STRUCTION FOR MINERS.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 103, 23 May 1885, Page 7

STRU CTION FOR MINERS.

The following extracts from the report by Professor Black on his recent leotur- , ing tours on the Otago and West Coast goMfieltls, are very interesting. The Professor says i— ' In the eight Weeks Bt my disposal I delivered 44 lectureH at 15 different places, and established testing classes at nine centres. The subjects of ray lectures were the following {•— 1. How quartz-reefs were formed. 2. How gold came into the reefs. 3. 4, and 5. The chemistry of gold. 6! The extraction of gold from quartz. 7. The chlorine process for extracting gold8. Sodium amalgam, and its use in saving gold. 9. The amalgamation of copper plates, and the removal of gold from them. 10. The analysis and assay of goldbearing stone. 11. The ores and metallurgy «f silver, lead, tin, copper, antimony, zinc, mercury. 12. The chemistry of scheelite, &c, &c, &c In the testing classes the students themselves went through the processes for testing metallic ores containing the metals named above, Mr Montgomery bavins: charge of the blowpipe processes, whilst I directed the wet chemical operations. In the more important centres, when the minors were beginning to see how «iraple and practical were the methods of testing ores, they began to form themselves into clubs (subscribing usually £1 each) to procure the appliances necessary for carrying on the testing of ores after my departure. Before the end of April ten of these clubs were in existence, with their chairmen and 5 ?, and funds subscribed, with a membeiship ranging from 13 toJJS each total membership about 20(£ it two •other places clubs were being formed when I was just leaving ttoe Coast. The following are the contres^rnere clubs are now in existence :— Reefton, Boatman's, Lyell, Westport, Waimangaroa, Greymonth, Kutuara, Ebkitika, Ross, Goldsborough ; and in process of formation at Dillmanstown aafl Rimu. Public meetings were held in most of the centres to apply to the Government and the University of Otago for assistance in t l»e way of instructors anl Facilities for procuring appliances at the smallest cost. Duriug my visit to the coast as well as to the Otagu GoMfieids, I was strongly impress* i \rith the large field open for teaching to crowds of intelligent men such subject* as geology, and mineralogy, the use of the blow-pipe, the chemistry of minerals, and the extraction of metals from their ores The men are thirsting for thifr kind of knowledge. They present the paddening spectacle of standing togethei in clubs, with fun.is subscribed for procuring chemicals, books, and apparatus, but with no one left to teach them the use of these appliances. There was never a better opportunity offered to any Government or University authorities oi providing suitable means of instruction io so large a number of earnest student.*eager to receive it, and no body of students will make a better or more direct use of the instruction provided them. Buch instruction, if liberally provided will convert many of these miners into intelligent prospectors, since they will be able to identify valuable ore when they fiud it (which is not the case at present.) 'Jhe country will reap a thousandfold in the development of it? great resources and expenditure judi diciously made in this direction." Professor Black said that he hail forwardeJ a sciieme to the Government for special instruction in general branches of knowledge in the golilfields, viz., geology, ore dressing, nmieralogy, metallurgy, analysis, and assaying, mines suiveying. mining. After a few years of this work, ' w,,ich would be carried on in Utai>o by Professor Black and assistants, he antici pates there woull be a demand for a fully equ pped School of Mines.

According to the New York correspondent of United Ireland there were ov«r a million and a thiid uiii»mp!o\eri workmen in the United btaUb m JTcUi'Qary.