QUARTZ MINING IN VICTORIA.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4413, 12 May 1875, Page 3

QUARTZ MINING IN VICTORIA.

(From the Pleasant Creek News.) There are at the present time four mines in full work, which cannot be surpassed in Victoria, and the lodes, as far as they are tested, in each, show no signs of diminution in bulk or richness as they are followed down to greater depths. The North Cross Reef claim stands far ahead of all others. Since January, 1870, the proprietary have received nearly .£450,000 in dividends, besides erecting out of the proceeds of the mine very costly machinery. The wages alone paid to the workmen in the claim amount to nearly £25,000 per annum. The money paid for carting, crushing, stores, &c., reaches almost a like sum, making a total of nearly £50,000 per annum, to be distributed mostly in wages to those occupations incidentally engaged, besides giving the dividends before mentioned. The United Crown Cross Reef, in which the lode was reached last week at a depth of 910 ft., is another excellent mine. The workings in this case are of exceptional importance, being at a greater depth than was ever achieved in the colony with payable results. In the same claim the lode, carrying very payable gold, is being followed down from an upper level, 800 ft., and the discovery made last week "shows indisputably that there are many years of profitable work ahead. The Extended Cross Reef claim is another which has turned out good gold at a great depth, and will shortly class among the dividend mines. The workings are at a depth of 870 ft., and the lode is “strong” and rich. The Great Northern claim, in the same neighborhood, is a valuable mining property, from which dividends have already been received, and which promises years of prosperous work. This district has long been attracting attention for its steady yield of the precious metal, and for the energy shown by its quartz prospectors, and it is exceedingly likely, from present appearances, that it will ere long be known as the premier goldfield in the colony. Whilst the payable mines enumerated are being most assiduously worked, there are many progressive companies continuing their operations with the most untiring perseverance. Of these the Newington, Magdala, Prince Patrick, Sloanes and Scotchman’s, South Cross, and 2,3, 4, and 5 South Scotchman’s are perhaps the most important. The depth of the Magdala shaft is about 1580 ft. ; the Newington, 1499 ft.; and the Prince Patrick, 1100. The striking of payable stone in any one of these would not only prove beneficial to this locality, but would give great encouragement to those in other parts of the colony engaged in such deep and arduous works.