VICTORIAN MINERAL STATISTICS FOR 1877.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5414, 3 August 1878, Page 1 (Supplement)

VICTORIAN MINERAL STATISTICS FOR 1877.

(From the Australasian , July 20.) The mineral statistics for the year 13/7 have been presented to I’arliament. They do not tell a satisfactory tale, but on the contrary show that tile quantity of gold produced in this colony continues steadily to decline. The yield in 1-877 was 154,1070 z. less than in 187 S. The amount of quartz raised was 965,574 tons, or 48,234 tons less than in 1876. It is estimated that 519,5990 z, gold were obtained from quartz mines, and 289,7540 z. from alluvial mines in 1877, but about the correctness of the latter item there is some uncertaintySinoe 1888 the produce l of alluvial'mines has fallen immensely,- and the reduction is accounted for by tile gradual and inevitable exhaustion of the auriferous drifts of tlie early gold fields, and by what the compiler of the statistics calls the “ non discovery 1 ' in late years of new areas sufficiently large and rich to replace the ones worked out. The average produce of the quartz crushed in 1877, was 9dwt. S'SSgr. per ton. From tins it rnay bo inferred that not only did the miners raise less quartz, but that the stone actually got was on the whole of poorer quality than in any of the previous five years. “ The rotnm respecting pyrites works for tiro year 1377,” says the report, “ shows that this important branch of tlie mining industry is steadily increasing, and will, doubtless, in a few years take a promtneut position. The treatment of omvaunfarouh pyrites is year by year receiving more ■attention at the hands of both commercial and scientific men.” _ . Of silver ore, 3392 tons was raised in 18/ /, and C7loz, 15dwt. logo, of silver obtained therefrom. To this amount 19,0400 z. T2dwt. of silver parted from gold smelted at the Mint must ire added. The total yield, therefore, of silver for tho year was X9,7150z. ■7dwt. 15gr. Tiro tin ore and black sand raised during tho year amounted to 94 tons 13cwt., and there were obtained therefrom 22 tons l4owt. of tin. Of copper oro 137 tons were raised ; of antimony, 2840 tons, &e. The total value of the metals and minerals raised in the colony from the first discovery of gold up to the end' of. 1577 was estimated at £180,503,143, of which enormous sum ■ no less than £188,975,205 represented the value of the gold exported and minted.