Tuapeka Times AND GOLDFIELDS REPORTER & ADVERTISER. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1871.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 204, 28 December 1871, Page 4

Tuapeka Times AND GOLDFIELDS REPORTER & ADVERTISER. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1871.

"MEASURES, NOT MEN."

QUARTZ REEF DISCOVERY.

(Considerable excitement was occasioned in the Tuapeka district last week by the circulation of a report to the effect that a payable quartz reef had been discovered in G ibriel's Gully. The correctness of the report so far as it related to tlie discovery was verified by Messrs, Mark applying to the Warden for a mining le.ibe of ten acres tor the purpose of working a quartz lodtj they had found in the locality indicated. Th.ise who hid receive. I early intimation of the discovery lo&t no time in pegging off claims, and before it became generally known, about a mile and a half of the line of the reef had been taken up. We /isited the scene of the reported discovery on Monday last, and by the courtesy of the prospectors are enabled to lay the following facts in connexion with the discovery and prospects of the reef before our readers. The reef crosses the head of Wicks Gully, a tributary of Gabriel's, and situated on the eastern side thereof. From Lawrence it is distant about a mile and a half. The discovery was due entirely to accident. Messrs. Mark were tunnelling at the head of Wicks Gully, following up an alluvial run, which, a'though very narrow, proved payable — the gold in it being of a' fine nuggety character. One piece weighing 17 dwts. attached to which was apiece of quartz was unearthed and a number of smaller nuggets were found. The party had driven about 75 feet, when upon striking the back of they_ drive, it emitted a hollow sound. Unaware of the proximity of a reef, they imagined they were breaking into an. abandoned drive. Great was their surprise, therefore, when shortly afterwards they struck the top of a well defined quartz lode. They cut through the reef to follow up the alluvial run, but no traces of it could be found above the reef, although they drove in a considerable distance. They then turned their attention to the reef, on which they commenced to sink. Where

the reef was first struck it is fully three feetwide,as\velldefinediis it is possible for a reef to be, and has a decided tendency to thicken as it goes down. Its course is N.N.W. and S.S.E , and it dips to the west towards Gabriels Gully. The casing, consisting of clay intermixed with particles of quartz, has not' been tested, but is believed to contain gold. The reef itself is composed of whitish quartz, through which run two veins' of brown stone. Each of these veins is six inches wide. One of them is situated on the upper side, close to the wall, and the other intersects the white reef near the lower side. It is thought by some that these veins will run out as the depth increases. The stone is quite rotten on top, hut a couple of feet down ifc begins to harden, and we fancy "when Messrs Mark sink, a

few feet further they will find it will *be sufficiently adumnntine. Several specimens in which gold was distinctly visible were shown us, anci we picked up out of a heap

a small piece containing three specks of gold. Messrs Mark nave roughlypulverised and washed a few shovel*luls of the stuff, and in every instance, obtained satisfactory proofs of the auriferous nature of the reef.

The prospectors^ in conjunction ■with Mr. Wedlock, have, as we stated above, applied for a ten-acre lease. They intend to thoroughly prospect the reef, and as Mr Wedlock is an experienced quartz miner, we feel assured that it will be subjected to an exhaustive test, and its character, whether paying or otherwise, demonstrated beyond cavil. It is intended to sink from the tunnel, some twenty or thirt} 7 feet down on the reef, and then take in a tunnel on a lower level. In order to give the stone a fair test a stamper will be erected, with which stone from various parts, of the reef ■will be crushed.

The_reef is very conveniently situated, and can be worked very inexpensively, as there is plenty of •water available, and the stone can be easily tunnelled out. It is, of course, premature to express any opinion regarding the payability of the reef, but we sincerely hope that the most sanguine expectations of the prospectors may be more than realised. Claims have been pegged off on the S.E. side of the prospector's as far as Messrs. Herbert's paddock, which is situated just outside the town boundaiy. Mr Gilbert Clark's paddock, on the N.W. side has been marked out by an enterprising party and claims have been taken rip as far, in the same direction, as Oabriels Bush.

Since the above was in type, we have been informed that £100 was offered and refused for & sixth share in a claim next the prospectors. A blast was. fired yesterday afternoon, when the lode was penetrated two feet deeper. The stone at that x depth.was hard and compact, and showed better prospects than were before botained.