THE LA MONTE TEST.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1579, 11 December 1885, Page 4

THE LA MONTE TEST.

(to the editor of the standard.) Sir, —l think some little explanation is required of a statement that has been going the rounds of the papers to tlie effect that Mr Carthew of Feilding " quite laughs at the idea of ''sending a ton of •tone to he tested by the, La Monte Company at Aucklandl" As Mr Carthew is an old quartz mining manager of great experience, and has just returned from witnessing the latest developments at the Tharnes,'any expression of opinion from him must be treated with respect. What Mr•Carthew states is this, that all the La Monte Company will do is to make what is called an assay test, and this is contradicted by the correspondence referred to m" a paragraph m your paper as having been received by Mr'Haulfcain. Ver}' •well. Now an assay test ..means this, that the ton of stone, if sent up from here, would be treated somewhat m this fashion : It would be broken up say to the -size of smalL round metal first, then, after being thoroughly mixed, a hundred weight would be taken* from different parts of jtheheap. This process, (crushing the stuff finer at every repition) would be gone through three or four times till 200 grains would be finally taken to be assayed, and the result multiplied by the nuniber of 200 grains there are m a ton gives, or is supposed to give th« rasult per ton^ Now all.the preliminary process of crushing and subdividing down to the assay limit,' 200 grains, can be. done at the mouth of the drive just as well, and I should imagine more cheaply, than by sending the whole ton of stone to Auckland.. The 200 . grains could then be sent by post to Professor Black or the La. Monte Company if preferred, or to both, and an assay obtained. The La Monte Company will not smelt a single ton, because when once their furnace iS'Started it must'be kept going indefinitely, as they cannot let the stuff cool without destroying the furnace or chiselling; the stuff out. -With the processes just coming into vogue m gold and silver mining even theniost experienced miners will dpi well not to be wise m their own conceit. —l am,-'&c.. D. H. Macarthur.