this piping breaks up and carries, away any ground .that can be met with. Mr. Jiwing informed us that he calculated the 200 yards of iron piping he had had for about three years, and which still appears in perfect order, had paid for itself in one year. Weobserved that the lengths of ;can-, vas hose connecting with the piping was of the best quality, and used double. The expense of the piping was, at the time it was put on the ground, as much as £1 a yard, but it is now obtained cheaper and better rivetted, notwithstanding the increase in the-price of iron, owing to the makers having, from practice, better modes of making it up. The, Otago Gold Mining Company, who have a large area of ground secured on the Muddy Creek side, are steadily progressing with their race from the Manuherikia. The enterprise involved in this scheme, by a party, of twelve working men, we have before had occasion to point out. "We- were •sorry to hear from Mr. G. H. Smith that his property—the Eureka water race—had proved troublesome and expensive, many serious and unforeseen breakages having ' occurred.' These, however, are pretty well mastered now, and we have not the slightest doubt that the same pluck which enabled this gentleman to attempt, single-handed, what many companies would have had difficulty in carrying through, will very shortly tend to its own reward, by opening up a very extensive and rich area of ground. Mr. Fahey and party, cutting from the Dunstan Creek, have had to encounter very serious difficulty, from, the .hard rock the surface when stripped, has exposed. This has caused more delay than was anticipated, several months being needed for the completion of the race. Their reward is, however, assured.

Although St. Bathans has had a very prosperous history so far—no district, in our; opinion, giving better individual returns to all—we are confident that her future' for many years will be prosperous still. Not "only so, but there will, in our opinion, be presented a field to and for a greater population. We must refrain, in this issue, from touching upon the work necessary to be done in Muddy Creek. It is a matter of no difficulty—a work, -too, that, well done,' Could be made to return a very fair rate of interest for public money expended. We ccannott t refrain from congratulating St. Bathans upon the energy of her residents—an energy that may be emulated, but that can hardly be surpassed.