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New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 851, 28 September 1853, Page 1

pursuant to the prospectus issued by the projectors of the undertaking on the Sth of October, 1852. The preliminai v fund having been raised in the manner proposed by that prospectus, a contract was entered into by the projectors with \V. L. Wrey, Esq., a Mineral Surveyor, to perform the works necessary foi determining the true character of the mine, and the practicability of forming roads for transporting the produce to a place of shipment. The following is his report to the projecters of the result of his investigations .—. — To W. T. L. Trwers, and W. Wells, Esquires,

Nelson

Gentlemen — T have now the honour of reporting the lesult of the operations conducted hy me, und<rthe contract entered into ■with you in December, 1852. and which I deemed requisite for ascertaining, firstly, the actual character and value of the copper lode situated near the Dun Mountain, respecting which I made an earlier report (25th May, 1832) to his Excellenc)' the Governor-m-Chief ; and secondly, the existence of a practicable lino of ro.ul for transporting to a place of shipment the produce of the mine. I find the anticipations expressed in the earlier repot t above alluded to, to be fully confirmed and borne out by the operative researches I have since made upon the lode. I am now able to say from positive mining, that the lode is a north and south lode. That it is a champion lode from 5 to S feet in width, and cont.iins moral of a veiy high quality, in gieat profusion. The lode is so situated that it may be worked to a depth of two hundred fathoms by ad'tor level. The adit will furthermore be 'he commencement of a railway, for the trai'spoit of the ore to the place of ship.n»nt. These points are ofpre.it economical impoiMnco. Although mv engagement wns meich to explnic a particul v lode, I beg to i^d, that I have clf\nly ascertained the existence of several other lodos in proximity with the one originally discovered. I with sincerity heg to assure on, that it has never befoie fallen to my lot to meet with anylode exhibiting bach extiaouhiiaiy and unerring indications of mineral wealth, or which woi'ld moie completely justify the investment of cipu.'il. T!ip only apj>roacb to the m'ne, when I fir<=t visited it, was ot such a mountainous and lugged chaiacier, neccs^it itiiig an ascent to the height of neaily 4.000 root, that I at fiist felt doubtful respecting the possibility of removing the ore to a place of shipment with a due tegaid to economy, but I am haiipy in being able to repoit, as the result of fictiitil and caieful suivey, that a good practicable !me for a mineial descending traffic has been pioved. Tl.is line follows throughout the whole length, as you will observe by the accompanying plan, the course of tlie Maitai River, the main stieam of which take* its lise within a mile of the lode. The distance will not exceed 12 miles fiom the mine adit to the vessel's side in the Haven "t Nelson, and the goods wiil not lequire to be shifted after the w aggons are loaded at the mine until dischaiged into the vessel. In the fiist part of the line, for about two milesj the descent must be by inclined plane, after which it will present upon the whole remaining distance a veiy uniform and easy gradient, workable by horse or locomotive .power. The serpentine course of the river, and the mountainous and broken character of the country, mp\ possibly render the cuives too sharp for locomoti\es, but this is i point of detail which I have nut thought it essential to determine. The nature of tlie countiy, however, is veiy favourable foi the construction of the necessary w oiks, the banks of the m?r being solid, and tlie prevailing rocks of slate and trap, of a very compact and durable charactei, whilst an abundance of timber is found giowing throughout the whole extent of the line. I feel justified therefore in asserting, not only that a piacticable line exists, but also that it is efficient and economical. I beg to add a few words on the geological feitures of the country. Taking a cross section from the town of Nelson by Brook Street Valley, I find the prevailing rock to be a clay slate, intersected, and occasionally disturbed, by dikes and beds of trap rock. The slate may be traced along the summit of the lidge for about three miles, beyond which I find a magnificent deposit of grey erysraline limestone extending about a mile in width. The summit of the high wooded p»ak (the altitude of which is not less than 4,000 feet) is composed of this lime-stone, lying conformably to the slate which forms the base of the mountain, and pi esentmg sharp angular masses at the very apex. The slate and limestone are both highly inclined. Immediately beyond the limestone formation the mineral region commences in which the copper ore exists. Tup pie vailing rock is a micaceous sdiist. tiaveised by dikes of hornblende schist, whilst tlie surf ice of the mountain is strewn with detached masses of serpentins rock containing magnetic iron ore and occasional veins of asbestos and talc. Other product"; besides the copper ore wi I, therefore, by the formation of the necessary lailway, become available, such as slate of exceeding fine quality for every purpose to which slate can be applied: limestone, timber, and fire- stone fit for the most intense funace work, all of which would come to market at a po derate cost, and some of which are. at present, in great demand. The foregoing statement shews the undertaking to possess such unusual advantages in evei - y particular, that I have no hesitation in recommending immediate steps to obtain the capital necessary to woil: the mines, feeling perfectly assured that they .vill prove highly remunerative. I am, &c, W. L. Wrey,

Nelson, lOth'.Tune, 1853. Mineral Surveyor. The following letter was in the meantimereceivod from T. L. M organ, Esq., of the Burwood Smelt works, near Newcastle, in Australia, to whom specimens of tbe ore had been sent : — " Burwood Smelting Works, " Newcastle-March 12, 1553. « Sip — Your favour of the 27th July, 1552 came duly to hand, with -sample of copper ore. I should havereplied on receipt, but from thegreatuncertainty that prevailed then as to the possibility of keeping our works supplied with labour, and which has more or less continued, combined with an expectation that I should be able personally to wait upon you — I have deferred making a definite communication on the subj >ct. I may now say, that tbe ore is exceedingly rirh, and the indication*. «■? described by you, moat favoiuablt. An * sirelting