THE AURIFEROUS DEPOSIT AT MR J. B. SMITH'S.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 200, 23 April 1887, Page 2

THE AURIFEROUS DEPOSIT AT MR J. B. SMITH'S.

The following letters have been handed us for publication by Mr J. B. Smith, and include, we understand, full particulars respecting all assays and trial parcels of the deposit, that have been treated to date. The first sample was sent by Mr Smith to Messrs Frater Bros., Auckland, to have tested, and by them submitted to Mr Pond, who reported as follows :—: — Auckland, N.Z., Jan. 22nd, 1887. Messrs Fuater Biios., Auckland. Gentlemen, — I duly received from you on the 10th iust. a sample of powdered ore, or sand, for assay. Herewith I forward result : Assay, oz dwt gr Bullion 22 7 12 per ton Containing gold ... 17 19 8 „ „ „ silver ... 4 8 4 „ „ I need hardly add that in the event of there being any large extent of this material, it will prove a very valuable find. The value of the samples, according to the above assay, being £72 15s 6d per ton, estimating the gold at £4 and silver at 4s per oz. The gold is in fine water-worn grains, intermingled with magnetic and titanic iron throughout the quartz and pumiceous drift. Care will be required in saving the gold, owing to the fine particles in which some of it is divided. — 1 have the honour to be, Gentlemen, your obedient servant, J. A. Pond, Colonial Analyst. Auckland, Feb. 15th, 18a7. J. B. Smith, Esq , Waihou. Dear Sir, — At your request I have assayed a sample of stone received by post from youon the 12th inst., and herewith forward the result : Assay. dwt gr Bullion 19 14 per ton Containing silver... ... 19 14 „ „ >i gold A truce „ „ The small amount of silver present will not suffice to make this of any value for working on account of the precious metals. — I have the honour to be, your obedient servant, J. A. Pond, Colonial Analyst. Auckland, Feb. 16th, 1887. J. B. Smith, Esq., Waitiou. Dear Sir, — Your favour, not dated, duly to hand, followed by the stone by post. Herewith I forward the results which t\i"i not favourable. I felt very interested in the last parcel, as the return showed it to be very valuable. If you are sure of its being genuine and there is any quantity, it would be well wcrth following up. I had anticipated being up at Te Aroha before this, and should have liked to have seen the locality, for if the gold is found on the west side of the Thames, it will be very interesting and extraordinary. Wishing you a large deposit of it, believe me faithfully yours, J. A, Pond. The Resident Magistrate's Office, Te Anhn, 16th March, 1887. J. B. Smith, Esq., Waihou. Mr Adams has got a return from No. 1 sample worth £18 Is 9d per ton, and from No. 2 worth £6 13s 6d. (Sample No. 3 valued £1 13s per ton). — Yours, &c, Geo. Wilson. Phoenix Foundry, Auckland, March 18 th, 1887. J. B. Smith, Esq., (Ore test from Waihou), j Assay. oz dwt gr I Bullion 10 4 4 oz dwt gr Gold ... 010 0) ... £2 2 0 > at 7s 6d per oz Silver ... 914 4J ... 116 4 Value per ton ... ... .., 3 18 4 Treatment direct pan amalgamation, 840 lbs ore treated, gave oz dwt gr oz dwt gr 110 0 =400 bullion per ton G01d... 098 = 0 7 20 )utBs 3d J Other metals 902 ) per ton Value £1 14 0 per ton Silver is not free to amalganvito in pan, would require «i chlorodising roasting to save same. This ore naturally carries j copper of ready amalgamation ; " other metals," as mentioned ia connection with gold standard (of bullion) is principally copper. ' Return in gold, 81 per cent of fire assay. George Fraser & Son. Thames School of Mines, 25th March, 1887. John B. Smith, Esq., Waihou, Piako. Sir, — In reply to your letter of the 14th inst , I have to say that your sample did not reach mo till Wednesday last, Mr Bayldon having been detained up country. The stone seems to me a very unlikely ono for containing gold in payablo quantities, the ugh the assay shows it contains some gold. It is a rhyolitic breccia, and belongs to quite a different geological formation from the proved auriferous rocks. It would be quite iriie# thing, so faras I am aware, to find payable gold in' such a matrix. However, there is no known reason why gold should not be found in any particular so'*t of rock ; all that can bo said with certainty being that only certain rock species have hitherto been found to be gold bearing. Enclosed please find

the results of the assays of the two samples ; No. 1, Mr Bayldon tells me, is the stone from hole furthest from your house, N0,. 2 being taken from near the house. — I have the honour to le, Sir, your obedient servant, A. Montgomery, M.A. Thames School of Mines, 25th March, 1887. J. B. Smith, Esq., Waihou, Piako. Sir, — I have to inform you that I have made assays of two samples of stone sent by you por Mr Bayldon with the following results : No. 1 shews a strong trace of gold. No. 2 J Gold, Ooz 2dwt 12grs ) npr to contains j Silver, Ooz 2dwt 3gra j p I have th 3 honour to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, A. Montgomery. Waiorongomai, 23rd March, 1887. J. B. Smith, Esq., Waihou. ! Dear Sir, — T made your assay last night, and the return is as follows : Bullion. oz dwt gr oz dwt gr Gold ...2 8 0 1 o 14 0 Silver ... 06 0 jAI4 u Value, £9 13s Od per tonYours, truly, H. H. Adams. Photnix Foundry, March 24th, 1817. J. B. Smith, Esq. Dear Sir, — I received your two samples for assay, the results are as follows: oz dwt gr Sandstone 0 13 0 oz dwt gr 0 2 0 gold I 011 0 silver | oz dwt gr Sand ...100 oz dwt gr 0 3 0 gold 0 17 0 silver Yours faithfully, George Frasbu & Son. Waiorongomai, sth April, 1887. J. B. Smith, Esq. /f Dear Sir, — I have made the four assays, and they are as follows : No. I— Nil v d\vtgr No. 2-Gold 8 <W „. 10 Silver Gof fcl l3s P er ton dwt jir No 3— Gold 5 0 ) o , a o , Silver 40j£ [ Os Btl P er ton No. 4— Nil Yours truly, H. IT. Adams. [No. 1 test consisted, we believe, of concentrations, obtained by panning off in the ordinary way. — Ed. A.O.N.]