1864-5.

VICTORIA.

'REPORTS

OF THE

MINING SURVEYORS

REG 1ST RA R'S 0

QUARTER ENDING 31sT DECEMBER,'1864 . .. -

PRESENTED TO BOTH HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT BY HIS EXCELLENCY'S COMMAND.

~/,! lautfJodtl!:

_ JOlIN FERRES, GOVERNMENT PRINTER, MELBOURNE.

No. 32.

Cost of PrePAratloll, about Printing i &0.

APPROXn.1ATE COST OF REPORTS.

DETAILED PAnTICULAllS.

TOTAL

, ,

£

AMOUNT.

I S'I d. 10 0 ,6 0

~I-;;-I

MINING SURVEYORS ,.AND REGISTRARS'

REPORTSo

BAqLARAT MINING DISTRICT.

No.1 DIVISION.

llfr. Robe?1; .Davidson, Mining Surveyor and Registrar.

TlIE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS .AS FOLLOWS:-

Europeans. Chinese. Total for the Division.

Alluvial 'Miners ... ... 1,562 25 1,587

Quartz Miners '" ... ... .. . ... ... _---_._-

Totals ... 1,562 25 1,58'7

Frenchman's Lead W oolshed Lead Golden Point Lead Redan Lead ... Inkermann Lead Swamp Lead ... Suburban Lead Dead Horse Lead

TlIE TOTAL NUMBER OF JVIINERS IS TlIUS DISTRIBUTED:-

85 Inkermaun Gully 50 White Flat ...

502 Sago Hill 110 Campbell's Gully 190 Bunker's HilL.

45 Sailors' Gully 90

105

TlIE MAClIINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

I

Total

'"

Remark

ALLuvur. MnmrG. QUA..BTZ MnmrG. ,

Description or Machl:nery. Aggregate Number

At Work. Idle. lIorse-cof At Work. Idle. o(Stamp Steam . ea. lIeads.

Steam Engines ... 58 6 835 . .. 1 24

Puddling Machines ... 57 3 ... ... . .. ... Whims ~ ... ... S 2 ... . .. ... .. . Whips ... . .. 1 1 ... ... ... . ..

Total value of all mining plant in the division, £37,140.

51 24

110. 60

145 20

1,587

Aggregate lIOrse.~~ of Steam ea.

50

.. .

. ..

. ..

Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon, Ii. . .

N!lmber of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be aurif'erous to the present time, 5.

The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been f~m £4. Os. Od. to £4 Os. 6d. per oz.

..

4

, Since the date of my last report mining operations in this division have been progressing at the UB~ prosperous, and, so far as regards the yield of gold, considerably improved pace, although the late hol!days. have somewhat r.etarded the workings of the principal eompanies. Altogether a spirit of satIsfactiOn amongst t4e m}ning co=unity is felt, and greater confiC/.ence in the stability of the district is every day being manife~te'd, :which augurs well for the prospticts of Ballarat during the ensuing year.

'The Albion Company, Frenchman's Lead, have, during the past quarter, maintained former averages; while during the last fortnight wash dirt much richer than that heretofore worked has been struck, as much as 450zs. having, on the 28th ult., been obtained from one machine. The yield of gold for the quarter is 1,151 ozs. 12 dms., making a total of ,4,001 ozs. 13 dwts., for the year.

The United Extended Band of Hope Company, Golden Point Lead, pursue their mining works witf vigor and success almost unparalleled in the annals of. deep lead mining. Their first washing was on lith June, 1864. During the past quarter 7,337 ozs. of gold have been obtained, making a total of 17,4000zs., value approximately for £70,000, since their first striking gold. The very efficient manner in whieh this claim is worked tends in' a great degree to keep up these inlmense returns, the management being able to sluice 'as many aneven puddling maehines per day. 'l'h\l Koh-i-noor Company, on the same lead, have, during the last three'months, obtained 10,497 ozs., making a total of 28,611 ozs. for the year. This eompany have two shafts in work, and, as the returns show, the yields from each must be very good. The plant also is in excellent order, and the' prospects of the Company, for a lengthened penod of brilliant returns, are very good. .

The Great Redan Extended Company retains its position as one of our first gold yielding claims; although a few breakages and consequent stoppages have during the past quarter caused their returns to appear low, great confidence is feltin the claim. For the quarter,4,023 ozs. of gold have been raised, making a total of 15;872' dis: fo'r'the fear:' Nothing further has yet'IJeen proved respecting the quartz reef in this claim, as the low level drive has not yet been carried to the lode.

The Cosmopolitan Company, Golden 'Point, are still engaged working the Cosmopolitan Lead with tolerable success. ..." .-.. --r·.' -.. .. " , .

Inkennann ~ead.-The Hand-in-hand Compa"lly have entirely suspended operations at their old, shaft, and are removing their machinery to the shaft being sunk at the extreme southern boundary of their claim, in the vicinity of the Band of Hope Company No.1 shaft, in which direction they anticipate the Inkermarin' Lead to' be running: Tneir y'ield for the' past year was 136 ozs. 8 dwts., none of which has. been obtained during the last three months. The Ascot Company (late Great Republic) have reopened the No.1 shaft of the Great Republic Company, and a few weeks since struck gold in the Inkermann gutter, a large Fortion of which was left unworked by the former company. The result from the first washing was 5, ozs. from one,machine, besides this no gold has been obtained during the year. The Royal Saxon Company are driving for the National gutter, but from the large body of water to be-contended with their progress is but slow.. '

, Thc'Durham "Company have recommenced pumping. The Essex Company have obtained during the past three months 576 ozs. 5 dwts., making a total of 2,6540zs. 16 dwts. for the year. During the same time the Oriental Company raised 195 ozs" making a total.of.454 ozs. 16 dms. of gold for the year. In addition to these returns the two last· mentioned companies have obtained 253 ozs. 19 dwts. from the piece of ground which is being worked jointly by them.

, The Great North.West Company continue sinking operations ~teadiIy. The Ballarat Extension Company, Dead Horse Lead, have had a stoppageof'afvrtnight's duration through being swamped out. They are now, however, in working order, and the prospects of the cHum are excellent. The quantity of gold obtained for the year is 1,820 ozs. 13dwts., 631 ozs. 10 dwts. of which were obtained during the past quarter.

o ,and Bunker's Hills mining matters are looking more healthy, a'large quantity of ground having 1 een taken up, and in some instances good prospects have been obtained. I find it impos­sible, however, to state, even approximately, the quantity of gold obtained: in this locality during the year, as the parties cpns~Bt of fO)lf,to six P1en ea.ch" and J?o reco:r~ is. k_eP.t of the re,ceipts. I am in the same difficulty with regard to several small partIes of the Inkermann Gully; but that most of these parties are doing 'tolerably well there can be no doubt, from. the . persevering manner in which they remain ill one situation, and an air of completeness displayed in'surface plant; which otherwise could not be obtained.

-. TIl'el:e beiti'g "ilO. qua¥tz reefs open in 'thi~ divi~ion, I hav'eno particulars to forward.

In reviewmg'the progress of minin'g in this division for the· past twelve months, it is satisfactory to find that it bears very favorable comparison with that of previous years, or indeed any past period of mining enterprise. I,am of opinion that, as regards deep lead mining, things have not been in a more prosperous condition'heretofore; and notwithstanding the large amount of capital,already actively employed in prosecuting the works of the various companies on the several leads, there is still ample space for the introduction of a very much increased amount in new projects and ventures; and the good fortune of the Band of Hope Company, now the United Extended Band of Hope Company, who had a seven years' struggle before obtaining.an ounce of gold; but who now possess one of the richest claims

-in -the ?istrict,leads strong~y. to the assumption that this class-of .mining is well worthy the a~tent~o~ of capital18ts. Other compames who are, and have been for numbers of years, stoutly combatlllg SImIlar difficulties, will also, in my opini~n, reap rich harvests;) contributingthClr quota in proof of the fact that deep lead milling is for thew-gst part a very remunerative occupation as ,well to the capitalis~ as to the working miner. . '., , .

", d

,-" ~/. 1. ,

5

No. 2 DIVISION.

Mr. P. 0. Fitz Patrick, Mining Surveyor and Registr~r.

Alluvial Miners Quartz Miners

, . ,

Black Hill" ... Little Bendigo Dead Horse ...

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

I !

\

Eu:ropea.ns. Chinese. Tota.l for the Division.

i

... ... 130 558 688 ... ... 680 ... 680

, -Totals 810 558 1,368

.. " ,

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIDUTED:-

370 I Spri~gs 625 ,. 115 Total

THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

!

Remarks.

• !

258

1,368

.ALLUVIAL l'tfnmm. QUAl<TZ :ML'fING •

Description of Machinery. ! Number I Afgregate i A Number I Aggregate '-, '\ At Idle.

Work. Idle. of Stamp i HOrBe-il:er of . WO:k. °k~~:~ . =-~=~ i ,Heads. . Steam ines. !

1----Steam Engines employed in pump- I '" I 24 12 .... ... . .. ...

ing, winding, puddling, &c. Whims ... ... ... 1 I . .. ... '" . .. ... .. . Puddling Machines ... ... 52 ... ... ... .. . ... . , . ... Steam Engines employed in pump- .. , ... ... . .. 15 2 112 332

ing, winding, crushing, &c., &c. . I

Whims ... ... ... ... . .. ... ... 2 I . .. .. .

Total value of mining plant in the division, £34,200. Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked

upon, 1. . Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the

present time, 7. The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been £4 Os. 6d. per oz.

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ TAILINGS AND CEMENT' CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM.

I I Name of ComIllliDY, Wbere Quartz, &0" were QlllIII'tz orushed. Yi~~e~~~ld Total Yield Remarks relative to the

obtained. Of Gold. Depth at which the Quartz per Ton. was obtained, &0.

-ton owt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr.

Black Hin Co. ... Black Hill ... 12,584 0 () 0 I 12 940 0 0 Tunneling, 100 feet

Independent ,

'Ditto depth ... . .. ... 4,656 0 0 ' '0 -'I 11 339 5 6 Open cutting, 90 feet

Band of Hope ... Little Bendigo ... 567 0 0 o 14 21! 422 5 0 Depth 840 feet New Monte Christo ... Ditto ... ... 750 0 0 0 4 191 ISO 0 0 Depth 30 feet Little Bendigo ... Ditto ... . .. 481 0 0 0 8 l' 193 II 6 Depth from 30 to 100 7

feet Clydeside ... ... Ditto ... .. . " 201 0 0 0 5 °t 50 12 0 Depth 40 feet

Total, Quartz ... 19,239 () () 0 2 5 2,125 1,3 12

Quartz Tailings and Cement crushed.

Majestic Co. n. ' Black Hill \ '" 180 0 0 () 15 o I' 135 () () SurfaCing

Two Ton Co. ... . Ditto ... ... 3,960 0 () () d 141 ' 120 () 0 Alluvial surfuce 21

Total, Quartz Tail- } and Cement ... 4,140 0 () 0 1 5il' 255 0 0

Q

(j

No.3 DIVISION.

Mr. Thomas Gowan, Mining Surveyo?' and Registrar.

THE TOTAL N UM"BER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-'. I

I

. Europeans. . Chlnese. Total for the Remarlrn. Division.

.Alluvial Miners ... . .. 351 ;

408 759 -Quartz Miners '" ... 130 ... 130

i -~,

Totals ... 481 408 i 889 , I

THE . TOTAL NUMBER OF Jl,fINERS IS THt:B DISTRIBUTED:-

Gum.tree Flat Golden Point ... Old Post Office Hill Poverty Point Red Streak ", Specimen Gully Black Hill Flat Eureka Oaledonian Lady Barkly .. , ... , .. ,

80 38

... 45 24 28 40 18 18 18 16 43

Dalton's Flat.., Sinclair's Hill Canadian Madman's Flat New Chum Sailor's Gully ... Prince :Regent ... , .. Terrible Gully .. . . .. Miners' Right llnd Mount Pleasant White Flat and Malakoff

68 20 60 68 46 44 96 6 ,

12 22

Brown Hill and Brown Hill Flat Ashe's Lead ... 12 Total 889 Clayton's HilL,. Pennyweight Flat

32 46

THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:...,-a . I ALLUYIAL l\IL~G • QUAltTZ MINING.

,-,~.

Description of Machinel'1. 1-'-1-~-'7Aggregat. 'Number I Aggregate

At Work. Idle. Horse·power of At Work. Idle. of Stamp Horse-~r of Ste!Wl Enginel!. Heads. Steam' 'nes.

Steam Engines employed in wind-ing, crushing, &c. ... . .. 6 5 129 9 7 128 304 ,

Horse Puddling Machines ... 41 10 ... ... ... .. . ... Steam Puddling Machines ... 8 9 . . .. ... .. . . .. . .. Whims ... ... ... 16 4 ... ... .. .

I . .. I ...

I

Total value of mi~ing plant in the division, £53,000. - Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon,3!. .

N umber of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 6.

The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been from £4 to £4 Is. 6d. per oz.

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY' OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ TAILINGS AND CEMENT CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER. AND THE GOLD OBTAINED

THEREFROM. .

. Where Qua:rtz, &c~ were I Average I Total Yield of Remarks ",lati .... to the

Name of Company. Qwutz crushed. Yield of G<>Id Depth at wbichthe Qwutz I obtained. , per Ton. ' G<>Id. w". obto.ined, &C.

---------------~~ ..

ton ewt. '1r. oz. dwt.lI'. oz. dwt. II'.

Llanberris ... . Gum-tree Flat ... 1<)0 0 0 o 19 0 95 0 0 260 feet Union ... ... Golden Point ... 2,000 0 '0 0 3 31 313 10 18 90 feet Old Post Office '" Old Post Office Hill 2,000 0 0 0 2 22l 295 5 6 60 to 140 feet Britannia ... ... .Specimen Gully ., . . 1,438 0 0 0 5 8£ 386 2 15 80 to 90 feet F..ndeavor ... ... i Ditto . .. ... 1,030 0 0 0 3 14~ 185 15 12 90 feet

\

Total, Quartz 6,568 0 0 0 3 21! 1,275 14 3 Quartz Tailings and I

--,--~

Cement crushed. , I

Good Friday . ,. Specimen Gully ... 4,200 0 0 0 o 15i21 132 0 0 Surface to'6 feet Temple of Hope ... Madman's Flat ... llO 0 0 o 11 12 . 63 5 0 50 feet

Total, Quartz Tail- } 4,310 0 0 00 21~1 195 5 0 ings and Cement

... i

I have th!l honor to forward the following report of mining operations in my division during the quarter, compiled' from information obtained by visiting the several claims, and making careful observations on the spot.

ALLUVIAL MINING.

During the quarter but little change has taken place in the character or extent of mining operations in the division, and the number of men now employed is as nearly as possible the same as at the date of last quarterly report. Of the claims at work, only the following call for any detailed notice ;-

The Windsor Oompan;/j, Pennyweigld Flat. This company is engaged in working the old Eurreka gutter, at a distance of 240 feet from the

shaft. They have not yet crossed it, but they anticipate it will be from 30 to 40 feet wide. The yield 'is only 25 ozs. per fortnight, which is scarcely sufficient to cover wages and other expenses. Larger returns are expected so soon as they get fairly into the gutter.

The Red Streak Oompany, Red Streak. This company have not yet got into the gutter.

Tke Bar1cly Oompany, Lady Bar1cly Lead. This company have opened out at a depth of 110 feet, and driven into wash-dirt at 60 feet from

the shaft. They intend putting in a cross drive to cut the water at the back of the main lead, to get rid of an overflow of water into their main level, which now obstructs their operations. In sinking, they struck a quartz reef in their shaft, of two feet in-thickness, which is supposed to be the same that is now being worked so satisfactorily by Messrs. :E)astwood and Dowlan on Little Bendigo (No.2 division). The puddling machines of, this company are now complete, and washing operations will be commenced forthwith. From the prospects obtained profitable resnlts are fully anticipated.

The Blue Jacket Oompany, Gum-tree Flat. This company are still sinking for the gutterpand expect to bottom in about two months.

The Barkly Bridge Oompany, Golden Point. This company are engaged, as previously reported, in working old grOlJ,nd from the surface to a

depth of 12 feet, and realising about £3 a week per man.

Edmonds and Party, and Victoria Oement Oompany, Golden Point. These companies are engaged in similar operations to the last. mentioned company, and with like

results. , The Olayton's Hill Oompany, Clayton's Hill.

'This company are engaged in pad docking the ground to a depth of 27 feet, and realise about £2 lOs. per man a week.

Tlte Oaledonian Oompany; , This is a new enterprise, started with a view to prospecting the ground between the Caledonian

and Morning Star Lea.ds. They are now 70 feet down with a second shaft, their :first having fallen in through excess of wat.er. _

QUARTZ MINING.

'l'ke Enterpripe Mining Oompany, Golden Point. Since the date of last report the claim. plant, and machinery of this company have been sold by

the Messrs. Learmonth to the neighboring Llanberris· Company for £3,500.

The Llanberris Oompany, Gum-tree Flat:· This company, having made the purchase referred to in the last paragraph, have been putting in

main drives and chambers to connect their workings with those of the late company in order to avail themselves of the large crushing power now at theIr command, consequently very. little quartz has been crushed during the last quarter, with the exception of 100 tons of mullock and quartz, which yielded the handsome return of 950zs. Within the last few days they cut the old Western lode at a depth of 260 feet, being 40 feet deeper than formerly intersected. The specimens already obtained from this lode promise a much larger return than anything the company have yet crushed.

Some of the shareholders appear sanguine that some of the quartz will yield from 2 to 3 ozs. to the ton. The manager informs me tliere is a fact worthy of notice in this level, viz., that the eastern, middle, and western lodes ap.pear to be all trending towards each other, whereas formerly they were all dipping to the west at different angles,from both upper and middle levels.

The Old Post Qifice Mining Oompany, Old Post Office Hill. This company's claim is still being worked on tribute, and yielding profitable retnrns to both

of the parties interested. The Union Oompany, Golden Point.

This company continues to raise quartz from the 90-feet level, where the lode varies from 6 to 30 feet in thickness. .

The a,erage net dividends are from £4 to £5 per week per man.

The Endeavor Oompany, Specimen Gully. . ~his comp!1ny ~s been obliged to suspend operations for a few :weeks by the surface giving way

and fillmg up theIr dnves. They have now re-eommenced work and are raising quartz from a 3D.feet level with satisfactory results.

The Britannia Oompany, Specimen Gully. . ~his co~pany are crnshing quartz. taken from a 90-feet level. The lode is not defined, the quartz

bemg mIXed WIth large bonlders and slate from 20 to 25 feet wide.

8

,< " TIle Good Friday,Oompany, E'IIA'elca, ' 1'1 b',. 'J 9o~t~ueiohcrul!k ,taili!lgs" c~meI!.t, I),nd old h~adings;to, Ii d~pth of ,9"feet ;AI.V;er~e ,;re~tilt8,peipg

£2 net per week to each of the ten men employed." " ,.."

, I Temple of'Hop~,' 'llfailman's Flat. b

.,' , '" ~his. ~ a n!llV en~rp~se, ~nd thochlim compr~seB !Ul, ¥,ea ,of. 5()(),OOO square feet. At present ',they are rals~ng,cement wh1ilh, t;b:ey find to oe',150 feet wide, 'and from 2to ':I. feet'in tlUck'ness; l~:' ::: Th!llastret~rnii sh'owayield 'of -Il!' awes.' per ton; 'So:'soonli.s another 'IOOtOn's' ai-inrushed with the same satiSfactoryrest:lts, the company will 'proceed' 'to erect' an '8~heaa battery of 'stamps. The manager statc.s that there IS a layer of wash.dirt 3 feet in thickness over the cement, wruch yields 3 ozs. to the machine. '

No. 4 DIVISION.

TlIE TOTAL Ni:r:MBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOW8:~

Europeans. Chinese. I Total for the I , Division. !

Alluvial Miners ... . .. 1,920 649 2,569

Quartz Miners ... ... 175 8 183 , • -"

; , Totals ... 2,095 657. 2,752

'THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:-"-

Bulldog ... Moonlight " ...

"'Mount Misery Creek Junction Little Hard Hills :-

550 60

225, 91L

Kangaroo Gully Staffordshire Reef :Kangaroo Hill SebastoFol ... Cobblers... . ..

Remaorkl!.

23 ... 168 " ' ... ; ... \: .. ~ 15

210 135

Whim Holes... ... Sawpit, Hockey, and Jackson's Gullies

180 35 ,86 190

Cambrian Hill and Winter's Flat Black Lead .. ;

160 , 110

Grassy Gully... , .,. ... Spring Creek... . .. Plllchgut ... .. . Frenchman's Gully .. . Break o'Day and Raglan Italian Gully .•. Long Gully , .. ,

"65 100 100

40 35 17

N apqleon and ,Dogtrap Racecourse, old diggings

, Watson's Hill

TOTAL

THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:- "

.. '

100 25 30

2,752 -'''''

"

I ALl:UYIALMnnNG. , QUA:aTZ,MnnNG.,

',-' ~ .. -~ ........

I ~tworu- Number ,I " Ag8regate: ' DeSCription ot: .Machinery. NUlIlber I Agg.eg&te '

Idle. of Stamp HOl'ffi>.~f, At WOl'U- Idle. of Stamp Horse-~ of Head., ,Steam s, Heads. Steam . 'ea.

" '----~,--~.'~' ..

Steam Engines ...... ... 33 2 ... 835 5 , 2 ~22" 167 Steam Engine (crushing

cement) ... . .. ... 1 ,6 10 ... ... ... . .. Whims ... ... ... 2 ... ... . .. 3 2 ... ... Whips .. : ... ; .. 2 I ,2 ... ... ... ... ... ... Horse Puddling Machines ... 40 43 ... ... ... .. , ... ...

Total value of mining plant in the division, £62,700.., _ I •

" N umber of square miles of alluvial ground which :4l being" or may have been" actua.lly ;wqrked upon,5t·

Number of distinct quartz reefs which have b,een actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 8. ,

The price of gola. dhring the quarter in the divisi6nhas been'from £4 to £41s. 6d, per oz.

9

THE FOLLOWING- INFORMATION HAS BElliN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUA~TITY OF QUARTZ CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM.

Name of Company.

________ ~ ~~ -~-~"'--~,~----~I----+---·--" I-------~

ton owt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. ,

Staffordshire Reef Co. Comet Company Prince of Wales Co, .•.

Staffordshire Reef ... Ditto Cobbler's

5,912 0 0 , 1,329 0 0

I~:~

oz. dwt. gr.

° 2 2i ° 4 141 o 12 20~

623 6 0 I' Surface to 165 feet 305 6 12 At 167 feet

1,015 13 12 20 feet below surface of bed rock

------Totals, Quartz i 8,821 0 0 o 4 9~ I 1,944 6 0 I

I have the honor to report that, during the quarter mining affairs generally have progressed steadily throughout my division; and although there is nothing pt~rticular to be reported regarding new discoveries or large nnds, still I am pleased to say: mining matters at present exhibit a more' healthy appearance in my division than they have ever hitherto done, and this statement has particular reference to the Rokewood neighborhood, and generally all over the Pitfield Plains, between the townships of Pitfield and Oressy, where within the last few months several large frontage claims, extending over some five or six: miles of country. have becn taken up, and are being vigorously worked bv their enterprising owners; but as ,Yet nothing definite is known regarding the course of thc lead or leads through the locality in questIOn, more than that it is generally thought by the most intelligent and experienced miners in the district that the course of the deep ground will be found to be pretty much the same as that of the present watercourses. namely, a little t{) the westward {)f the Little \V oady Yaloak Creek to its junction with the W oady Yaloak, and thcnce in a southerly direction generally along the course of the united waters of both streams into thc township of Cressy. However: judging from the spirited manner in which the pJace has been taken possession of and machinery purchased within the last few months, I am of opinion that thc lead will be traced for miles in the Cressy'direction ere the lapse of the present year. '

The large companies about Sebastopol, and generally along the valley of the~ Leigh, are at present held in high esteem by the mining public of this distril1t, aud shares rule high accordingJy in the N elson, Defiance, Prinee of Wales, Alston and Weurdale, and Great Gulf companies; and except in the case of the last-named, all the other claims are now fairly tested, and considered good payillO" invest-ments; but altho e Great Gclf Company has not as yet fairly got into the gutter, the prospects obtained a few w :vere c?nsidered quite p.r~mising, aJ?-d the~efor~ share~ in. this company are at present quoted fully as hIgh as III many of the dIVIdend paymg clalms'm the dIstrIct.

'*' "" 'II< '*' '*' .. * '*' ...... The Fortuna and Oaledonia companies, Buninyong Racecourse, persistently contin\le the search

for their respective gutters, but hitherto without being as successful as might be desired. The former company, however, have recently struck a new g~lttcr, 8 the Old Whim Holes Lead, but as the level at which the discovery was made happened to too shallow, some time must elapse before its value can be testcd. In the meantime, sanguine hopes are entertained regarding it, and shares in consequence have got up considerably in the market.

BUNINYONG DIVISION.

Mr. Robert M. Harvey, Mining Surveyo1' and Registrar.

TRill TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

Europeans. ohlnese« I Total for the

I 'J DivWon. Remarks.

-

Alluvial Miners .,. ... 1.,510 , 300 1,810

I r.,!,,~, on "", q="'. 180 Quartz Miners ... . .. 240 ... 240 ,

Totals ... 1,750 300 2,050

THE TOTAL NUMBEB OF MINERS is THUS DISTRIBUTED:-

Durham Green Hills Scotehman's Franklyn... ... Napoleon and Victoria Devonshire ... • .. Hard Uills .. . Black LIO'ad ... Winter's Flat Hiscock's

No. 82,a.

550 White Horse 50 Magpie ...

170 Mount Helen 70 Oobbler's Gully

150 One-eye .. . 50 Green Hills .. .

100 New Ohum ... 100 U Dion J aek and Glencoe 100 170 Total

150 100 20

100 50 SO 40 50

2,050

o

10

'. ,THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

"

ALLUVIAL MINING. I QUARTZ M1NmG. , ' '. "

,. -I - ~e5<l1'illt!on .of lIIaohlnery;- . - Number Aggregate

At Work. . Idle. Aggregate I

Horse·power of At Work. Idle. of Stamp Heads. §~~:;:~~: Steam Engines. : '. ---, ---

Steam Engines ... ... 25 3 480 7 4, 72 220 '

Puddling Machines ... ... 40 10 ... . .. .., ... ... Whims ... ... .. . 30 5 I . .. ... . .. ... .. .

.

Total value of mining plant in the division,£56,OOO. Number of squaremiles.of alluvial ground which is being 'or may have been actually work~d

upon, I3!. . . Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be aUriferous to the present

tIme, 12. ' , The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been from £3 19s. to £4 per oz.

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE (:tUANTITY OF QUARTZ

CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM.

Name of Company. Where Quartz was obtained.

" " . '

Erin-go·Dragh ... Hiscock's Reef ... Standard Company ... Ditto . .. '"

Imperial Company ... Ditto ... .. . One-and-All Company Ditto ...

Totals, Quartz

Quartz crushed. Yi.;tJ'i,'f"~ld per Ton.

tons cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr.

1,000 0 0 0 3 19t

1;385 0 0 0 4 Oll!

2,403 0 0 0 3 17!

\ 1,500 0 0 0 3 9t

6,288 0 0 0 3 17i

QUARTZ MINING.

Hiscock's Roif.

Total Yield of Remarks relative to the

Depth at which the Gold. Quartz was obt.~ined.

oz. dwt. gr.

1900 0 110 feet

279 15 12 160 feet

447 18 17 200 feet chiefiy,'and 130

256 0 0

1,173 14 5

On this, the only quartz reef in this division at present in full working operation, the yield, as the stone is taken from a deeper level, quite equals that from the quartz Laken from shallower depths, the average for the quarter being 3 dwts. 17.g. grs., which affords full wages to ,the tributors and good returns to the shareholders.

Other Reeft being tested. On the Mt.' Helen,Devonshire, Long Gully, and Cobbler's,Gully reefs; companies of miners are

actively at work testing the reefs; or erecting machinery, and a large addition to the quartz mining in t,his division may confidently be expected, The Glasgow Reef is also about to be tested, application having been made for a large claim oJ). the same; it is anticipated that some difficulty will be experienced on this reef in separating the gold from the snlphurets.

ALLUVIAL MINING.

Durham Lead. Although during the quarter both the Chryseis, and South Grenville companies have broken

through in driving into runsol: wash·dirt, stillllothmi!: definite has been proved as to whether these are the mai.n gutter; gold, however, reported to be payable, has inDboth instances been obtained, and a very short .time now will settle the question as to the richness of .his lead at these points, which are about two and a half miles distant from each other; mining operations in the claims; ,sinking anddriving .. for the, . gutter are being actively prosecuted. '1'he Garibaldi is still obtaining but poor returns, while the ad­joining claim, the Duke Of Northumberland, pays excellent dividends; above this there is nothing new to report, except that the National Company have at last struck a rich run in the Durham gutter, and are obtaining excellent returns. .

Franklyn Lead. . The Franklyn Company's ground has improved considerably; what they consid~r a new gutter. proclaimed as the Buninyong, has been struck in their southern drive, trending north-easterly, and nearly at right angles to the Franklyn Lead. ' .,

Napoleon Lead. The Leviatbn Company are still driving, and must shortly find the deep ground, either of the

.Franklynrun or the Napoleon. '.., ,,<

, . Wellington Lead.

The Waterloo Comp'any, ' Jerusalem, are putting in a drive at a level 50 feet deeper than their former gutter'drive, from which they,will be enabledto·work aeonsiderable portion oftheir deeper ground; the gutter, however, dips rapidly. Two eompanies, the Wellington and the Blucher, have been formed

. to work the shallow ground at thll upper. end of the ·Wellington Lead, .and have obtained good prospects of rough gold. The San Sebastian on the shallower portion of the Napoleon Lead, have erected an engine; this ground was imperfeetly worked, and will in all probability prove remunerative.

Unio1~ Jack and Glencoe Leads.

A.ctive overations are again being carried on on these leads within the Bllninyong township boundary, and III the case of the Royal George (Glencoe), who work from an old shaft, a considerable quantity o~ gold has already been obtained, one nugget weighing lib. ; this lead was abandoned about five years smee as too poor.

Sltallow Workings.

The large extent of shallow workings extending from the Hard Hills to 'Terrible Gully is dotted over with widely scattered small parties, .generally making fair wages. The very large number of seventy claims have been registered during the quarter, the mining population is steadily increasing, and mining generally in this division is being carried on with more than ordinary activity and success.

SMYTHESDALE DIVISION.

Mr. John Lynch, j,fining Surveyor and Registrar.

THE TOTA.L NUMllER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

I Eur~;e~B. I

Chinese. Total for the Rema.rks. . Dhision .

---~~-

Alluvial Minera .,.""" ... 3,059 600 3,659 Quartz Miners ... ... 100 ... ; 100

Totals ... 3,159 600 3,759

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:-

Smythesdale ... Scarsdale ... Brown's' Monkey Gully Italians' .. . . .. Springdallah, including New Chum Lead Derwent Jack's .... ... ... Happy Valley ,including Springdallah Creek

and Lucky Woman's ... ...

230 750 180 109 140 420 210

770

Carngham, including-Bottle Hill... .:. Preston Hill Snake Valley ... Snake Valley Reefs... ...

Linton, including Madden's Flat

Total

THE MA.CHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

ALLUVIAL lllnmm. (>

QUAltTZ 1I1l:Nmo.

, Description of Machinery.

At Work. I At Work. I Idle. Aggregate . Idle I Number . ft~~~~~~~!. of Stamp

! Heads. .. -~"

Steam Engines ... 71 13' 1,690 6 2 40 Whims ... ... 14 7 . .. ... .. . ... Horse Puddling Machines 75 26 ... ... . .. ...

Total value of mining plant in the division, £80,000.

80 130 40(f 60

280

3,759

Aggregate Horse-power ot Stea.m Enginell.

150 ... . ..

Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being or may have been actually worked upon, 40. . Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the'present

tlIlle, 9.

The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been' £4 per oz.

12

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED' RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ

CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM.

I i Where Quartz was Average Total Yield Remarks relative to the

N~me of Company. ohtained. I~~'" Yield of G<>ld of Gold. Depth at which the

per Ton. Quartz was obtained, &0.

Britannia' 'Carngham ton owt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz.' dwt. gr.

width ... . .. ' 2,983 0 0 o 10 1j 1,50~ 7 12 280 feet deep, of reef'8 feet

,Result ... '" Carngham ... 1,469 0 0 0 7 ~1 535 17 II 160 reet deep. width of reef 'Til 3 reet ; h'we opened at 2W

v' reet level. and find the

I

stone "s good as at the higher level

,-,

Totals, Quartz I 4,452 0 0 0 9 ,3i 2.037 4 23 I ,

I have the honor to furnish you with the following report on the state of the mines in this division during the quarter. "

In and around the township of Smythesdale and Warren's Lead, there is but very little doing. Two claims have stopped working, which had been in operation for years back; and indeed, eJrcept occasional patches, I am of opinion that mining in Smythesdale is at an end, that is, so far ail the deep leads are concerned.

Towards the northern extremity of my division thcre are more hopeful signs. McLachlan's pre-emptive right has been taken up by a mining company, and as machinery is already erected there, and only a few fixtures required, we may expect vigorous operations soon in that quarter, About five years ago efforts were made to ,,-ork the same ground, but the company failed, and it has lain since

, unoccupied. Further on, and inuiiediately adjoining McLachlan's northern boundary, there are three large

companies going to commence boring. The whole flat is in their possession, from the bouudary of McLachlan's scction to the Smythe'S Creek Racecourse. Should future events prove this large extent of ground to be remunerative, there is a field for the employment of capital and lahour for scveral years. , _

Whilst the olel. leads \'Iround Smythesdale, Brown's, and Italian Gully are becoming exhausted, their loss is more than compensated for by the improved yields of Springdallah, Happy Valley, and Scarsdale. The Grand Trunk claim, at Springdallah, is yielding over 200 ounces a week, and from the appearance of the washdirt, and the increased facility for working the gutter which they are now becoming possessed of, tbs yields are expected'to increase considerably. 'fhe extent of this claim is 6,320 feet frontage. l'he Alpha, w:hich adjoins tbo latter claim at its northern end, have struck into excellent ground lately, and are getting 13 ozs. to the machine. The Try-Again (lease), in the Devil's

. Kitchen, is looking well, the yield is generally about £4, a lUau weekly. 'The Archer are bottomed but have not reached the gutter yet. The Atlas are down 220 feot, and still in solid'rock.

The Exchequer are sinking the shaft and erecting machinery, which is first-class. The Cape C1ear will take a few months more to bottom. On the Now Chum Lead, Springdallah, there is not much

'doing: l'he Qucen of England and Dinky Sam claims are the only claims that are producing anythlllg there, and these barely wagtls.

, The Golden Horn, in Clark's private property, are sinking their shaft on the main lead. The Golden Lake have been engaged for a few weeks back in putting in It second lift of pumps;

the water was :30 excessive that one large lift was not sufficient to enable them to carry on sinking. The new pumps will be in in a few days, and' the work of sinking will be resumed.

At Scarsdale the several claims show marked 8igns of improvement. The Caledonia Company, for the last week, had nearly 37 ozs., 'which is a very good' return for the number of men .• The Bute

o had 102 ozs. for the last week; the old shaft in which they bad worked for the'last five years is given up, and the ground in No: 4 allotment, Scarsdale, which comprised their original claim, is worked out. The Avonclift is paying well; 33 oza. werc obtained for the week ending 19th· December, and t~ereupon a block of ground upon Crown lands was taken up by them and registered, under the belwf that a tributary lead ciulle thl'oug-h the block into their lauel: 'l'he Azimuth ha'd 42 ozs, lately for one week; they are about to begin to block back, and thereby increase their retums; their ground looks better than ever it did. The N ol'th Grenville have broken into the gutter coming from the Morning Light or Oldham Lead, and the appearance of the wash·dirt is most encouraging; the returns rose the first week from 60 ozs. to nearly 80 ozs., .aud as soon as the drive into the new /l;utter is fairly started it is not unreasonable to expect a very considerable increase upon the present yield. The Morning Light claim -is turning out splendid wash.d!rt, put th~ insufficielC!cy of the machinery has. kopt back the progress of the Oomnany; the steam englile IS entIrely too small for all the work reqUIred there, hence the Com­pariy are'suffering very heavy loss; they have taken up an additional claim for 50 men, and are going: to amalgamate with the ,original one. The Lucks-All have wound up, but the grollnd, plant, and

:machinery are takon up,by a few of the original sliarehplde,!,s, and a new company is going to start. "fhe Golden Stream is slightly improving; the quality of the ground here is by no means encouraging, 'but the excellent management that prevails there enables them to obtain a surplus every week, after paying expenses; they are, putting down a bore at the lower end of the claim. ~lie Scarsdale Extended a.re still driving for tile gutter in the direction of .the creek; they are getting indications of beiug near the gutter. , The, Wheal-Kitty, a co,operative company of twenty-four, on the main lead, had 30 ozs. for the last week. This is by no mllans as good as they have had, or eJrpect to have, but it is, nevertheless, a good return, and shows, that small co-operative companies generally do better thl!-n larger companies under the contract system, for this company are getting no better ground than others on the same lead, but their returns are lUuch better.

, The Alchymist and Magnum Bonum are the only claims using steam power on Derwent Jack's Lead. The former is still driving in the reef, and expects day after day to break into the gutter; .the

; latter.has broken in, and got an excellent prospect-there were over 2 OZ8. to less than half a mach.llle­. ful of wash dirt, the gold WaS coarse, one piece was about 2 dwts. in weight. There is but very little of consequence doing at Brown's; the Grace Darling Company have given up. An'other comp~y employing ,steam power' are working on the fiat, near the Old United Brown Claim, they are ,gettmg

13

tolerably well paid. Boden and party have had to leave off sluicing for want of water. The Chinese are turning over the old leads, in some places for the fourth time, and still their patience and industry are sometimes well rewarded. Monkey Gully is employing a good many small parties; the ground is very patchy, and in some places very good.

At Italian Gully the N ardoo and Garibaldi claims are in want of water, they are for the most ,part idle on that account. The All Nations have removed their machinery from their old claim, which ,IS worked out, to tho .abandoned ground of the Aurora Company at the head of the Black Ball Lead. They are sinking a shaft, and are likely to succeed in bottoming without any mishaps. There is a long tract of gutter yet untouched awaiting them, which their predecessors were unable to come at.

Happy Valley is in a prosperous state. The British (lease) which has so long stood at the .head of the' rich claims in this division, still sustains its pre-eminence; the ground looks as well as ever; they have had 183t ozs. for the week ending the 17th December, and there is every likelihood of an advance upon this yield on the resumption of work after the holidays. Lucky Company (lease), adjoining the latter, are now in fair working order; their ground looks well; they get about 10 ozs. to the machine.

'1'he Investigator, a company on private property, have bottomed and got a very good prospect; they are busy erecting puddling machineR.

The Nonpareil have not broken through yet; 'there is a change in tho reef from a hard sandlitone to slate, and that, together with an increased flow of water, indicates the proximity of the gutter. The Volunteers have been getting splendid returns lately.

The Grand Junction is a ,ery steady paying claim, the wash-dirt is very regular; the yield is less fluctuating in (his claim than in any other at Happy Valley. '1'he yield of tho Volunteers for the last week was ncarly 1] 9 OZS., and' for scveral weeks before that there was not a great difference from that amount, and the drives still look equally well. Robin Hood (lease) slightly improving, the Wa,erley looking much better; the latest weekly return of the former was 34 ozs.

At.I.,inton a considerable stir has been caused by the prospect obtained by the Victory Company. After breaking into thc gutter they came upon a face of wash-dirt four or five feet high studded with gold, sorne pieces of which were from two, to four dwts.; they have not done much since then in the way of underground work, as they have been engaged ereeting Ii, puddling machine. Two other claims were immediately taken np in the adjoining available ground, and are now ready, equipped for work. The Atlas Company, a co-operativo company of about 'thirty men, 'that took up the ground formerly held by Mr. Page, are sometimes getting '180zs. a week, and seldom lower than 24 ozs.

These are the principal claims now at Linton, viz. :-the Victory and Atlas, but after their union with the Standard and Black Leads, near the northern boundary of Linton Park, they flow on south­easterly through Linton Park and the Argyle farms into Happy Valley. Nothing has been yet done to work this large extent of valuable leads. but I am informed negotiations are pending which will have the effect of throwing open the lead for mining. There are at present nearly three miles of the main Linton lead locked up, all in private property.

On the shallow gullies and alluvial flats there are a few small parties. European and Chinese, making a livelihood. A quartz claim has been lately taken up ncar the Standard Lead, a shaft is being sunk, the prospects are reported to be good; but the invariahle want of success which has attended quartz mining in this division, with the exception of those at Carngham, makes that branch of mining a very dubious one here. .

In no part of this division has mining enterprise been better rewarded than at Carngham; the width of the auriferous earth along the Snake Valley Flat is in some places some hundred feet. The miners have other advantages here not to be had elsewhere, which also contribute to render the locality a favorable one for small companies. .

There is but little water, nothing to impede the progress of the works; the cost of sinking shafts is comparatively trivial, and this is found to be a great boon whenever the drives extend too far from the mouth of the shaft to be economically used, as a new shaft is then found to be cheaper than the transport Df the wash-dirt through long drives. .

The receipts of the several eompanics along t.he flat ars so regular and uniform that they are nearly constant throughout the year, and range from £3 a man weekly upwards to £7, £8, and in some instances higher. _

The Southern Lights, Prince of Wales, Alabama, Wait and Hope, Magnum Bonum, British Columbia, are the principal claims; they occupy nearly the entiro flat from the head of Snake Valley to the Police Reserye, and it is to these my remarks apply.

Philips" lJaddock, abutting on three of the above claims, has been purchased for mining purposes by Messrs. Popo and Jungwirth. They are sinking an excellent shaft, and are, I believe, about erecting first-class machinery. -

All the ground fDr a considerable distance from Philips' paddock towards t.he east and nort.h-east is in. the occupation of the United Carngham Company. They have bottomed a shaft at a dept.h of 135

, feet, and have opened out a ca.pacious chamber; the ground looks well, and as the Snake Valley leads, concentrated into Dne main channel, pass thrDugh this claim, which is about 4,000 feet long, there is full scope for extensi Vtl operations for several years to come.

A few companies are still at work on Bottle Hill; one ofthem has a steam-engine. There aro six companies on Preston's Hill employing steam power; as they are on private property, I cannot tell accurately what they are doing, but there is no doubt that they are getting on prosperously. Immediately adjoining the private property, ~vhere the Preston Hill Lead emerges into Crown lands, there is a block claim, which was formerly held by the' Hand-in-Hand Company, now in the occupation of Messrs. Pope and Jungwirth, who have purchased it. These gentlemen have also applied for two, blocks of thirty acres each, under the gold mining leases regulations, of the land stretching from the northern bDundary of the Hand·in-Hand ground to Russell's private property. Upon a review of the state of mining throughout the entire division, I am ,varranted in stating that at no previous period has it been more prolific than it is at present; and considering the number, extent, and richness of the claims now in actual operation, the improvements that are being daily effected in the manage­ment of the mines, and the vast extent of ground still untouched, including several miles of our main trunk leads, I feel confident that several years of increasing prosperity Bwaits it. -

14

CRESWICK DIVISION.

lIfr., James Stevenson, ,Mining SU'r~eyor ~nd Registrar;

, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS'--I

I I

Europeans. ,I oWnese. Total for the Division. I Remarks.

i

Alluvial Miners ... . .. 1,200 I 800 2,000

! Quartz Miners ... ... ... 570 ... ' 570

Totals ... 1,770 800 2,570 j

.' Clunes .. . Rocky'Lead .. . Pinch gut Gully Scandinavian Reef Red Streak Lead New Chum Gully Union Hill ... Eaglehawk Gully Spring Gully Creswick Back Creek ... Portuguese Flat

Descr:Iption of MacWnery.

Steam Engines ... Whims ... ... Puddling Maehines ...

Cement Mining. Steam Engines ... Whims and Whips ...

. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:-

I AtWork./

14 38

174

2 8

570 190 150' 15

160 30 20 50

110 140 150 130

Humbug HilL. .Mopoke Gully Slaty Creek .. . Bald Hills .. . Sulky Gully. '" Cobbler's Gully Diamond Gully Longpoint ... Cabbage.tree Hill

THE MACHINERY IS Ali FOT,LOWS:-

.ALLUVIAL MnnNG.

Number Aggregate Idle. of Stamp HOl'Ile-power of At Work.

Heads. Steam Engines. -~ .. -~ .. ~

- I

7 .., 295 25 6 ... ... ...

12 ... ... ...

... 22 40 ...

... ... . .. ...

Total

QUARTZ MIlrING •

Number Idle. 01 Stamp

Heads.

2 174 . .. ... .. . ...

. .. '" . , . . ..

100 200 200 60 40 75 20

140 20

2,570

I Aggregate Horse~power of

! Steam Engine~.

I

580 .. . . ..

I ... ...

Total value of mining plant in the division, £112,200. Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being or may have been actually worked

upon,7t· Number of distinct quartz reefs ~hich have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present

time, 12. The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been from £3 18s. 6d. to £3 198. 6d.

per oZ.

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS EEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE T-() THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ TAILINGS AND CEMENT CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM.

Name of Company. Where =, &c., were 0 . cd. ..

I I ·.Ave~e I T tal Y' Id f I Rema.rks re!a.Mv" to the • Quartz crushed. Yield of Gold 0 Ie 0 Depth at which the i •• per Ton. Gold. Quam was obtained. I --_.- " ~-~---"--.~

i ton cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gl'. oz. dwt. gr. Port Phillip Company Clunes Reef ... 1 12,483 0 0 0 7 13~ 4,730 14 12 Greatest depth 314 feet Victoria Company ... Ditto .. , ... 2,81'1 0 0 0 4 1I~ 629 9 0 .. .. 460 reet Clunes United Company Ditto ... .. , 1,880 0 0' o 12 9~ 1,165 10 0 n ,; 392 feet

i ,Fowler and Party ... Cobbler's Gully ... 51 0 0 2 14 04 13i 15 12 From surW,ceto ahout 20ft. Matthews and Party ... Ditto ... ... 18 0 0 o 12 911 11 3 0 20 feet Livingstone and Party Ditto ... ... 13 0 0 0 7 lOt, 4 16 12 From surface Creswick United Co .... Ditto ... . .. 3 0 0 !:l 2 20 0 8 12 . 40fe ..

Billing and Party , .. Ditto n. ... 6 0 0 0 o 22 0 5 12 Collins and Party ... . Opossum Reef ... II 0 0 o 13 13iJ 7 9 0 20 feet Golden Gate Company Ditto ... ... 4' 0 0 1 .7.201 5 11, 9 25 feet ,

" Quartz Tailin~8 and Total, Quartz .•. 17,283 0 0 0 7 171 6,693 ~ 21

Cement crub led. Hard Hill Company ... Hard Hills ... 1,450 0 0: 0 2 3! 155 17 9 Surface and 70 feet Enterprise Company ... .Ditto ... ... 780 0 0 0 !f 16 103 15 0 Nearly 70 feet Devonport and Party ... Ditto ... ... 6 0 0 0 4 o . 1 4 0 Surface Reyal Standard Co. . .. Red Streak ... 13 0 0 0 6 9i! 4 3 6 40 feet Whiffin and Party ... White Hills ... 5 0 0 0

6 14~ I 1 13 0 60 feet

Totals ... 2,254 0 0 0 2 8i 266 12 15 .

15

I have the honor to state that the improvement mentioned in my . last report as having taken place in mining in this division, still continues, the yield of gold having (except in. a few instances) l,een greater during this quarter than the previous one; owing to the extreme . dryness of the season in this locality,. nearly all the sluicing companies were obliged to come to a stand still in November,·an unusually early period. for Creswick... ...

A.t Graham's Hill, Schache and party, havlllg completed the smkmg of theIr new shaft, erected their whim, &c., are now driving; the wash-dirt is POOl', averaging only 3 dwts. to the load, and a foot and a-half in thickness, but as the expense of working is very small it pays fairly. The remaining two parties continue to work as usual.

The yield for the quarter is as follows :-oz. dwt. gr.

Republic Company, 12 men ... 91' 0 0 Garibaldi Company, 5 men 74 0 0 Schache and party, . 5 men 32 17 0

At the Red Streak, the Original Red Streak Company has now completed the erection of an IS· horse power beam engine for winding; it works remarkably well; the other 20-horRe power engine is kept constantly pumping in order to drain the deep ground; stoping and driving both north and east, have been carried on on the upper level; thirty-eight men are employed by the company. The Junction Company is putting a drive in to the north-north·east from the lower, or 157-feet level; it is through the reef, and is intended to cut a deep channel of ground found in the upper .level, but which was dipping_away; stoping is going on to the west, both on the lower and upper levels; the company employs 33 men. .

The Imperial Company has put in a main drive to the western boundary of the claim, and is driving southerly along it; some fair wash·dirt has been met with, and the yield of gold has improved considerably. This main drive is an incline with a rise of 23 feet, and iR so constructed that the full truck going down takes up an empty one; there is also a drive going in northerly in the deep ground, on the lower or 182-feet level. Twenty-eight men are employed by the company.

The Sir Charles Darling Company has temporarily suspended operations, for the purpose of increasing the company's capital. The Hit-or-Miss Company is stoping out near the eastern boundary of the claim, and is getting handsome returns; twelve men al'e employed. The Last Chance Company has not met with its former success; since it was swamped out it has sunk two shafts, but has not met with anything encouraging. The Royal Standard Company, at work a little up the creek from the Last Chance Companl' ~has been doing very well. The Royal Exchange Company has nearly com­pleted the erection 0 a 25-horse power engine, and will soon Fe·commence sinking its shaft. The All But One Company has worked out the best portions of its claim and abandoncd it.

The yield of gold for the quarter has been:-

Hit.or-Miss Company, 12 men . oz. dwt. gr.

Junction Company, hired labor ... Original Red Streak Company, hired labor Rose of Allandale Company, 12 men ... Imperial Company, hired labor Royal Standard Company, 6 men '" . Last Chance Company, 6 men ... . .. Sir Charles,Darling Company, hired labor (2 months)

490 0 0 423 4 0 219 6 5 187 7 8

... 0 155 10 0 56 0 0 45 0 0 33 19 9

At Rocky J.Jead the Smythesdale Company has worked out the eastern portion of its claim and has temporarily suspended op.crations, in orde:t: to make arrangements for sinking a new shaft on the western po.r:ion. The yo~ Kn.o~ Company has cOl;npleted tile erection of engine and 'plant ~n its new shaft, and IS now engaged In dnvmg to Its old workmgs. The Golden Gate Company, In puttmg in the reef drive on the 155-feet level, struck a deep channel of ground at a distance of 248 feet from the shaft, having by means of a monkey Shaft tried the bottom of the dip, it was found that the present drive is 14 feet too shallow, in consequence of which the company has commenced another drive 15 feet lower. The Golden Emporium Company is engaged in stopin~ ou t in different parts of the claim. The Jupiter Coml?any is stoping out south of the main drive, and is also driving north on the gutter; the prospects of thiS company are very encouraging. Lennon's Paddock Company bottomed its shaft on a high reef in which it is now sinking previous to opening out. . _ _ . '

The yield of gold for the quarter has been:-oz. dwt. gr.

Jupiter Company, hired labor ,.. 585 5 0 Emporium Company, 24 men ... 400 0 22 Smythesdale Company 205 3 12

On the Scandinavian Reef, Bullarook, the William Tell Company has completed the erection of a 22-horse power engine and battery of 12 ,stamp heads; the. company has crushed 40 tons of quartz which has not yet been washed off, I am therefore unable to give the yield. . '

The different parties at work on thc quartz reefs on the eastern and western sides of Cobbler's Gully are all getting quartz more or less auriferous; some of the stone has been '\"ery rich, and from the prospects obtained the locality bids fair to contain some of the best quartz reefs in the district. It happens that the different parties are small and with but little capital, consequently their development will probably be retarded for a time. .

At Cluues, the Port Phillip Company has crushed the following quantity of quartz, raised by the CJun~s Company from various depth~ (the g.r~atest ,blling 374 fee~), during the quarter :-12,483 tons, YIeldmg 4,730 ozs. 14 dwts. 12 grs. The chlhan mills have durmg the year operated on 263 tons of concentrated pyrites, obtained from the buddle and blankets, and the result is 538 ozs. 4 dwts. 12 grs. of gold. A second stone-breaker has been purchased, and is being erected in such a position as to be worked by No.2 engine; when completed, the other stone-breaker will be removed and placed alongside. The, efficiency of the buddl~ in .use for concentrati~g ;pyrites from the refuse Rand has. been very conSiderably mcreased by vanous Improvements made m it by Mr. Mundy, of the Port Philhp Company (for which he has obtained a patent). 'The results are so satisfactory that buddIes on the same principle have been erected by Mr. E. Mark and Mr. C. T. Sutherland.

The Clunes Company has completed sinking the south shaft, which is now 452 feet deep' the weatern crosscut, on No.4 level, is in about 50 feet, and the eastern about 80 feet; on No.3 'level the crosscut has intersected the Western reef, which is being driven on; a willZe is being sunk on

..

16

the Eastern reef, and a drive contiuued on Robinson's reef. From the main shaft on No. 4. level driving is being done on the Eastern, Western, and Robinson's reefs. On No.3 a winze is being sunk p.orth on the Western reef; driving is also being done on it, and on Iiobinson's reef. On No.2 level stoping is being done on the Western, Welcome, and Robinson's reefs, the price of which ranges from 8s. to lOs. 6d,. per ton. Two hundred and fifty men are employed on the mine. .

. . The Vietoria Company have during the quarter crushed 2,81;1 tons of quartz, the yield of which has been 629 ozs. 9 dwts.; the quartz has been obtained from various depths, the greatest being 460 feet. The main shaft has 'been sunk below the No.5 level, and erosscuts put in to intersect the lodes; the. eastern crosscut is in about 60 feet, the ground, which previously was very hard, is now rather softer; the western crosscut has been driven about 65 feet, the last twenty of which was through a mixture of quartz and mullqck; a large quantity of water is draining from the face of the drive, but Robinson's lode has not yet been met with. The contractors for sinking the winze on the bottom of No.4 level are obliged, by the influx of water, to abandon the work till the reef is drained. Vv-ork, for the present, has been discontinued on ·the Western reef, and also on the Welcome t:eef at No. 4 level. The price ofstoping nries from 88. 6d. to 128. 3d. per ton. Eighty-two men are employed in the mine.

The Chmes United Company has crushed the following quantity of quartz, raised from various depths, the greatest being 392 feet, viz., 1,880 tons, which yielded 1,165 ozs. 10 dwts. The main shaft has been sunk 38 feet deeper, thr?ugh yery hard Bandstone. Stoping on No. 11evol, and driving a crosscut east on No. 31evel are dlscontmued for the present, and the nnderground operations are confined to stoping and driving on No. 41eve1. Forty-eight men are employed in the mine, and the. expenditure dUl'ing the quarter amounts to £4,948 15s. 8.1. . . The Clunes Alluvial Company has obtained, from 16th March up to the present date, 869 ozs. 17 dwts. of gold; the company is blocking out the northern portion of the claim, and also driving alonO" the deep ground, when the white run was intersected last Friday; in blocking out the ground southward from Uw northern boundary, the wash-dirt met with appears to have improved in quality two machines havinl,j yielded 14 oz. .

In the Glendonald shaft the eastern crosscut has been driven 20 fathoms, but the influx of water has become so great that it is intqnded to erect stoam machinery to work the claim with; the contract for putting up poppet-heads has been let, and negotiations entered into for the purchase of a winding engme, &e.

The South Clunes Company has crosscut Robinson's lode in the western drive, and found it about 6 feet wide on the bottom, and opening out; the branches at the northern Ahaft were prospected, towards the south, but the drive, after reaching beyond the line of auriferous grounel, has been discon­tinued. . The New North Clunes Company has sunk the shaft 44 feet deeper, making a total depth of 594 feet; the ground is still very tough, and the sinI,ing consequently is very tedious; the boiler has been cased in, and, from trials made, the consumption of fuel is found to be about 2~ coras of wood less per week than heretofore.

o STEIGLITZ SUBDIVISI.ON.

M't·. T. Woolgrove, Mining Surveyor and Registrar.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

Europeans. Chinese. Total for tho Subdivision. Remarks.

_. ---------Alluvial Miners Quartz :Miners

511 223 734 No increase during quarter

Totals -:::. -I-;~-i--:::-THE TOTAL NUMBER O}' MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED :-

Europeans, Alluvial. Morrison's and Tea-tree Evan~'s Rush Wallace's Rush Dolly's Creek Steiglitz Munroe's Gulley ,

Ohinese. Alluvial. Dolly's Creek­

Brown's Hill Table Land Fiddler's Hill Charcoal Hm Sailor's Hill Greedy Point

Steiglitz ... Quartz Miners.

Steiglitz Stony Rises

Total

400 48 35 14

8 6

55 70 20 25 30 18 5

116 36

886

17

THE MACHINERY IS AS POLLOWS:-

ALLUVLU. MINING. QUARTZ Mnmm.

Description of Mae!llnery. I Number I ,R, . !Aggregate Horse-At Work: Idle. power of Steam At Work. Idle. of Stamp -P;)wi,:"~~

Engines. Heads. :

--- - - .. -

STEIGLITZ. Steam Engines, engaged in wind-

206 ing, pumping, and crushing ... ... . .. u • 8 3 80 Horse Whims ... . .. ... .. . ... 2 1 ... ... Horse Whips 2 3

I ... ... '" . .. ,. . ... ... STONY RISES.

Steam Engines, engaged in wind-ing and crushing ... ... ... ... ... 2 ... 12 20

MORRISON'S. Steam Engines, engaged in wind-

I mg, pumping, puddling ... 8 2 91 ... ... ... ...

Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, £30,500. Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being, or may have been actually worked

upon, 6i up to S and 9. Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present

time, 45. The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision has been from £3 17s. 6d. to .£3198. 9d.

per oz. .

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED REI,ATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND

QUARTZ AND lYIULLOCK CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM.

Name of Company.

Ballarat Quartz Mining Company

Forty-feet Claim ... Malakoff Company ... Albion Company ... Ironbark Company ... Barnes and Company

Sullivan and Company Young and Company .•.

Name of Company.

Where Quartz, &c., were Average

Quartz orushed. YieldofG<>ld obtained. per Ton •

.... -------_ ... _-ton owt. qr. oz. dwt. gr.

New Year's Reef, 480 0 0 1 2 0 Steiglitz

New Year's Reef ... 50 0 0 6 0 O· Ditto ... ... 240 0 0 o 17 22 Portuguese Reef, 80 0 0 2 2 12

Steiglitz Ironbark Reef, Steig- 40 0 0 010 0

1Hz I Boxing Reef, Steig- 54 0 0 I o 10 10§ litz

Ditto ." ... 44 0 0 o 12 17fT Ditto ... ... 30 0 0 o 10 0

-_._--Totals, Quartz ... 1,018 0 0 1 5 14iU

QUARTZ AND l\'IULLOCK CRUSHED.

Where Quartz, &c., were obtained.

Average Quartz crushed. Yield of G<>ld

parTon.

Total Yield of Gold.

oz. dwt. gr.

528 0 0

300 0 0 215 0 0 170 0 0

20 0 0

28 3 0

28 0 0 15 0 0

1,304 8 0

Total Yield of G<>ld.

R€marks relative to the Depthat which theQuan.. was obtained.

At 250 feet depth

At 245 feet depth At 280 feet depth

.At 320 feet depth

At 35 feet depth

At 120 feet depth

At 120 feet depth At 180 feet depth

Rema.rks 'relative to too De.p thatwhicbtbeQu:trt!< and Mullock were obtain· ed, /'Le.

---------1'-·······-··------1-------1----- _ ... --.-.-

New Chum Company ...

Redan Company

Burwood and Company

Cooper and Company .. . Steiglitz Company .. .

No. 32, b.

New Uhum Reef, Steiglitz

Ditto

Boxing Reef, Steig­litz

Ditto Ditto

Totals, Quartz and} Mn!lock ...

ton owt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr.

135 0 0 ,0 8 0 54 0 0 From 90 to 120 feet

300 0 0

104 0 0

depth. Mullock and quartz

o 7 14~ I 114 0 J From 60 to 200 feet . depth (old work-I ings). Mullock

Quartz and mul­lock

o 6 12~ I 34 () ) I At 200 feet depth.

200 0 0 0 1 12 15 0 I) I Surface. Mullock 100 0 0 0 17 86 U Ii I From old workings,

(approximate) and 140 feet level ---------- -----

S3!! 0 0 0 7 5fl 303 0 0

!

18

It is gratifying to me at the end of this quarj;el',.a,n~Unirefe:r:eJ?ce to this mining district, to report that, notwithstandingjhe"mJHlY, l;l~ndrances to the de>:e}opment.Qf its. industrial resources, I am justified in continuing my assertions of confidence in it, and that thcre are resources for the conversion of labor into wealth which ages cannot exhaust, and do so with· greater pleasure as these hindrances are being removed, and giving place to the more.effiei.eJ1.tan(L~tcQn9Jl:lic!!l man.ner, in which the mines are worked; i9.prov~d appliance.s III all mining matters, a cheaper/and better system of crushing; a greater-attention tQ,tM strata and geologicaUeature~:of the ~o\intJjy:,.·and.last, though.not least (as it is not possible that mining enterprise will either be entered on with a sufficient 'amount of capital to conduct extensive works with a view of-permaneney, or if undertaken;.will.such investments prove remunerative unless there is a fi:t:ed population interested in such undertajrings), the sale and formation of the township. It will be seen in remarks below and by the returns that the quartz veins are still yielding well, and that too from their deepest sin kings ; ,the veins are increasjng in thickness and maintaining their average richness. In one or two instances, where unforeseen difficulties have arisen, there is a loss of gold for the quarter's returns. The S!tilors' Reef Company, who have about 600 tons of good quartz raised and are awaiting crushing, have been prevented doing so from the want of water in reservoir; and the St •. Andrew's Company, in whose ground is a large and payable vein,have not yet been able to organise theu company afresh. . ,

, On the New Year's Re~f, the Ballarat Quartz Mining Company have been obtaining first rate returns. The JYIalak9ff Company on same reef have been opening out their ground, and have not crushed as much as through last quarter. They have a large quantity of quartz stripped, and expect some splendid yields; the vein: in each of these claims is 14 f~et thick., .The 4O-foot claim; as will be seen. by returus, has .had one remarkably good .. crushing. . . ,

On Sailor's Reef, crushing operations are still suspended for want of water; but the company are still raising and stacking quartz.

The Albion Company, Portuguese Reef, from a crushing of 80 tons, obtained 170 OZ8, of gold.

The New Chum Company, from 105 tons of mullock and ,30-. tons, of quartz,eobtaiLled 54 ozs. of gold.

The.Il'onbark Company; froin 40 tons of quartz, ob'tained 20 OZ8.; they are at· present in treaty for a large crushing plant. .

. The Waterloo Company, W cllington Reef, I am happy to say, are no~ fully organised; they have invited tenders for a crushing plant and battcry, and are commencing a large dam on the Eastern Creek.

. The Steiglitz Company, Boxing Reef, from two crushings of mullock, quartz, &c., and from old workings, obtained 38 OZ8. and 48 0218. of gold; and the claims south on the same reef, viz., Barnes and Co., Burwood and Qo., Sullivan;and Co., Young and ,Co., obtained good average results. It is intended to. amalgamate these claims 'and work them conjointly as one company, witli machinery.

The Ballarat Reef has been taken up by a company styled the Free and Easy Company, for 600 feet in length. .

The Copenhagen Reef for 2,000 feet in length is oecupied again, by a company styled the Phoonix. '" .

The Old Italian Reef is taken up for 1,000 feet in length, ,by a company called the Excel.

The Victoria and Dreadnought have changed hands to be worked with an increased length of gronnd, under the style of the Prince of Wales Company.

The Dundee and Kilkenny reefs al'e again taken up and amalgamated as one claim.

A large claim on New Year's Reef, 1,000 feet in length, has been taken up north of the O. K. Company's claim, under the style of the :Speedwell Company. . .

In alluvial mining throughout the whole district Il1atters have been unusually quiet, and the returns therefore proporlionately smalL Th18 is partly U(l'counted for on Morrison's and the Tea-tree, from the partial abandonment of the tunncl claims for a rush, which took place on the flats on the creek and the river's banks, which did not turn out as well as was expccted, and partly from the Chri,tmas holidays, The Golden Rivers Company havQ. not yet bottomed their shaft; they are getting down close on 500 feet, and there are no indications of any gutter yet. , '

." I have nothing to rep?rt on the Stony Rises Diggings.

. On the 1st October; 1864, Mr: Minin{T'Sul'veyor Woolgrove forwarded a report to the Honorable the Minister of Mi~es, stating that new all~n'ial ground had been discovered in .tl:te_St!:ligli.t~ .. Pivision, about four· miles 8,8. '\iV. from Meredith at 'ylunroe's Gully. 'I.'he surveyor reported as follows :-" The gully is nearly seven miles in length, and trends into. the ~ive.r Leigh;. bea~'ing of ,gnlly N. and S. i ~he gold is round and waterworn and of first'trate qualIty, dlffenng from that found m the nearest mlllmg iocalities,. Morrison's and Dolly's Oreek. The depth of sinking is from 10 to 12 feet. The bottom is soft slate. and 'sandstonc with pipE!;clay. The wash-dirt is composed of ce!D-ent; gravel, and ironstone, a~ov:e which is a stiff clay covered by a white drift sand, three or: four feetm thICkness;. the surfll;ce allUVIUm is a stiff blue colored clay. A few persons only a~e enga~ed there at present,; they mform me th~t ! dm. to the tub has been the average return from theIr 'workmgs. It will :reqUIre, and .h,as a cap,aclty for, a large number of diggers to fully test it. There is no doubt t.hat a lead exists in this loeality, from the fact Lhat at Reed's Creek, a short distance from this, gold of similar character and similarly deposited has been found, but from the difficulties of water, operations have been temporarily suspended.'.' -

19

BLACKWOOD SUBDIVISION. "

J1fr. E. G, Magnus, Mining SUTVeyor an4 Registrar.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS

Europea.ns. i Chiuc~~1 Total for the

I Remarks. Subdivision.

..

Alluvial Miners

Quartz Miners

Golden Point Red Hill Simmon's Reef

- ..

• H H • 640 471 1,111

... . .. 230 ... 230

Totals ... , 870 471 I

<1,341

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ~IINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED!-

300 BalIan Flat 220 Goodman's Creek 120 Split-tree Gully and Ranges

Sebastopol ... ", .. . Main Creek, below Sebastopol .. .

95 Jackson's Gully ... 190 Johnson's Reef

Yankee Gully Yankee Reef

no Barry's Reef 25

Garibaldi ... 17 Total

THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

.

30 27

110 7

15 75

1,341

ALLUVIAL !In'ING. QUARTZ MINING.

Description of Machinery.

At Work. i Aggregate

Idle. Horse-power of At Work. I Steam Engines.

Idle. Number of Stamp

Heads.

Aggregate Horso~power of !:!team Engine ..

------------, ----------- - .. -- ----1---- .. --.... ----

Steam Engines ... ... Water Wheels ... . .. Water Wheels, for drainage .. . 2 2 "Yhims ••• ... .. . Horse-power Puddling Machines

15 5 6

2

4 4

5

Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, £29,200. '.

78 76

161

N umber of square miles of alluvial ground .which is being, or may have been actually worked upon, 19.

Number of distinct quartz reefs 'which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 12.

The pric~ of gold during the quarter in the subdivision has been from £3 168. to £3 17s. per oz.

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QUAll.TZ TAILINGS AND CElIlEYT CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM.

Wbere ~uartz; &e. were Av~6 Total Yield of : Remarks 'relative to tho Name of Company. Quartz crushed •. Yield of. old Depth at which the o tained. per Ton. Gold. Quartz was obtained, &c.

ton ewt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. Crown Company ... Simmons' Reef ... 3,024 0 0 0 1 18 264 12 0 50 feet Williams Brothers ... Ditto ... . .. 600 0 0 .q 6 0 180 0 0 170 feet Imperial Company ... Ditto ... . .. 400 0 0 0 o 12' 10 0 0 50 feet Robin Hood Company Trewhella's Reef .•. 1!2 0 0 010 0 56 0 0 40 feet Blue Mountain Quartz Yankee Reef ... 600 0 0 0 1 12 45 0 0 70 feet

. Minilig Company .' 1 Federal Company ... Ditto ... ... 50 0 0 0 9 0 22 10

il 40 feet

Macredie and Company Atkins' Reef ... 300 0 0 0 4 0 60 0 75 feet Harris and Company ... St. George's Reef ... 190 0 0 () 2 12 23 15 Surface stope Macredie and Company Newman's Reef ... 130 0 0 0 8 0 52 0 106 feet Pioneer Company ... Barry's Reef 130 0 0 0 8 0 52 0 0 10 feet Pioneer Company ... St. George's Reef .•• 50 0 0 0 1 0 2 10 0 6 feet Lucky Hit Company ... Lucky-hit l~eef ... 200 0 0 0 2 0 20 0 0 The greater portion , of this was surface

Faugh-a··Ballagh Com- St. George's Reef ... 207 0 0 o 12 stone

0 124 4 0 pany

Quartz Tailings and Cement crushed.

Totals, Quartz ... 5,993 0 0 0 3 1,'u 912 11 0

Wood and Company ... Pyrette Plains ... 150 0 0 0 3 12 26 5 0 70 feet.

20

The CQrnish Company have not crushed any stone this quarter, being engaged driving a tunnel about 1,100 feet, to cut the reef at a greater deptH than they have hitherto worked. Harris and Company are now procuring from their new shaft stone that will yield from 1 oz. to 2 ozs. to the ton •. The Faugh-a-Ballagh Company's claim is paying remarkably well, and there is every indication of its continuing to do so. The Crown Company's claim is still paying remarkably well. They also are driving a tunnel from tho level of their machine, which will reduce their present low expense of cartage and crushing to about one shilling per ton, which will enable them to crush stone that will yield 18 gr. to the ton, aud realise a good dividend. They and all the other water-power machines, with the exception of the Messrs. Williams Brothers, are at a stand-still for want of water. The Pioneer Compauy have not crushed any stone from their own claim, they are sinking their engine shaft fifty feet deeper. The Robiu Hood Company, on the. same reef, are doing nothing; oo-operation of capital, with practical mining ability and judicious management on an extensive scale, are only required to make this one of the mosLpayabl1'l reefs in tho'colony. The Blue ~fonntain Quartz .Mining Company, Yankee Reef, have let their mine on tribnte; they are now getting stone that will give wages to the men On tribule, and a small dividend to the company. .

Alluvial diggings are generally prosperous, in many instances from £4 to £8 per week being obtained. Pryn and party (six men) obtained 60 oz. in the last six weeks, which has oeen about their average for the last three washings: Two parties on the Red Hill are also doing remarkably well.

, The Yankee Creek Sluicing Company have not done so well this SeaSon as usual. The Split-tree Range rush is almost at a stand, the only claims now at work being those on the shallow ground, all the rock claims being stopped for want of capital.

I should mention the Great Tnnnel Quartz Mining Company, who have e.rected a .ery powerful steam engine and twenty heads of stamps; they have their tnnnel in 250 feet, and will cut the reef at about 280 feet from mouth of the tunnel.

BLUE MOUNTAIN SOUTH SUBDIVISION.

JJlr. R. H. Horne, Mining Registrar.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF l¥IINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

, Europeans. Chinese. i, Total for the Subdivision. Remarks. I

.' ---~--.~ .. --Alluvial Miners '" ... 40 ... 40 The other populatlon

amounts to above

Quartz Miners ... ... 30 ... 30 40.

1 Totals ... 70 ... 70

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF .lYIrNEI'S IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:­

Union Reef ... Wilson's Gully Kilkenny Hill Case's Gnlly Snake Gully Lower Road

Total

THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS!-

12 5 8 5

25 15

70

ALLUVIAL M.L'<1NG. I QUAItTZ ML.'<ING.

I

Description of Ma.cbiDel"Y. ,--.... ---.-.~ -r

I Aggregate I At Work. I Number I Aggregate Idle. At Work. Idle. Hor5e~po:wer of of Stamp HOTae-~wer of

Steam Engines. , Heads. Steam' giDes.

_. -

Sluicing Machines .. ... 2 n • ... ... ... .. . ,.

Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, £150. \ Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being or may have been. actually worked

upon,2j. . h Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be aUriferous to t e present

time,3. £ d The price of gold d1ll'ing the quarter in the subdivision has been from £3 17s. 3d. to 3 17s. 9 •

per oz.

21

I have the honor to state that circumstances, which do not fall within the province of this report to discuss, have caused the temporary cessation of mining operations on the principal quartz reef of this subdivision. A newly organised· company has, however, been recently registered under the Mining Companies' Limited Liability Act, which has every present probability of proving successful. The claim comprises an area of 1,100 feet along the line of reef, by 500 feet III width. Three shafts have already been sunk. The yield of the quartz has amounted to 15 dwts. to the ton, with an average of 8 dwts. to the total amount crushed iu the various tests of the prospectings. It is called The Ueform Quartz .l'.1ining Company. A portion only of this claim is in the Blue Mountain suhdivision, the greater part being in the subdivision of Mount Blae1.'Wood. .

Want of water has caused the suspension of nearly all the puddling and sluicing claims. In most cascs the plant has been removed for safety. .

Some new workings have recently been opened in Snake Gully.

BEECH'WORTH MINING DISTRICT.

Alluvial Miners Quartz Miners ...

Pennyweight Flat One-mile Creek Two-mile Creek Three-mile Creek Six-mile Creek Hurdle Creek .. . Deep Creek .. . Mopoke Gully Silver Creek , .. Madman's Gully Spring Creek .. . Ueid's Creek .. . W oolshed Creek Sebastopol

BEECHWORTH SUBDIVISION.

Mr. Olarence Smith, Mining SU'l'veym' and Registrar.

THE TOTAL NUMBER 'm' MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

!

I Total for the Europeans. Clrinese. Subdivision. Remarks.

... ... 680 1,026

I ,1,706

... ... 91 ... 91 -_ .. _-

Totals ... 771 1,026 I 1.797

THE TOTAL NmtllER Or' MINERS IS TITUS DISTRIBUTED:-

40 N npoleon Flat 25 Eldorado Lead 48 Murml1ngee Lead

270 Kneebone's Gully 22 Chinaman's Lead 35 Myrtleford Reefs 25 Buffalo River ... 13 Sheep Staj,ion Creek ... 38 Black-sand Creek 20 Magpie Creek

156 W ooragee Flat 93

216 Total 120

THE MACIIINERY IS AS FOLLOWS :~

ALLUVIAL MINING, QUA.RTZ MnrING.

32 85 80 64 35

0 34 40 11

5 140 150

1,797

Description of Machinery. Aggregate; ; Number Aggregate Idle. 1fi~r:-lEii.';t';.,';.: At Work. i At Work. Idle. of Stamp Horse·power of

Heads. Steam Engines.

------------.---.---- ---'-"'I~ ---1---'- ---.. --

Steam Engines .. . l'uddling Machines .. . Whims and Pulleys ... Whips .... ... Elevator and Suction Pumps Sluices and Toms ... Water Wheels .. _ Hydraulic Hoses ... Sluice Boxes ... Crushing Machines ...

12 2

12 5

57 190 al 20

2,500

G 2

177 2 ao 40

28 90 a

:::: I 50 68 5

Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, .£27,000. Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being or may have been actually worked

upon,10. Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present

time, 14, , The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision has been from £3 19s. to £4 per oz.

22

TlIE'FOLLOWING:INFORMATION:IIAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ

, TAILINGS AND CEME;,T CRU~HE:ri DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE 'GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM. , - '. -'"", " .. ,., - '

. " ... h. , , "

" ' " Where :iUartz, &c .• were

! Average I ReIll3Xks' relative to the Na.ui.of:COIl1PanY. Quartz cruabed. Yield of Gold Total Yield of Depth at which th .. o tained. per Ton. Gold. Quartz was obtained •

---,------ . -.~--------- -.--~---~. - -----._------I ton ewt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. dwt. gr., ()z;

Poverty Heef White and Company ..• ... 4 10 0 0 4 12 1 0 6 10 feet deep Lane and "Company ... , Tarrapgower Reef 202 5 0 0 ,3 0 30 6 18 25 feet deep Lane and Company Reilly's Heef ... 45 0 0 0 9 0 20 5 0 155 feet deep Tolmson and Company Lunn's Reef ... 34 10 0 0 4 13i 7 17 3 15 feet deep Bolam and Heap ... W ooragee Reef ... 200 0 0 1 0 0 200 0 0 90 feet deep Bolam and Heap ... Bowman's Forest ... 50 0 0 o 15 0 37 10 0 Bolam and Heap ... Madman's Gully .... 9 0 0 o 10 0 4 10 0 14 feet

->------.--

Total, Quartz ... 545 5 0 0 11 Ig 301 9 3 Quartz Tailings. and

Cement crushed. Lane and Company ... Reilly's Reef ... 120 0 0 0 I 16 10 0 0 Surfaee Belcher and Company ... Reilly's Reef ... 118 0 0 0 1 13 9 1 22 Surface White and Company ... j ,Poverty Reef ... 54 0 0 0 1 11 3 18 18 Surface Belcher and Company ... Reilly's Reef ... 138 0 0 0 5 18 39 13 12 Surface .

I Totals, Quartz Tail- } .

I \ 430 0 0 \1 2 22 62 14 4

i ings and'Cement I

I have the honor to report that mining operations have appeared a little more prosperous during the last quarter than formerly. The New Murmungee Prospeeting Company, at Bowman's Forest, have bottomed at a depth of 234 feet, and have struck upon a well defined lead dipping to the south-west; the bed rock is of schistose formation, the auriferous alluvium being a conglomerate of sand, clay, and boulders of a laminated texture, five feet deep, and containil\g 3 dwts. to four dishes of' washing stuff; the gold is rather nuggetty; the party have ceased working the claim for a short time until the steam engine, which is being erected, is completed, the quantity of water having been found too great to be kept down by a whim; four parties have taken up ground below the prospecting claim, but now the five claims are amalgamated. There are a number of European and Chinese miners working immediately above this claim, but the sinking is only about 80 feet, and the lead rnns quite in a different direction to the one below. Another lead has been strnck in Kneebone's Gully; which is also in Bowman's Forest, in the Flower of the Forest Prospecting Claim; this is the second shaft that has been sunk by the party; it is about 50 yards north of the former one; they have bottomed at 100 feet from the surface of the ground; the bed rock and auriferous alluvium are nearly the same as those in the New M urmungee Claim, There is very little water in this lead, which can easily be worked by the whim that has been lately erected, A great number of claims have been taken up above and below the prospecting claim, and although several have been sinking for some time, yet none others have ,bottomed.

Nothing partieular has occnrred in mining matters in the W oolshed subdivision, except the finding of a diamond by a Chinaman at Sebastopol; it is I believe a very beautifully shaped one, and will require very little, cutting; it weighs 17 '64 carats. There is R, slight addition to the Eldorado community. The Union Company are workillg in the bend of the ereek, and have erected a water wheel of two-horse power, but they are merely surfacing.

A rush of about 150 Chinamen took place ahout two months ago at Magpie Creek aud W ooragee Flat; up to the present time no Europeans have made their appearance; it is all surfacing and shallow sinking, varying from one to forty feet. By what I ean understand three.qnarters of the population are doing remarkably well, several parties having been known to earn £20 a man weekly. One party gave a man of the name of Edgar (who owns purchased land at Wooragee) over £lOO for permiSSIOn to sink in his paddock.

, A new quartz reet has been dis~o:e!ed near the Lunatic Asyl1;lm Rese~ve, named Devil's Re~f; it is situated on the eastern fall of the dlVldmg range, between Two-mIle and SlIver creeks; the bearmg of the reef is north and south with an easterly undl'l'lie. and crops out of the ground; it varies from 8 to 18 inches in thickness, The shaft at present is sunk about 14 feet, and the quantity of stone crushed is 9 tons, yielding ~ oz. to the ton.

. '," ,

STANLEY SUBDIVISION.

Mr. JoM~ Scarlett, Mining Registrar.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

Europ,ea.ns. Chinese. Total for the ' Remarks.

' ,

Subdivision.

,-- -,

Alluvial Miners , .. .,. 403 373 776

Quartz Miners ... • H 33 " . 33

Totals ... 436 373 809 #

'. , . " ... ..

THE TO,TAL, !fUMBER

Upper Nine-mile :Back Creek , .. Poverty Gully ... Lower Nine-mile Frenchman's Creek Wombat Creek Europa Gully .. , N uggetty Gully

23

OF M~NERS IS THUS D~STRIBUTED':-

160 Hurdle Flat 98 Milkman's Flat 23 Deep Creek ...

134 Upper Six-mile 4 Rocky Point ... 7 Jackson's Gully

57 34 Total

THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

ALLUVIA.I, lIUNING. QUARTZ lIUNING.

134 30 26 16 69 17

809

,,---~.-~.-~---.. -- ~'--~'---~--'------

At Work. I Idle. HStoea~fm!'":;;!eOsf. I At Work. Idle. I o~~~~ I H::r.e~~ of Eno _ Heads. Steam Engines.

-·---~~--------_I· ___ I __ .- _._._,-- ___ --- ---

Description of l\facbinery.

Puddling Mills Quartz Mills .•. 23 I rev~;L I

Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, £6,400.

12

Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being or may have been actually worked upon, 12.

N umber of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present tlIDe, 12. .

The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision has been fropl £3 19s. to £4 per oz.

THE FOLLOWING INFomfATION lIAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ • CRUSHED DURING TIlE QUARTER, AND TIlE GOLD' OBTAINED' THEREFROM.

Name of Company. Where Quartz was obtained.

I I Average Total Yield of I Remarks relativ~ to the . Quartz crUBhed. iYi·~~rof::ld Gold. ~~~z:is !:l~l;ea~e

-----------�~-----.. ·----I~--------------I------- , ton cwt, qr. I oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. I '

Homeward Bound ... Rocky Point ... 45 0 0 I 3 0 22~ 137 2 0 300 feet. D. Scanlan and Com,·, Kerry Eagle Reef, 149 0 0 3 13 16i 548 18 0 From surface to 80

pany Jac~::::: GUll~ .. 1--1-9-4-0--0-i-3-1O 17~ ~~j feet.

There is not much to report this quarter. The water supply has diminished rapidlY within the last month; mauy of the sluicers will have considerable difficulty to wash with the supply of water they have at command. '

The quartz worJdngs at Stanley are all suspended, the prospects not being sufficient to induce the miners to proceed further for the present. I am Jiappy to be able to report well of the reef at Rocky Point. Very little crushing has been done during the quarter, owing to the erection of a water-wheel and other works connected with laying down a tramway and completing the tunnel, which intersects the reef at a depth of 300 feet, at which it has been found richer than ever, and about 2 feet in width. Several claims are still at work en the'Kerry Eagle Reef, but none of them have found it as yet save the prospecting claim, in which one shaft is sunk to a depth of 80 feet, and a second of 50 feet; in both the reef continues good. ,If '

On the 18th October, 1864, Mr. Mining Registrar Scarlett forwarded a report to the Honorable the Minister of Mines, stating that a new reef had been discovered in the Stanley Subdivision, situate abont half-a-mile from Hurdle Flat, on the summit of the range between the former locality and the Rocky Point reefs, When first discovered its width was only a few inches"and at a depth of 15 feet in the second shaft sunk on the prospecting claim it had increased to a width of two feet, and was by far the riches~ reeffo~ndin the locality. The, proprietors of the claim had to pic~ ou~ the richest quartz and stow It away III a place of safety, lest It should be abstracted on account of Its rIchness •

.. YACKANDANDAH DIVISION.

Mr. Tko8. G. Kennan, MinVng Swrveyor 'amd Registrar.

i I, I European.. Chin .... Total for .the ., Remarks; Division ..

I --,-----

~ .

Alluvial Miners ... ... 1,173 1,100, 2,273 .' Qu~rtz Miners .•• .. ' ... 50 ... 50

I

Totals ... 1~28, '1,100 : 2,323 : ..

,

24

German Flat ... Muddy Creek ... Murphy's Flat

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:­

, 70 Allan's Flat' ... 70 55 60 84 Hayes Point .. .

Kerby's Flat .. . Bell's Flat .. . McCarthy's Flat Whisky Flat Township Hills Pike's Flat .. . Rowdy Flat .. . Osborne's Flat

Deserlp~ion of Machinery.

I

62 Staghorn Flat... 75 Kinchin~ton's Creek 20 Twist's Creek 31 Clear Creek 37 Sandy Creek 60 Little River ... ......

175 Gullies between Yaekandandah Creek and 50 Kinchington'8 Creek

180 250 'l'otal 210

124 650

10' ,

50

2,3f3

THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

= ALLUVIAL Mn.TNG. QUARTZ lI1ININa.

_.

Aggregate Number' Aggregate A~Work. Idle. Horse·power of At Work. Idle. of Stamp H orsa-power of

Steam Engin ••• Heads.. ' Steam EngiIles.

-~~~-~~-----

Water Wheels, for drainage a5 5 ... . .. ... . .. ... purposes

Steam 'Engines ... ... ... 1 2 ... . .. ... '" Whims ... ... ... 3 ... ... ... '" .. . .. . Puddling Mills ... I ... ... . .. . .. ~~. , ... Water Wheels and Stampers ... ... ... 1 of 25 feet diameter 4

I "

25 " " 4

1 "

ao " "

8

16

.... Total value of mining plant in the division, £3000. Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being or may have been actually worked

upon,9. . N umber of distinct quartz reefs which have been actua:Uy proved to be auriferous to the pl:esent

time, 21. The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been from £3188. to £3188. 6d. per oz.

THE }'OLLOWING INFORMATION lIAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY O·F QUARTZ ORUSIIED DURING THE QUARTER, AND TlIE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM.

Name of Company.

Big Bangor Scandinavian Danish ]'olar Star ... Twist's Creck TIeef Unnamed

Where Q.uartz 8w were I II A verege obtaineo.. ., Quartz crushe(l. Yield of Gold I per Ton.

Clear creek~----I 3~8 :;~;_T~~-d7t.~ Twist's Creek a6 0 0 I II 22;!-Ditto 8 0 0 3 2 12 Ditto 36 0 0 0 13 19!-Ditto 92 0 0 0 18 21i

Ditto 7 0 0 0 14 71

Totals, Quartz 557 0 0 0 12 13l

Total Yield of Gold-

oz. dwt. gr. 150 19 0 57 10 0 25 0 0 24 17 0 86 17 6 500

Remarks relat,ve to the ])epth at which the Quartz was obtaiued.

70 to 80 feet 80 feet 80 teet Not ascertained nO to 60 feet Near surface

Nothing of any importance has occnrred during the quarter. This being chiefl:r a surface sluicing district, claims last for years, and unless new workings are discovered there is nothIng to report on. The only feature of importance is the steady yet progressive advance. or rather extension, of the gold workings towards the junction of the Yackandandah Creek with the Little River.

INDIGO DIVISION.

Mr. R. Arrowsmith, Mining Surveyor and Registrar.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

\'. I Total for the I European.. Chinese. I Division.. Remarks.

----------I--.. ---I·-~·----I--·---- ------..

Alluvial Miners Quartz Miners

Totals

806

54

774 1,580

54

'A considerable decrease in the min­ing population during the quarti,r

:ze,'

25

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:-

Indigo Lead ... Durham and Caledonian Victoria ... New Hibernian Suffolk... ... .. . Chiltern and New Ballarat .. . Lancashire .. . Black Dog .. . Sebastopol .. . Wahgunyah Lead Lanark shire Robert Burns Fifeshire Rose of Sharon

380 76 20

140 84

300 20 42 22 50 20 10 16 18

.All England Glencoe Garibaldi Hibernian Clydesdale Newcastle Clare Union ." Higgins' Reef Magenta Reef Eureka ... Barrarribogie

Total

140 40 40 40

124 30 8

10 84 8

·4 8

1,634

THEM:AOHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

ALliUVIAL Mnn:NG. QuAl.tTZ Mnn:No.

Descriptloll of Maclli.ne17. At Work. Idle. At Work. Idle.

Steam Engines 25 5 378 3 Steam and horse-power}

Puddling Machines 80

Horse Whims 20 20 Whips 40

Total value of mining plant in the 'division, £45,100. Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being or may huve been aCLually worked

upon, 50. . . N umber of distinct quurtz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the

present time, 9. . . The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been from £3 19s. 3d. to £3 19a. 6d.

per oz.

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ ORUSHED DURING TIlE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM,

. T tal Y' hi f I Reg1Et relative to the Where Quartz was

Average Na.me of ComplLllY. Quartz crushed. Yield of Gold o Ie 0 at which the

obtained. per Ton. Gold. tz was obtained.

-

ton em. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. mvt. gr.

Golden Bar Company ... Higgins' Reef '" 1,042 0 0 o 10 0 521 0 0 From 50 feet to 105 feet ,

Magenta Company ... Magenta Reef ... 600 0 0 0 4 0 120 0 0 Open cut from sur-face to 35 feet

American Reef Pros- American Reef, 500 0 0 0 2 0 50 0 0 Open cut from sur-pectora Barrambogie face to 48 feet in

depth Totals, Quartz .•• 1 2,142 0 0 0 6 10¥ 691 0'0

The lessees of Higgins's Reef have bcen very successful during the quarter. The return of 10 dwtB. to the ton is considered so satisfactory that the company have recently erected eight additional heads of stampers.

The Magenta Company report having crushed 150 tons of stone from a reef near Alhury, yielding Ii oz. to the ton, which I have not included in the returns, not being the produce of this colony.

The prospecting claim on the American Reef, Barrambogie, is, I regret to aay, likely to prove a failure, the returns have fallen off considerably, and the reef has the appearance of being worked out.

As regards alluvial mining the several engine claims are, as usual, steadily at work. The Sons of Freedom Company, on the Chiltern Lead. have completed the removal of their plant and machinery to the lower portion of the claim. The Golden Gate Company, Oil the Clydesdale Lead, are also removing their plant.

. The Indigo Grand Junction Mining Company, (limited) haa been formed and will commence operations immediately; the Murray Valley Mining Company (limited) is in course of formation, to work the ground formerly held by thc Havelock Company on the Lucknow or Clydesdale Lead, near Rutherglen. Both these companies commenced operations below the present workings of two of the best leads in the division, on ground that has been tried and proved payable and abandoned in both instances in consequence of want of capital and effieient machinery. The successfnl operations of these companies will cause the leads to be traced for miles, 8nd will, in short, hasten the time when a proper estimate will be placed upon the deep workings of thi!J division .

. Numbers of claims on the dry leads are at a stand still in conscquence of the failure of water supply. Several of the European and Chinese companies ha\'e been ,attracted by a discovery of aUuvial ground near Albury, N.S. W. Some of the Chinese claimholders have obtained suspensions from work: for two or three months, ~nder the mining bye.laws, intending to return as soon aa water ie available.

No. 32, c.

26

'~U:9~r:A~D: DIVISION. ,.:...,',

" , ·Mr. R. Holden Stone, Mining Surveyor and Registrar.

Alluvial Miners

I 1,' I,

THE TOl'AL NUMBER OF MINERS I'S AS FOLLOWS:-

, Europeans. Chinese.

... ... 224 1,960

ToW for tho Division.

2,184 The return population

Remarks.

and distribution 0 f has been made as

Quartz Miners ... ... 300 . .. 300 accurately as possible, from ob· servation and enquiry.

Totals 524 1,960 2,484

THE'TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS TH'US' DISTRIBUTED :--

Buckland River­Lower Flat' Police Camp ... Camp to Junction East Branch West Branch

Morse's Creek .. , Growler's Creek Harrietville

.. :

Hit-or.Miss Reefs 680 East Branch, Ovens 40 W oolshed Flat, Ovens

130 Germantown ... . .. 200 Bright ... ... 100 Ovens River, below Bright 400 Happy Valley 150 160 Total

THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

'20' . I

80 40

160 120 190 24

2,484

ALLlJVLI.L MINING. QUARTZ MINING.

Description of Maclrlnery.

Steam Engines, employed for pump­ing and winding

Water Wheels, employed f9r drain­ing-wet claims

Hydraulic Hoses Steam Engines, employed in

crushing and pumping , Water Wheels, employed in crush­

ing

At Work. Idle.

1 6

82 15

8

Total value of mining plant in the division, £40,000.

At Work.

7

4'

Idle.

2

5

Number of Stamp

Heads.

81

92

Aggregate! Uorse~powel' of

Steam Engines.

130

Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being or may have been actually worked upon,27. •

- 'Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 85.

The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been from £3 17s. 6d. to £3 17s. 9d. per oz.

THE":F'OLLOWDw INFORMATION lIA.S 'BEEN ·ODT.UNED nELATIVE TO' THE QUANTITY' 'OF' QUA.RTZ

CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED TIIEREFROM.

Where Quartz was AV~!~I(d Tota.! Yield of Remark!! relative to the Name ofCompa.ny. Quartz crushed. Dopth at . which the

obtained, Gold. Quartz was obtained.

, ton ewt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr,

iYood and Stenhouse ... Oriental Reef .., 3,000 0 0 010 0 1,500 0 0 200 to 250 feet A ustralasia Company ... Oriental Reef .., 3,000 0 0 0 6 0 900 0 0 200 to 250 feet Cllalmcrs ang Gitchell Golden, Bar and 600 0 0 0 7 0 210 0 0 This quartz _ was mixed

Home Reefs from both reefs, the

.. ' ~:~iu~e!!o~~e~. ~~ Gregory and Company Ebenezer Reef ... . 65 0 0 3 0 o· 195 0 0 AY'ilrl'ge of 166 feet Mackay and Company Reliance' Reef ... 1,120 0 0 0 4 0 224 0 0 Surface quartz .

Asia Company West Briton 30 '0 0 0 9 0 13 to 0 ' Surface quartz ' " ... ... R. lIIoore ... . .. Perseyerance Reef 18 0 0 2 0 0 36 0 0 Surface quartz Thirloway and Company Princess of Wales ... 30 0 0 0 8 0 12 0 0 Surface qnartz lIilmilton and Compa,ny Morning Star ... ·30 0 0 6 0 0' .180 0 0 Surface qnartz

61\3,270: 10 .0 ",,', ~ ..

,. Totals .,. 7,893 0 0 0 8 ,

27

During the past quarter quart?> mining has been very dull in all parts of the division, with the exception of the Oriental Reef, which has maintained the usual average. There has not, however, been so n:uch quartz as usu!!l crushed from Wood and Stenhouse's claim, owing to a scarcity of water for motive power.

Thc mill of Messrs. Chalmers, Gitchell, and Company, has also been standing idle for a considerable portion of the last quarter, owing principally to partnership disputes. It will now resume work, and I hope to be able to report good crusliings from the Golden Bar and Home reefs the next quarter.

The Pioneer tunnel has not yet struck the reef, the ground being very hard. It has now been driven to a distance of about 400 yards, and there are about 10 yards further to drive to strike- the reef. The deep shaft has been sunk to within 18 feet of the new level, and after the reef has been worked out to the depth of the tunnel it is proposed to erect water-power to continue any deeper workings by means of a. turbine water-wheel. -

The Asia Company have completed their machinery and tramway to the West Briton Reef, and are now raising good quartz, of which they have crushed 30 tons.

The raising of quartz at the Rose, Thistle, and Shamrock reefs is suspended at present, as it has become necessary to drive a tunnel to continue the workings.

The only new discovery is that of Messrs. Hamilton and Company, on the Morning Star Reef. This reef was partially prospected before but abandoned. The present occupiers have raised some very good stone, as will be seen by the return of quartz crushed ; the reef is about one foot wide, but at present is not opened up beyond the prospector's shaft.

The Princess of Wales is the same as that mcntioned in former reports as the Hampton Reef, now reoccupied by Thirloway and party. .

The quartz raised by Mackay and Company on the Reliance, although poor, is sufficiently payable to yield fair wages; even though steam-power is used, the quartz being abundant in quantity at the surface.

No quartz has been crushed on the Lisbon thisquartel', but a new company has just been formed, who have made very favorable arrangements for eheap erushing with Mr. Holstein, the former sole occupier of the reef and the proprietor of the mill.

The alluvial miners have, as usual, made good returns throughout the division, and many of the Chinese who had left Harriet-dUe for the Dargo are beginning to return and take up the old ground, as being more profitable than the workings on the Dargo.

The attention of the miners and others in this division is now directed to the endeavor to work the second bottom in Morse'S Creek. Gitchell and Company have erected a steam engine for pumping and wibding, and they expect to bottom in the course of a fortnight. Their shaft is now 65 feet in. depth, and they are sinking through water-worn drift. Another company have also sunk to a depth of 60 feet, about half a-mile below Gitchell and Company, and are (lIso making arrangements for pumping machinery.

The ground-is registered for a supposed deep lead for four miles below Gitchell and Company.

Should any lead be struck I shall have the honor of forwarding an immediate report.

CROOKED RIVER SUBDIVISION.

Mr. Williwm Wingate, llfining Surveyor and Registm1'.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

Europoans. i

Chine..". Total for the i Remarks. Subdivision.

Alluvial Miners ... . .. 311 200 511 The population is rapidly increasing Quartz Miners ... . .. 457 . .. 457 - . -.

Totals ... 768 200 968

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED;-

Alluvial. Jungle Creek Crooked River ... Good-luck Creek Twelve-mile Creek .. . Twenty.five.riille Creek - .. .

20 40

120 18 4

Alluvial. Thirty-mile, or Upper Crooked... .45 Upper DargoRiver (principally Chinese) 250 Lower Dargo River 8 Wentworth River_' 6

Total 511

28

DISTRIBUTION OF MmERs-continued. Quartz Min~r8 on ·Reqfs. Quartz Miners on Reeft~

Warrangarra River- Jungle Creek-continued. Pioneer 50 Bengal ... 2 American 7 Valley Mont 2 Brother J on~than 10 Salotan 2 Edward '" 2 Matlews 2

W annangatta River- Spring Hill-Crinoline .". 3 Excelsior 4

Mount Pleasant- Spring Hill '" 2 Union 6 Reliance '" 6 Moonlight ::: 6 'l'rue Briton ... 4 Li ttle Dum t 4 William Wright 4 Wingate 'O. 8 Good Luck Creek-~Iorning Light 4 Sun Rise 2 Jolly Sailors 4 Rose of Australia 2 AU's well 2 Prince of Wales 2 Machine 2 Gladstoue

'" 2 Blue Jac1ret 2 Corfu 2 Australasia ... 4 All Nations '" 2 Poverty .. , 2 All England ... 3 Morning Star 4 Mountaineer 3 Italian 2 Hit oj' :triss '" 2 Belfast 2 Nil Desperandum 2 Royal Saxo~" 2 Good I,uck ... 4 Armenian 4 Perry 2 Teutonia 2 Aunt Sally 2 Havelock 5 Garibaldi 2 Portland 2 Globe 2 Mathieson's . 2 Providence 3 Black Bull 2 Crooked River-

Jungle Creek- Jeff. Davis ... 35 Britannia 10 Richmond ... 4 Jungle 4 Hero 4 Victoria 10 Perfect Cure 3 .. llfalvern Hiii' S Harp of Erin 2 Rip Van Winkle 2 Young Australia 4 Standard '" 2 Aberdeen '" 2 Uncle Tom '" 10 Bank of England 4 Collingwood 2 Caledonia '" 3 Fairfield 2 Good Hope-Tracey's 3 Barkly 2 Welcome 2 Good HOb'" 6 Speedwell 2 Sir John illon " -:1 Columbia 2 Labour in Vain 3 Angus lIfcMiilan ... 2 Dargo River-Rose and Shamrock 2 Kersarge 3 Abc Lincoln 2 Albion 3 Hibernia 4 Grcat West~~~ 4 Total . 377' Magenta 2 Out prospecting for reefs 80 Hartley'S 2 Kenncdy's ... 2 Total 457 Rob Roy .. , 2 Alluvial 511 White Star ... 2 Anglo-Australian 2 GRA.ND TOTAL 968 Eldorado' '" 2 The total 'Vnlue of mining plant in the subdivision, £2,000. The number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous and at

work at the present time, 91; but since the discovery of the Pioneer Reef, 180 prospecting quartz claims have been registered.

Number of square miles .of alluvial ground which is being or may have been' actually worked upon,20. '

The priee of alluvial gold in the' subdivision for the quarter has been from £3 17s. 6d. to £3 18s. P!3r oz~ No quartz has been crushed as yet, but from a small sample of stone forwarded to Melbourne from the Pioneer Reef the gold extracted was valued at £3 17s. 6d. per oz.

THE MA.CHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

.A.r.LUVJ:AL MINING. QUARTZ MlNING.

Description of Machinery. IAwegateHorne- Number \A.ggregateHOrse-At Work. Idle. power of Steam At Work. Idle. \ of Stamp I power of Stelldll

~._. __ ~ ____ -----I.---I----!I-_Engi_'_ne_s. __ ! ________ '~I Engine~

I,"· ... • i··· Crushing Machines (being erected)

\ ,

The c.ontinued reports .of the discoveries .of rich reefs i~ the subdivislOn .of the C!ooked RIver have caused a large influx of population, perhaps greatcr than IS warranted until such time as quartz <:rushing machines have been erected on the reefs.

29

The plant belonging to the Pioneer and Jeff. Dltvis reefs is already o~ the ground, whilst the machinery for the Union, Moonlight, and Little Dorrit reefs is on the way from Melbourne; and Me~srs. Kitchingham and Co. will shortly have their Balfour's patent crusher working for the Jolly SaIlors Quartz Mining Company. In my next report I shall have the honor to state the yield of the first crushings from the reefs I have just mentioned. ,

The Vict.()ria Company anel ;,\Iessrs. Hf1rtley and Co., have ordered machines to be erected. so that Lhey may be able to crush for all the reefs in Upper and Lower Jungle Creek. The Good Hope party also will place their mill in the creek, so that they will be in a position to crush' the stone from the Collingwood and Uncle Tom reefs as well as that from their own. The next advisable spo.t for a machine is at the bottom of the Hibernia Spur, to which the Brother Jonathan, the Malvern HIll, the ltose and Shamrock, as well as the Hibernia party themselves, could easily. forward t,heir quartz for the purpose of being crushed. '" .

For well defined reefs, the Brother Jonathan, the Great Western, the Columbian, and the Jeff. Davis, are held in best repute; but, at the same time, the best specimens have been exhibited from the J?ioneer, the Victoria, the Union, and the Uncle Tom. The width of the reefs varies from a foot to five feet, and, with few exceptions, they run in a west north-west by an east south·east course. The slate, rock also, unless where very much disrupted, runs in a similar direction.

The conveyanee of machinery has been very much f,tcilitated by the clearing of the roads by Mr. Angus MeMilJan's party. Bullock, drays and horse teams now come into Mount Pleasant, the centre and principal town on the diggings, and with very little trouble machiuery ean be forwarded from here down the various spurs. '

• • • * • • • • • • • • The alluvial d.iggings appear in all the workings to be of a very patchy character,' and, in any

case, afford the millerd nothing more than good wages. The bauk and spur claims along the Crooked River pay the best; in some instances they yield as much as £10 aud £12 a man per week. The rush to the Twcnty.fi\·e mile (or Joy's Creek) has turned out a failure, there being only oue claim now worked on it. The 1'hirty.mile or left hand branch of the Crooked R,ivcl', though not now held in as good repute as formerly, still afiol'ds wages to a smallnu'mber of diggers.

The Chinese ,arc eon fined to tbe Upper Dargo diggings, with the exception of a few who re~ide on the Crooked River or Mount Pleasant, and follow gardening pursuits, 01' act as domestic servants.

Tenders ha\'e been called for by Messrs. Youngson and Company for turning off the Warl'angarl'a River into the flat opposite the Pioneer Ueef. It is the intention of the compally first to work the bed of the river, and afterwards the entire Hat. The stripping will vary from three to twelve feet, with eighteen feet of wash dirt. No holes have, before this, been bottomed on account of

, the water, though a good colour of gold has been found in all the gravel. This is the first attempt made by capitalists to thoroughly prospcct the Warrangarra River.

The country actually worked extends from the lower end of Jungle Creek to the rpper Dargo River, a distance of 50 miles, and fr'om Bulltown, on the Crooked Hiy:,l', to the 'VVentworth, a distance of 60 miles. That portion of the subdivision, iucluding Mounts Tamhoritha, Wellington, and Arbuckle, and the heads of the Morolca, Humphries, and 'iVannangatta Ri"ers has nat yet been prospected. .

On, the 24th November Mr. Mining Surveyol' Wingate forwarded a report to the Honorable the Minister of Mines, as follows :-

I have the honor to furnish you with IIhe follo'll'ing report of a new rush which has taken plaee in this distriet. .

The diggings are situated on the left·hand branch or main source of the Crooked River, about eight miles to the west of the Harrietville and Crooked River road, forty miles by the course of the stream above' Bulltown, but only twenty.six miles above that township, by II new track which has beon cut along the t.()ps of the runges, and thirty miles from Mount Pleasant. 'l'he prospectors, James ~:[cDermid, Wm. A.nderson, and Wm. Benjamin Butters, have been nearly fiye weeks at work on the river, and during that time report that they have on an average made about £1 per man a day. The river is turned off into races, and the bed worked.

The stripping at the prospecting claim does not exceed 3 feet, 'but increases in depth further aown the river. .

Several parties below the prosp.cctors report that they lire makiug goocl wages, but the accounts from those abo"e are not so favorable; however, a large number of diggers have now gone up th .. river, about twenty miles of whieh is yet ul1\vorked, with the intention of tryipg the ground.

Eight miles further down II party of four men have been at work for a longer period than the present prospectors, but were not able to report the discovery of payable gold until a few weeb ago. '[hoil' returns from the time they commenced work were as follow :-Fi"rst week, 2 oz. ; seoond week, 1 oz. !l dwL 18 gr.; third week, 4. oz. 15 dwt.; fourth week, 4. oz. lO dwt., and fifth week, 8 oz. 15 dwt. 16 gr., showing a gradual improvement.

There arc about 250 people on the ground, and the river is marked off for upwards of five miles. Stores are conveyed to the diggings with great difficulty, owing to the very precipitate natnre of the ranges, so near as this is to the main divide. '

The working is of all easier character than that on the Twenty.five.mile (Joy's Creek), or riO'ht. hand branch, which runs about five miles east of the principal stream. " •

The ranges around the he~d of the river are composed of sandstone aud slate rock, with large veins of quartz, a sure indication that this will yet turn out to be a rich reefing district. The rock

.crosses the river in nearly an east and west direction, and in many cases peices of quartz are found attached to tho gold washed from the bottom.

It is not anticipated. that the total returns of gold obtained from this part of the river will ' average more than reasonable wages. Two parties are now out prospecting at the head of the Warrangarra River, abont six miles from the Crooked, towards the west.

I may state, in conclusion, that the workings in this part of the country will have at least the aJvalltage of enabling the public to form a more correct idea of the situation .of the. sources of the Crooked and Warrangarrarivers, the true geographical positions of which were but imperfectly under. stood until now.

30

,J

,,': WOOD'S POINT SUBDIVISioN.

(Part of Jordan North.)

Mr . ...4.. B. J1imsworth, MimimU Surveyor and Registrar.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

.. I Total for i EuropeaDS. Chlnese. i the Subdivision. RelIll\l'kB.

-

.Alluvial Miners ... . .. 299 6 305 i Chinese working 1vlarmaduke Oon-Quartz Miners ' stable alluvial claim, at Wood's ... . .. l,i45 ... 1,i45

Point.

Totals ... 1,444 6 1,450 . THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED;-

Morning Star and Wood's Point 500 Emerald Hill claims 80 Lower Goulburn 284 All N aLions claim 100 Heads of Right-hand Branch 82 Maori Creek 8 Black River... ... 14 Gooley's Creek and Bald Hills 66

Edward's Reef, &c.... SO From Bald Hills to Emerald Hill ... 54

Harper's Creek... . '" 16 From Toorak to Columbia 50 Killars and Pleasant Creek 84 ~ftfuan~ W T~tal 1,450 Columbia . .. .. . 20 Perkin and Deerlove Creeks wit;h Waverly 42

THE MAOHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

ALLUVIAL MININO. QUARrz l\1I:NrNo. -~.~---.

I Description of Machinery. AggregateHorse·i I Number AggregateHorile

i AtWork. Idle. power of Steam At Work. Idle. of Stamp power of Steam . f Engine •• Heods. Enginel!.

~-~. --------~--CRUSHING MILLS.

WaterWheels :-Hurley and Scott's ... ... ... .. .... 1 . .. i5 20 McDougal's (No.1) ... ... .. . .o. 1 .. . 8 12 McDougal's (No.2) ... ... .o •

I ..~- 1 ... 12 16

McDougal'S (Shamrock) ... . .. ... ... . .. 1 4 6 Steam Engines ,-

Drysdale and Company's I 1 16 IS ... ... ... ... Lloyd and Company's ... ...

I ...

,I ... I .. . 16 16

Puddling Machine ... .. , 1 '" . .. ... ... ... ... ,"""""=~

Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, £18,800. Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being, or may have been actually worked l ' . upOn,

time, Number of distinct quartz' reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present

about; 70. The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision has been from £S Ss. to .£3 18s. 6d. per oz.

THE FOLLOWING INIIORMATION HAS BEEN 'OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ TAILINGS AND CEMENT CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM.

Name of Company. ,IThere ~1Ul.rtz. &0 •• was o tained.

. ~---- ----------------I ,r Wood's Point Reefs

Total, Quartz

Quartz Tailings and Cement crushed.

Wood's Point ... Total, Quartz Tail- } ., ings and Cement

Q;mrtz cruShed. YietJ~?&'ld I TO~1 Yield ot per Ton. ~ Gold.

I Remarks relative to th Depth at which th Quartz was obtained.

" " -------~-~I-----

ton cwt. qr" oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. 3,800, 0 0 1 11 6f 5,943 10 0 , ----- ---------3,800 0 0 1 11 6! 5,94310 0

---------- ----,

30 0 0 o 13 8 20 0 0 -------------30 0 o· o 13 8 20 0 0

The a.bove results. wl!.h !.he e:lCOPt.ion ot!.he IlrU.I!llilIgs of one company, are elltimated.

31

Estimating the amount of gold produced in the Jordan division'"duriiigthe past year, from the escort returns, and information obtained from other sources, its value, in round figures, would be half a million sterling. - ,

I have the honor to report on' the present state and prospects of my subdivision of the Beechworth district as follows:- .

Mining, both for alluvial and quartz, has felt a strong impetus during the paat quarter. Thirly­two alluvial claims and ninety-four ordinary quartz claims have been registered, besides twenty-sir, prospecting claims. The number of miners in the district has in(Jreased over 50 per cent. since the date of my last return.

The introduction of machinery is becoming daily more facile; no les8 than thirteen vehicles, including a two-wheeled dray have come in during the last six weeks, via the Yarra traek, carrying from a ton to 28 cwt. Goods are now delivered by this, route at £40 per ton, on the Dividing Range at Matlock, with every probability of a much cheaper transit shortly. The machines in the course of construction or of transit are the following :-McDougal's Shamrock engine, four stampers j Throck­morton and Co's., Edward's Reef, 20 stampers; McDougal's No.3, Morning Star, 16, stampers; Throckmorton and Co's., Waverley Reef, 20 stampers; a second one for the All N atlOns, of 16 stampers, besides a number of others on the point of being ordered.

, The Nevei', Mind Reef has ,so' far realised the anticipation of. the prospectors and looks as well as ever.

A' new reef has been struck down' the Goulburn, called the Grea't Atlantic, it is a dyke reef, the lodestone being the usual diorite; the gold is fine. A fine mass of leaders in sandstone has also been struck in the Uosmopolitan prospecting claim, on the N.E_ slope of the Dividing Range; and leaders of auriferous quartz are found every day almost through the district.

MORNING STAB.

The Age of Progress Company have every reason to congratulate themselves on their investments as their ground is looking as well as ever, and richer s~one is daily found in the claim. The leaders running into the western slate, found to be so rich in the Wood's Point Company's claim, show similar prospects in the Age of Progress, and patches of very rich stone will probably be struck. The barrel process of treating blanketings continues to givc good returns. The yields have been for the fortnights as follows :-292 ozs., 21% ozs., 217 OZS" 353 ozs., 228t ozs., 232t OZS.; total, 1,533t ozs. for the quarter. ..

McDougal'S prospecting claim continues to yield steady wealth to its owners. , In Messrs. Drysdale and Co.'s elaim, the quartz'veins are thin, but lumps of gold weighing from

five to six ounces have been taken out. The Hope is almost at a stand still, waiting the completion of its tunnel to carry off the water.

EDw,ums' .REEF.

The prospectors will be working their machitie in about six weeks. They have now 700 tons • ready for crushing. Gold has been struck higher up the spur, but the particulars have not yet reached me.

PRINOE OF WALES AND ALL NATIONS.

Finnigan crushed about twenty tons of stone, obtaining over 60 oZS.' The reef is a parallel one to the All Nations Reef, and looks well. The All Nations Company,are now crushing the reef bodily, and though patches of good stone are occasionally met with, the yield is now low ....

GOOLEY'S CREEK.

The Bald Hills and surrounding spurs promise to be the centre of a number of rich reefs, chiefly in sandstone. Leaders of good auriferous stone are being found there almost daily, and a large number of leases have, in coriseq1).ence, been applied for.

LOWEll GOULBURN.

The district is being rapidly prospected in this direction, and great results may shortly be anticipated. A new reef was struck on the 21st, but I have not been able as yet to viSIt it or obtain reliable information.

, . DIVIDING RANGE.

In the Columbia the prospeetors have been again driven out by water from their ahaft. They are now following down a leader struck on the surface; the stone is very good and increasing rapidly in thickness; and the prospects of the claimholdera arA in every way cheering.

ALLun,u CLAIMS.

The alluvial workings have been largely on the increase during the past quarter. The locality more especially distinguished for large yields is the creek" known' as KilIars, on which 15 claims are being worked by 60 miners.

Alluvial Miners Quartz Miners

GAFFNEY'S C~EEK SUBDIVISION. (Part of Jordan North.)

M1'. Robert Mason, Mining Surveyor and BeguM'ar.

THE T~AL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:---

Europeans. I, Chinese.·1 Total for. the Subdivision. RemarkB.

430 30 460 The total population is about 1,300

, ...... j '.37' 6

9

0

0

' " I' ' T 360 ,---;.....,. !-~-.-.-, 30 820 Tota.ls

/

32

THE TOTAL NU~IBEl!. OF .MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED :-

Goulburn 'River ... '" 30 Rose of Denmark and Cannon's ~Big River up to Enoch's Point ... I 150 Dempsey's Reef Enoch's Point and adjacent Creeks 150 Homeward Bound Heef Frenchman's Creek 40 Outward Bound Reef ... Gaffney's Creek 40 Wallaby Reef RasJlberry Creek 50 Castle Reef '" Big Hiver reefs 60 Other reefs ... Moonlight Reef 25

25 24 70 60 16 24 40

Ryan's Creek reefs 16 Total 820

THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

.~. __ A_LL-,-U_V_IA_L_:r._l_IN_I_N_G. ___ t _____ . __ Q_UAR __ :r_Z_]\_1ININ~ ~~_~ ___ _

Description of Machinery. Aggregate liN b f Agg1'<,.ate I' I At WOTk. Idle. I Horse-pow« of At Work. Idle. ~ um er 0 Horse.pOwer of

-W-a-t-e-r-W~h-e-el-S---.• -. ---.-.. - --.--~-.- ---I-Steam En~~~ •• ___ . _________ IS_t_am_PH_e_~s~_S_te_om_~~ne~

Puddling Machines... ... ~:O:O ',':,:. II :.:.:,

5 5 ! 77

I I ...

1 '" .', ... Sluice Boxes .. , ... u ... ...

I . .. . ..

I I

Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, £16,000. Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being or may have been actually worked

upon, 10. . . Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present

tIme,16. " The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision has been from £3 5s. to £4 per oz.

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEE" OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ CRUSH,:»

DURING THE QUARTER, AND TIlE GOLD OBTAI XED THEREFROM.

Name of Company. I . 'I I Aver.ge I . Remarks relative to the

obtamed. per Ton. I of Gokl. QUArtz was obtained. I· Where Q!'artz W!IS Quartz crushed. Yield of Gold Total Y,eld Depth at which' the

--------- ---.-.------~---, I-----~- ---~.--.~-~----

Shakespeare's Drummond's Hunt's O'Connor's ... Great Eastern A 1 Company Rose of Denmark

Gaffney's Creek ... ,:. Has pberry ,

I

Gaffney's Creek ... Wallaby No.2 N ... Raspberry Creek ...

, Uaspberry Creek ... Gaffney's Creek '"

ton ewt. (IT. oz. dwt. gr. I oz. dwt. gr.

600 0 0 0 4 0: 120 0 0 Surface to 40 feet 30 0.0 1 0 0 I 30 0 n Surface to 30 feet'

780 0 0 0 5 0 I 195 0 0 Surface to 30 feet

2101 00

00 I ~_2 109 01.) I 62 0 . 0 Surface to to feet -, 20 0 0, 20 to 40 feet

140 0 0 2 0 0 I 280 0 0 Surface to 40 feet I RO 0 0 I 0 12 10!1 49 16, 0 Surface to 40 feet 1-·_·--·---1----·"

Totals, Quartz 11,661 0 0 0 9 2!11, i56 16 0

I have the honor to report as follows concerning the mining interests and the general prospects of my subdivision. , .

In alluvial mining, the abatement of running water in the creeks has enabled the miners to resume operations in their various beds;, several parties have already struck good gold, but owing to the periodical covering of the old workings with tailings, carried down by the winter :floods, it is hard now for the diggers to hit upon the patches of unworked ground, and until the old creek worhings are takeil in hand by companies, with sufficient capital to open the ground, and to erect very complete apparatus for 'the saving of fine gold, the alluvial mining of the district will continue to be a matter of vcr)' secondary importance. In the original sluicing operations among the waterconrses of these m~lUntaim;, a large portion if not all of the fine gold was lost; this still remains among the tailings of the creeks; there are also many patches of nn,,-orked ground, good payable banks and spurs, besides whieh, a great deal of the bottom rock will bear picking up again. Al,together, the creeks and rivers of the district offer excellent prospects when the attention of capitalists will again revert to mining in the alluvium, and when a comprehensive svstem of work will extract all the gold from its rarious resting places.

The principal discoveries of reefs during the, quarter have been made on the other side of the. range which divides Gaffney'S Creek, &c., from the Big River. The first discovered of these new reefs has been named the. True Blue; it is situated at the head of Enoch's Creek, about three miles from Enoch's Point. I have seen som" very fine stonB at the prospectors' claim; it was taken from flat· leaders, whieh apparently follow the declivity of the hill at a depth of six to eight fee.t from the surface. In No.1 south is a well formed perpendicular reef of some two feet six inches ill width.

'fhe Unknown Reef at the head of Railway Creek lies about two miles north of that last named, and in general appearance and formation of stone is very similar to it. .

Further north two miles is the Seek and Find Heef, lately>discovered by the ]\fessrs. Peppin; it is'perpendicular and well defined, about two feet in width, the gold is fine, but well diffused throughout the stone. '

I believe these three reefs to be very valuable additions to the mining discoveries of the district; they are only the precursors of a large development which will this summer be given to the quart" workings of the Dig River district;· the stone now uncovered upon them is second to none in these mountains. '

!

33

On the spur dividing Raspberry Creek from the Dry Gully, a new reef has also been opened within the last month, the Welcome is the title given to it, little more has been d,one than just to uncover the ground, but aome splendid specimens have been taken out, and a high price is asked for shares.

The Rose of Denmark Com~any, after a long delay in consequence of monetary difficul~ies, are again fairly at work, the stone is bemg raised from the thunel of No.4 claim in which the reef IS about four feet thick.

On the line of Cannon's Reef some very rich stone has been found in 'the claim No.2 South; at a depth of eighty feet, the rich leader is from three to eighteen inches in width. .

Dempsey's claim, the first opened in these mountains, is once more busily at work; the old drives are being cleared out for the purposes of drainage, and a quantity of stone has been raised.

Shakespeare's and Hunt's claims continue steadily at work with their two small mills of four and five stamp heads respectively. '1'he yield obtained is not very large, but so wide is the reef, and so easily obtained and crushed is the stuff, that these two claims continue to pay excellent dividends; there is work for years in the reefs which intersect them.

From O'Connor's claim several small crushin~s have been had; the result, however, I have not been able to learn, but it is generav.y supposed to be uniform with their crushings of last summer.

The Golden Belt Company, Nos. ,3 and 4, Homeward Bound, have completed their machine and tramway; but until the reef is reached in their tunnel they wiU be unable to commence crushing.

Drysdale's machine continues idle, saving occasional trial crushings of a few tons from the various quartz veins running through the ground of the company; aSlet they have not been fortunate enough to strike the rich stone which is found within a few claims 0 them, on the ground known as the Great Eastern Gold Mining Company's.

This last named company are working their reef by means of a puddling machine and quick­silver cradle; the mullocky nature of the stuff enables them to do this; the stonc and tailings are saved for a future erushing.

The Outward Bound prospecting claim, and Nos. 1, 2, and 3 north, arc all raising stone; their machinery is ordered from Melbourne, and win be erected this summer.

On the Castle Reef the yields continue fully up'to the average; in Hogarth's claim, now called the A 1 company, the cutting in the hill is about 40 feet in depth, with heavy quartz veins from top to bottom. During the past year £9,000 worth-of gold has been taken from this claw as the work of not more than four men.

On the Wallaby Creek (one of the heads of Gaffney's Creek) the reefs are looking exceedingly well; there are very large bodies of stone, from which the last crushing of 21 tons yielded 62 ounces. Unfortunately, the approach of summer has caused an almost total cessation of work, 'by drying up the stream which drives the crushing mill.

JAMIESON SUBDIVISION.

(Part of Jordan North.)

Mr. Saml,uel K. Vickery, Mining Surveyor and Registrar.

THE TOTAL NUl\[BER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-. . Europeans. Chin""" Total for tho

Remarks. Subdivision.

Alluvial Miners ... ... 175 40 215

Quartz Miners ... '" 245 ... 245 --... --

Totals 420 40 ,

460 ... I

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS Twa DISTRIBUTED:-

Hell's Hole 80 })evil's River ............... 15 Banks of River Goulburn, between Swampy Creek and Jamieson ... 60 Sailor Bill's Creek ... ... . '" ... ... ... 120 Mack's Creek Ranges ,.. ". ... ... ... 100 Banks of Goulburn, between Jamieson and the Big River Junction 60 Roaming population,,, 35

TotaL. 460

Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being or may have been actually worked upon, about 5.

. Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time,3. ,

The price of gold during the quarter in the Bubdivision has been £3 158. per oz. No quartz has yet been crushed in this subdivision.

No. 32. d.

-I 'have the honor' to submit cthe following report,' with reference to the 'extent and' character of mining operations in this subdivision for the quarter :_. , 1 ,. " .; •. "'. ',' ",'"

, The proeeedings of the past three months have been characterised by the discovery of .several auriferous quartz veins,'and by a·greater degre!i1 of.energy.than marked the;operations'of'any previous quarter. . .

Prospeeting has been pursued with vigor, and the results have been sufficiently fa~orable to command the attention of capitalists and miners'to the· importance of testing. the resources of the district. . .

At Mack's Creek more than' ordinary· activity 'prevails; owing ·to'the opening up of;some fresh ground. Preparations are being made at that place for the reception of two· steam crnshing machines r one of which has been ordered for the Star,oithe West Gold Mining. Company, and one for the Luck's All Mining Company .. Ground for building .pnrposes.is.in,demand; stores and dwellings,are in ·course of erection, and thc nucleus of a township is already formed there: , ". \'" .. ,.,.

Subjoined is a tabular statement sliowing the·extent of <J,uartz mining operations at the various' W9rkings throughout this divi.sion, which, on being.compared.wlth the:reports furnished by me in thc earlier part of the present year, will show the marked improvement .which has taken place, 'and point eut.tQ.some extent the position which this gold field is destmed to ocoupy.

,.. ,.. * * * * * *" *. * * .o. . Alluvial mining does not corn,mand as much attention· as. it. formerly did. The few ,parties

hit4erto working on the Howqua have abandoned their claims, and many of, the; River Goulburn alluvial miners have directed their attention to quartz reefing. At Merton, however, mining progresses steadily. The Dry Creek Sluicing Company, who employ about forty hands, have a large extent of ground taken up, and though the workings are of a patchy character, satisfactory results are obtained, owing to.the efficient and eoonomioal method employed in working.

STATEMENT SHOWING THE EXTENT OF MINING OPERATIONS AT THE VARIOUS QUARTZ 'VORKINGS c

. THROUGHOUT THE JAMIESON DIVISION. I

!. Number of

, Claims being

I worked. Names of Claims . . ' Reefs or Leaders Extent of Work in which • Remarks.

being worked. At Under

performed. gold has been struck.

; Work. s~~.

---

MACK'S CREEK: Star of the West 6 2

feet. {Tunnelling 1,150}

Sinking ... 50 . J Prospecting Claim, } I Nos.l and2South

{Small leaders, showing gold, have been discovered in other claims

Luck's All .,. 7 4 { Tunnelling Sinking ...

700 } 400 Prospecting Claim

National ... 4 ... I Tunnelling Sinking '" 4~ } ... . .. ... This reef has been just op<;lned

Oriental 2 { Tunnelling 50 ... ... Sinking ... 10

SAILOR BILL'S CREEK:

{ TUf!nelliug Southern Cross 3 2 40 I Prospecting Claim· Sinking ... 150 r ",

Evening Star ... 5 { ~un~elling 35g} {Prospecting Claim, . ... Smkmg· ... Nos. 1 and 2 South

Mountain View 6 1 { Tunnelling 100 I {prospecting Claim, Sinking ... 55 f Nos. 3 and 4 North

Miss Darling ... 1 ... { Tunnelling Sinking ... 5~ } ... . .. .. . { Surface specimens containing gold

found :

Just in Time ... 3 { TunlJelling 0 ... Sinking ... 69 • { Gold discovered in small quanti-

Elizabeth ... 2 ... Sinking ... 50 ... ... ... ties on surface . . Borough ... 2 . .. Tunnelling 20

:I!'lour Bug ... 1 ... Trenching .' ... '" ... Reef on surface

Limerick ... 3 ... Sinking ... 185 {Prospecting Claim, No.1 North

DEVIL'S R1VER: {I cannot ascertain the extent of' Alpha Reef ... 4 '" .. , ... ... . .. '" ,work accomplished with cer-

, tainty

JAMIESON: '. Yictorla ... 2 , .. Sinking ... 35 ... ... ... Recently taken up

On the 31st October, 1864, .. M,!,.' Mining Surv:eyor Vick;err fOl,"Warde.d a ,report to. the Honorable the Minister of Mines, which was 'as follows :-'-' ' ., , . " .

* ,., * "" * * ,., «< * Previously to the advent ofquiirtz mining in this.district'a few· alluvial claims'were bei!l&'worked

in Sailor Bill's Creek, but on the first intimation of the discovery of gold at the Jordan the elaims here

.,

8S

were altogether abandoned. From that period to the middle of July la,st, when a party of miners visited the place and discovered a reef, the auriferous indications existing in the neighborhood of Sailor Bill's Creek remained unnoticed. Since tpe occupa,tion of the first quartz prospecting claim reports of fresh discoveries have followed each other in quick succession, resulting in the attraction of a large number of miners to that locality. There are at the present time nearly one hundred miners, actively engaged, and there is every probability of thut number being speedily augmented. During the· past month several new claims have been registered, and gold struck in two places.

The four prospecting claims which have been taken up'in the locality, and registered respectively as the "Southern Cross," "Evening Star," "Mountain View," and "Flour Bug," appear to be on the same line of reef. In my report for the quarter ended 30th September, I referred to the probability which existed of the lodes being worked at Mack's Creek being cventually found to communicate with the newly discovered reef at Sailor Bill's Creek; various circumstances have transpired since that date to strengthcn that supposition. It will not be uninteresting to notice that two parallel lines drawn half a mile apart would include between them all the quartz workings in this division, and most of those at Gaffney's Creek. • -

The geological character of the district lately opened up is precisely similar to that in which the older workings exist. On the Sailor Bill's Creek ranges, however, the strata are more broken, and on the summits of the highest peaks dykes of granite make their appearance.

. The appearance of the country is such as to lead te the conviction that the workings will be of a permanent character, but the absence of capital amongst the greater portion of the miners, the great difficulty of procuring provisions on account of the rough character of the locality, and its distance from the nearest township, are serious impediments to progress at that place, and would render a large influx of population at present undesirable. '.'

• Allu vial Miners Quartz Miners

Donnelly's Creek Crinoline

. White Star .. . Fulton's .. . Stringer's Creek Russell's Creek

DONNELLY'S CREEK, ETC.

(Part of' Jordan South Subdivision.)

Mr. R; B. Gibson, Mining Surveyor and Registrar.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

Europeans. I Chinese. Total for the Subdivision •

... ... 370 25 395

... ... 860 ... 860

Totals " ... 1,230 25 1,255 I

,.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:-

520 Thomson River 100 Red Hill Creek 12 Icy Creek ... 30 Pheasant Creek

Remarks.

350 96 Total

THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWB:-

, ALLUYIAL MINING. QUAlI.TZ MwING.

~ ...

Deooription of lIIachinery.

AtWotk. Idle. Aggregate Number

ft:':;Ijg,":.~!. At Work. Idle. of Stamp . Head •• ~-... - ------

Steam Engines ... . .. ... . .. . .. S 3 60

Water Wheel. ..• ... ... . .. . .. . .. 1 . .. 12

60 40 22 27

1,257

Aggregate Horse-power of Bteam Engines •

64

'"

Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, £14,500. N~mber of square miles of alluvial ground which is being OI: may have been actually worked

upon, 12 ... . Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present

tIme,9. . The price of gold during the quarter ,in the subdivision has been from £3 17s. 6d. to £3198. per oz.

36

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED' RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ

CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM.

NlloIlle of Company. I I Average ! '1' tal Y' Id f I Rema.rkll relative to the

Whe~taW\~z wtu Quartz crushed. I Yiold of Gold 0 Golde o. Depth at which tho ill

I per Ton. Qllarlz was obtained.

I .. ~ ---.--

ton ewt. qr. I oz. d wt. gr. oz. dwt. gr.

Donnelly's Creek Quartz Albion Reef ... 200 0 0 o 8 16 86 13 S 50 feet Mining Company

Quinn and Company ... No.1 N., Edwards 50 O· 0 I 1 6 91 66 0 0 60 feet O'Connor and Company No.2 N., Edwards 60 0 0 1 12 0 96 0 0 67 feet Crinoline Company .•• Crinoline .. , 1,180 0 0 3 10 0 4,130 0 0 40 feet Johnson and Company Cohen's, No.7 S .••. 403 0 0 I 2 10 0 1,007 10 0 60 feet Happy-go-Lucky Com- Happy-go-Lucky ... 614 O· 0 . 1 2 22~ 704 .0 0 50 feet

pany

Totals, Quartz ••. ":~-~-I 2 8 14 6,090 3 8

I have the honor to forw!l~d herewith my report for the quarter.

Mining affairs in this division have been dull during the'hat three months. Four-fifths of the claims are suspended or abandoned from want of funds. A slight improvement is, however, beginnmg to manifest itself, owing to the formation of companies and the consequent introduction of skill and capital. The Albion Prospecting Claim has fallen into the hands of a Melbourne company, and is being worked with energy; a paYJl.ble return is shortly expected. No.1, 2, 2, and 4, south of Edward's Reef, have been amalgamated, and are being worked by the Perseverance Company; four other claims are in a like manner about to be worked by the Concord Company.

The Crinoline Company have been crushing steadily uptil within the last fort.night, when they were obliged to hang up eight stamp heads, not having sufficient water to drive their wheel.

The White Star Company have been idle for nearly six months, I believe from want of funds.

The Alpine Company have been obliged to suspend operations on accouut of water in the main shaft; they ar,e now driving a tunnel for drainage purposes. .

Provisions are becoming cheaper, the improvements lately made on the roads have enabled bullock drays to travel, and carriage has been reduced to £14 lOs. per ton, from Sale to the reefs.

OMEO CENTRAL SUBDIVISION.

M r; w: Phipps, Mining Regi8tmr.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS :-,

Europea.ns. Chineso.

,I Total for the Subdivision.

-~--------~----I-~--I·-·-~-·--~·--- -~.------- ~-----

Alluvial Miners 170 400 570

'Quartz Miners 20 20

Totals 190 I--~-~'~'~-400 590

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS· IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:­

Upper Livingstone .. Middle Livingstone ... Lower Livingstone .. , Cobungara and Upper Mitta-mitta Rivers ... Mitta-mitta l{iver, below Cobungara to Wombat Creek Wombat Creek ... ... ... ..,. River Tambo Swift's Creek Store Creek and River Nicholson Sandy's Creek and Merrijig diggingR, River Mitchell

Total

10 200

10 5

150 10

5 20 30

150

590

37

THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

. I ALLlTVIAL MINING. QUAnTZ lllnmw.

! Description or Machinery. A~WOrk. I I Aggregate I Number Aggregate Idle. HorBe~cot At Work. Idle. Horaewcof

Steam . ea, ,of Stamp ! Heads. Steam . ea.

Californian Pumps and Wheels' ... 25 ... ... ... ... . .. . ..

Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, £500. Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being or may have been actually worked

upon,7. , Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present

time, 4. The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision h~s been from £3 8s. to £3 17s. 6d. per oz.

The principal change to be noced during the past quarter has been the opening of three quartz prospecting claims, one called the Star at Swift's Creek, one which runs partly through private land :at the back of the Livingstone township, and one called the Pioneer on a spur of Mount Livingstone. 'rhe first and last named show every prospect of being payable and will be vigorously worked. The Township Reef is at present at a stand still, the two parties employed thereon having left to take up claims on the Pioneer. I estimate the yield of gold, including the Nicholson and Merrijig gold­fields, recently added to this subdivision, at twenty thousand (20,000) ounces for the past year, all alluvial. This may appear a high average for the number of miners employed but although .none of the claims are verY rich there are but few'blanks; and the Chinese, from the large unoccupied area, are enabled to pick just the kind of ground that suits their mode of working, and are particularly successful. There is no quartz being crushed as yet.

SNOWY CREEK SUBDIVISION.

Mr . .A nd?'ew Trench, Mining Registrar.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

Europeans. Chinese. I TotnJ for the Remarks. Subdivision.

..--

Alluvial Miners , .. ... 93 78 171

Quartz Miners ... ... 10 ... 10

Totals ... 103 78 I 181

THE TOTAL NUMBER. OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:-

Junction of Snowy Creek and Mitta-mitta River to Sandy Creek 20 First Left-hand branch of Snowy Creek .. , ... ... 10 Granite Flat ... . . \. 98 Right.hand branch of Snowy Creek ... ... 28 Mitta-mitta River from Snowy Creek to Wombat Creek 25

Total 181

THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

ALLUVlA.J, MINING. QUARTZ ~lINING. .. ------

I Description of Machlne'r'

Aggregate Number Aggregate At Work. Idle. Horse-power of At Work. D Idle. of Stamp r~:;:·fD~,!:.f Steam Engines. Heads,

.. ---,,-

Californian Pumps and 4 I '" ... ... ... ... Wheels

Californian Hand Pumps I ... ... '" ... ... . .. Sluice Boxes ... ... 350 50 ... ... .. . ... .. . Winding ... ... ... ... .. . 2 ... ... . ..

\ .

38

Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, £470. . Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being or may have been actually worked

, upon, 1 mile.' , . , ..'.. , Number of. distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present

time,2.. . The ptj~e?f gold during the qu~~ter in the subdivision has been from £3,58. to £3. 12s. per oz.

I have the ho~~; to s;;bmit the foil~wing report for the q~arter. Quartz prospecting appears 'to have attracted the attention of a few miners in my subdivision

latterly. I havc much pleasure in stating, that since the date of my last report some new discoveries, have been made, giving an impetus to mining operations which appears likely to be attended with most gratifying results.

During the quarter two auriferous quartz veins have been struck, one on a spur on the east side of Snowy' Creek, the other on the first spur on the north-west side of the first left-hand branch of Snowy Creek. " . " This discovery has since led to the occupation of eleven ordinary and two prospecting claims.

There is very little alteration in alluvial mining sincc my last report; on Granite Flat no new ground has been discovered.

,On the Mitta-Mitta River little is now doing, in consequenee of there being less water than in the winter months.

On the right-hand branch of Snowy Creek a few parties are now working the creek bed, and are­making very good wages.

SA'NDHURST MININ·G DISTRICT.

KANGAROO FLAT SUBDIVISION .•

Mr. H. O.Oampbell, Mining Surveyo1' and Registrar.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

Europeans. I Chinese. Total fOl" the

! Subdivision.

H ,-~.-..

Alluvial Miners ... . .. 1,000 i 750 1,750

1-~

Quartz Miners ... , , ... ... 1,100 ... 1,100

Totals .. , 2,100 I

750 2,850 I THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:­

Bendigo Flat and Sandhurst ... Ironbark and Long Gully ... Kangaroo Flat; and Crusoe Gully Golden Gully and Kangaroo Gully Back Creek and Spring Gully .Milkmaid's Flat and Axe Creek Coliban

I

Total

THE MAOIDNERY IS AS FOLLOWS!-

Remarks.

995 550 490 340 220 243 12

,2,850

ALLUVIAL MININo. QUA.RTZ MIND!G.

Description of Maohinel7. Aggregato Number .. At Work. Idle • Horse-power of At Work. Idle. of Stamp Steam Engines. Heads.

--- . '

Crushing eO .. 12 S 230 ... ... ... . .. . .. .. .

Pumping and Crushing ... ... ... ... 7

I 0 114

Pumping and Winding ... ... ... . .. 3 1 .. , Winding and Crushing ... ... . .. ... ... 1 12 Crushing, Pumping, and Wind- ... ... . .. S 0 83

I ing

I I I I Pumping ... ... ... ... .. . . .. 3 3 ... Horse Puddling .. , ... 320 203 .. , ... ... ...

~

Aggregate

f=lJ&~::

218 172 82 ]0

145

118 . ..

39

Total value of mining .plant iIJ- the subdivision, £80,000.

Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being or may have been actually worked upon, 5.

Number of distinct .quartz .reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 57.

The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision has been £3 178. per ounce.

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF (lUARTZ

CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THE~~FROM.

N rune of Oompany. Where Q.uartz Willi obtalneil,

Hercules Company ... Victoria Reef ... Herschel and Company Windmill Hill '" Rae and Company '''1 Various Reefs .. . Gold Mines Company Victoria Reef .. . New Chum Company New Chum Reef ... Alliance Company... Various Heefs .. . Comet Company... Ditto... .. . Red White and Blue Sheepshead Reef '"

Company Metropolitan Company Glasgow Reef Company Bird's Reef Company ... Denmark Company Great Eastern Company

Various Reefs '" Glasgow Reef ••. Various Reefs ... Ditto .. , ... Great Eastern Reef,

Axe Creek

Totals, Quartz

Qumtz crushed. I Yi,;f,J~ld I" Total Yield of , ' per Ton. Gold.

ton ewt. qr. oz. 'dwt. gr.

100 0 0 4 4 15i 1,200 0 0 0 15 0 3,202 0 0 O' 8 141

260 0 0 0 4 14H 1,437 '0 0 0 15 7~ 1,805 0 0 _ 0 9 23l 3,600 0 0 0 4 III

200 0 0 0 3 0

784 0 0 2,060 0 0 2,080 0 0

450 0 0 1,628 0 0

o 10 I! o 8 21! o 7 12 o 5 18;) o 3 22i

oz. dwt. gr.

507 16 0 900 0 0

1,379 0 0 60 0 0

1,099 4 10 900 0 0 804 0 0 30 0 0

394 0 0 917 8 0 780 0 0 130 0 0 320 17 9

18,826 0 0 0 8 17IT 8,222 5 19

During the last quarter there has been considerable aC,tivity displayed in quartz mining, and the yield of gold has been frilly equal to the other portions of the year already reported upon.

* * * * * * * * * Lately some rich stone has been struck at a point a mile below the junction of Myrtle Creek with the rive,r Coliban; from 2 tons of this stone as much as 7 oz. to the ton was crushed. There is no definite reef to be seen, and the stone appears to be a surface spur. A prospecting claim and nve ordinary claims have been marked 0:6:', and since I was there (last 'l'hursday) an application for another prospecting 'claim in the same neighborhood has been made. There is every reason to believe that this may. prove an, auriferous district. There appears .to be an abundance of quartz, and the country has not been prospected to any extent •. A party of Chinese are working the bed of the river Coliban with success, in the immediate vicinity of the new reef. The nearest crushing machine is situated at the Great Eastern Reef, a distance of about fifteen miles through a rough country. Most of the miners on the reef are from t4e Great Eastern claim, as at present, for want of water, the engine is not working, and the claims are idle. -If

In alluvial mining there is not much doing at this time of the year, as water-is scarce. New machinery is being erected on two or three reefs, and altogether there is every appearance of quartz mining being carried on with vigor during the present year. '

EAGLEHA WK SUBDIviSION.

Mr. G. W. H art, Mining Surveyor and Registrar .

. ,. ,"

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

, I

~

I Europeans. Cllinese, Total for tbe . Remarks.

"1:t SUbpivision. , ~,---

Alluvial Miners ... ... 3,040 650 3,690

Quartz Miners ... . .. 1,456 ... 1,456

Totals ... 4,496 650 I 5,146

40

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS TRUS DISTRIBUTED :_

Windmill Hill 125 Lightning 4 Johnson's 100 Gloster 6 St. Mungo 46 Clough's 14 Devonshire (1 Woman) 60. Darling ... 6 Catherine 72 Sebastopol .•• 2 Robert Burns 30 Nightingale ... 2 Star 56 Adelaide 4 Clarence 47 Pet,er the Great 4 Moon 34 Old Tom 10 ~eci~en Hill 67 Derby::: 2

agle ... ... 29 East Johnson's 22 Anglo 39 Wallace 5 Comet 31 Collins 2 Prince of Wales 26 Koronb ::: 5 Dead Horse, Pegleg (1 Woman) 26 South evon 4 Dead Horse, Napoleon ... 46 Princess Royal 6 Horstianu 18 Holmes ... 6 Moonlight 7 Robin Hood ... 6 Leicester ... 10 Red Hill ... 32 BignaU's 17 Eaglebawk 800 Snob's 50 Beelzebub Gully 90 Black Forest 13 Myers' Flat ... ... 400 Wetherall ... 36 Dead Horse Flat 160 Dublin 14 California Gully 220 Christophe ... 8, Pottery Flat 160 Red Jaeket ... 2 Bendigo Flat 200 Abbot's 2 White Rills ... 250 ~t[ay's 4 Wbipstick 350 Secret 2 Huntly 250 Shelback 20 Epsom 400 Redan 96 Ironstone 150 American 52 ~dney Flat 80 :Morgan's 4 elegraph .:. 100 Gardner's ... 13 Red Jacket Flat 60 Sophia 29 Gum.tree Flat 20 Nelson 51 Eaglehawk 8 Total 6,146 Mechanics' 8 Holt's 16

THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

ALLUVIA L MINnIG. QUAnTZ lIfnIING.

------~

Description of Jlfuehinery. I Number o~~~::~e~orse. Aggregate Horse AtWolk. At Work. Idle. Number of Idle. Stamp Heads. power of Steam Stamp Heads. power of Steam , Engines. Engines.

.-----I--Pumping, Puddling, an~ 1 0) ... 'I ( 10 ... ... 1 ( . ..

Winding , and I I I Baling, . Winding, 3 ... 27 ... ...

~ . ..

Crushing Pumping, and Crushing ... .. , ...

1 '" 1 . ..

~ 16

Crushing ... •• f 19

::~ i) 281 259 10 8 289 178 Pumping, Winding, and 2 ... ... ... . ..

Crushing ... I I Pumping and Winding ... '"

l' ... 8 ...

I II 115

Winding ... .. , 1 10 1 ... 7 Baling and Winding ... 1 ... 16 . ..

I :~~ . ..

Crushing and Winding ... 2 '" 19 ... )' l\

22 Horse Puddling .. , ... 883 187 ... . .. ... '" . .. -

Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, £100,000.

Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being or may have been actually worked upon, 4}.

I Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 00. ( I

The. price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision has been £3 17s.:r>er oz.

-

41

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBIAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QUART'Z TAILINGS AND CEMENT CRUSIIED DURING THE QUARTER, AND TUE GOLD OBTAINED

TIIEREFROM.

Where Quartz, &e., were Quart h d': ly.1;r~ld Total Yield of Remarks relative to the

Na.mc of Company. obtained. ,_. I"' . G~. Depth at which per Ton . Quartz wall obtained.

.' ... -~-~~~ ! _. , '

ton cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr.

Johnson's Reef Gold Johnson's Reef and 1,806 0 0 1 I 224 1,981 0 0 Mines Windmill Hill

Star Reef Company ••. Star Reef . .. 1,91S 0 0 0 5 Sj 514 0 0

Clarence Re~fCompany Clarence Reef and 1,092 0 0 0 :3 S I IS2 0 0 public

Eagle Company ... Specimen hill and 1,800 0 0 o 13 S , 1,200 0 0 public

McNair and Company Specimen Hill and 1,100 0 0 010 0, 550 0 0 public

o 14 13\1,266 0 Wetherall Reef Com- Wetherall Reef ... 1,741 0 0 0 pany

Devonshire Reef and Sll 0 0 0 Pease and Company ... 010 1~, 40S 0 public

Wallace Oompany ... Wallace Reef and 400 0 0 0 3 o i 60 0 0 public

Catherine Reef United Catherine Reef ... 5,215 0 0 o 3 4~1 S30 9 0

European Company ••• Sophia Reef and 1,950 0 0 o 14 ~3t, 1,461 0 0 public

Prince of Wales Com- Prince of Wales ... 1,616 0 0 0 5 IS~ 466 0 0 pany !

-~ ... ----." ~~~."--Totals, Quartz 19,449 0 0 0 9 4,'0 S,918 9 0

Quartz Tailings and C¢ment cruslted. .

2nd White Hill Com- 2nd White Hill and 3,600 0 0 0 1 0 180 0 0 pany pnblic

James and Company ... 4th White Hill and 2,000 0 0 0 1 12 150 0 0

Felix Company ... public 4tb White Hill and 1,140 0 0 0 5 12i 315 0 0

public Roberts and Company Epsom and public ... 1,600 0 0 0 2 12 200 0 0

Lewis, ... ... Epsom and public ... 1,250 0 0 0 4 0 250 0 0 "

Mitchell and Company Epsom 'and public ... 2,600 0 0 0 4 0 520 0 0

Thomas and Company Back creek and pub- 1,500 0 0 0 6 9~ 480 0 0 lie

Thomas and Company Telegraph line ... 304 0 0, 0 8 o~ 122 0 0

Ajax Company ... Huntly and pl\blic ... 1,300 0 01

0 9 5 600 0 0 (}

Hardie Bros. ... Huntly and public ... 600 0 0 0 6 16 200 0 0 •

Caledonian Company .•. Epsom and public ... 2,500 0 0 0 8 0 1,000 0 ()

Independent Company Huntly ... ... 600 0 0 0 6 16 200 0 0

Rising Sun Company ... Huntly ... . .. 500 0 0 0 J 0 175 0 0

North Star Company ... Huntly ... ... 1,740 0 0 0 5 0 435 0 0

All England Eleven .. , Huntly '" ... 540 0 0 j 0 15 0 405 0 0 ,

Royal Oak Company ... Huntly ... . .. 417 0 0 0 6 16 139 0 0

Bon Accord Company Ironstone Hill ... 2,000 0 0 I - 0 2 0 200 0 0 -----,--~------

Totals, Quartz Tail· } ings and Cement 24,191 o 0 I. 0 4 14~ 5,571 0 0

My last rellort stated that mining was assuming a more satisfactory aspect, that powerful machinery was bemg introduced, that the companies were working with more system and vigor than had hitherto characterised their management, and that the results were stich as to show that the quartz reefs of this district, if worked with judgment and economy, would yield handsome returns for the capital and labor expended. The continued success of many private companies encouraged others to

,persevere, and the result is, that at the present moment there are more and better paying claims at work than the district could boast of at any previous time. The yields in many instances exhibit monthly a regular increase. , Among the many paying lines of reef working at present, the palm must be awarded to the Windmill Hill line, the returns from which have been unusually large. The claims of Grant and Drysdale, Buck{e, Birch and company, the Cinderella, the Kent, and Anglo-German Companies (all on

No. 32, e.

42

(jb~ WindlJlill·:ijill·lil1e),\are yielding enorm9usly, ,while,the·/West or'England and HobsonFs., c,laims'are tP,ayi»g,jIan.Q.§ome divi<jenils .. - Brennan and QompanY;i ;alsQ,on the~same line, obta:in~q'~56,9ZS' for the month of December. The Cinderella Company's cake for the same month was 3jtl 'ozs;,,,a; result ,cQnsiq.El:r.ab1y .. s:urpassed by that of thc Rent COIl1pany •. J:nDece'!IIber the Johnson's Reef Company had 157 ozs., while in the last week of the year the 4rgus Company retorted a cake of 430 ozs. from 99 tons

. ol~tone;. thi~ mine was . long unwo,rked for want of drainagc, and the above is tlie result of the first ~g!U~lli*g'Jrom' stone taken .~b'elowf,·water'~I()veJ,.a,.7g09d ,illustratio¥~of"the'Benefits to bQI::,deriyed~:from drainage:·"'The~Star Reef and (~eith?s) Catherine Reef are paying,'as arc also the St. Mungo and Devonshire, while Bome new reefs are opening up which promise to be very rich. '1.'he last reported to me is' the' Holt's Reef; to the north.west·of·the town of Eaglehawk ; the trial crUshing last wcek yielded upwards of 7 ozs. to, S~l\ tons of stone, reef. about .six feet thick; as a necessary consequence several claims were immediately taken, ~p. T,~e ~rince; qf Wales. yompany still ,maintains its averag,e. The Catherine Reef United exhIbIts a falhng off, but the manager confidently reckons, when the new machinery is finished and more ground opened, upon obtaining larger results than ever ... Quartz mining about the township of Eaglehawk is rapidly spreading, the good effects of which are clearly.evident in the flourishing appearance ofthe town, which IS rapidly ,losing its ,village aspect and rising in commercial importance. Quartz mining is also visibly becoming an established branch of industry, arid with the introduction of still more effective machinery and cheaper labor, will long furnish employment to' a lllUch larger number of persons than at present are engaged in it. No~ are the .alluvial ,mines retl'ograd~ng,; the companies on tlie Deep Lead, Lower H untIy, employ 11' liirge'number' of miners, but great apathy1is evinced in prospecting alluvial ground. The success of the :J'f orth Star" the Ballarat, and ~endigo companies, ,and of Mr. T. Britt, has had its effect by instilling some energy :iilto the holders of the extensive tracts of ground held under lease, as two companies are alJout to work ground, now too long idle, and which under other circumstances would now have been productive.

The puddling interest may be said to remain,as it has long' been, a steady means of support to the old established puddlers, who, from long locaJ. experience, know where to look for still payable patches in the old gullies, but ycry.few new, hands now·,yenture on, that branchior mining.,

KILMORE DIVISION..

'Mr. ,Martin Meagher, Milning SU1'veyo;and Regist1'a1'.

THE TOTA·L NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

I Europeans. I Chinese. Total for the Remarks. .. , Division. --....

i I Alluvial Miners ... ... 288 ... 288 Population, including min'ers' (ap-

Quartz Miners . 68 I . .. 68 proximately. taken), in the ,di vi-... ... sion, about 6000 •

Totals . ... 356 I ... 356

THE TOTAL NUMBER' OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:-

Reedy Creek, Alluvial Miners... 258 Snob's and Dry Creeks ... . 30 :Reedy Creek, Quartz Miners ,.. 16 Yea (tbe Company, Quartz Miners) ... 8 Yea (lVIcIntosh and Company, Quartz

Miners) 2 Flat Lead, Quartz Miners 2

Tea-tree Company, Welcome, Quartz 6 Miners .

Tea.tre~.(the Harrop Company) ... 4. Rilmore Gold Mining Company (Laurence>:

Bourke and Company) 30

Total 356

THE 1\fACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-. ALLUVIAL l'tIJ:Nn;G. QUARTZ MINING.

Description of Machinery. At Work.. I Aggregate Number, I Aggregate

Idle. Hors&power of At Work.. Idle. of titamp Horscwpower of Steam Engines. ,2Ieads. .; Steam F..ngines.

--... ---

\ Puddling Machines ... ... 3 6 ... ... ... ... . .. Water Wheel ... , ... ... '" I , .. ... ... .. , ... Sluice Boxes ... i 30 50 ... ... ... ... .. . ... ... Bleanl Engine (Soragpan and Com- ... ... ... I , .. 6 10

pany 2 16 20 Uitto, 2 idle , .. . .. ... ... . .. .. ,

Ditto, at Yea (Webster and Com- ... . .. .. , I u • 8 10 pany)

1 8 10 Ditto, at King Parrot (IlL Fortuno) ... ... ... ... IDltto,'at'Reedy Creek (J. Ferrell .... ... ." .. . . '; , l' , 2 '18 30 , . and Company) . ,1ilbert Heet; Reedy Creek (Thomp- .. , ... ... ., ... .... " :~! " -, i ...

.J , son and Company); one pair of i : Chllian '1'heels. w:orked by horses , I

.1

"

No . .1, Captain'a.Hem, Reedy Creek ... , ... ... ... .. . : . .(Fi!j.ye~ an~ CoruP!t!lY); small

'. , ; , l : basin worked by Jiand '

;1 . , I [0 Steam engine, Kilmore gold fields ... ... ... ... .. 8 ,I , I (:r..~urence Bourke and'Company) : .. I , , ,[ " .. ,

-

43

Total value of mining plant in the division, £'i,715. " , Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked

upon, 15. Number of distinct quartz reefs which'have been actually p,roved to be auriferous to the present

time,30. • The price of gold during the quarte; in the division has been ,from £315s. 6d. to £3163. 6d. per ?Z,

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED' RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ

CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM.

, Where Qumz was obtained. per TOll. Gold.

Quartz crushed. Yie.tJ';,"t~Oldl Tot~l Yield of

~---~'~~----I-~-~--'-'~'-"-I~~----- ---",,'- -,~-,--

too ewt. qr, oz. dwt, gr, I oz. dwt. gr. 24 0 0 4 0 0 96 0 0 Albert Reef, Thompson

and Company

Welcome Reef. Sora­ghan and Company

Flat Lead, late Ward , and Company, now

McKay and Company

illlmore Gold Mining Company (L. Bourke and Company)~

Reedy Creek

Tea-tree ...

Near Yea ...

KUmore old diggings

Totals, Quartz ...

26 0 0 3 16 98 16 0

5 '0 0 3 'S 0 Ii 0 0

80000040 160 0 0

371 16 0

Remarks relative to the Depth at w bieb tho Quartz was obtained, &c.

Four sh afts, from 100 to 230 feet deep, reef 2 to 3 feet thick

Shaft 170 feet deep. tunnel 240 feet long under it, reef IS inches to 2 feet thick generally

Several shaftsfrom20 40 feet deep, reef 2 to 6 feet thick, very payable

Several shafts have been sunk in this ground from 20 to 107 feet deep, reef not yet found

• Laurence Bourke, representative of Kilmore Gold Mining cOmpany; the quantity represented Illl>Y be clilled tn.ilings or cement, it being " mixture of leaders, gravel, and sandStone. .

I have .the honor to forward my report on, the state of mining in Kilmore division of the Sandhurst mining district.

ALLUVIAL MINING.

Reed.1f Creek. The number of men stated are steadily at work, and making fair wages. I am informed an

improvement is expected. both by an increase of alluvial mining popul!l.tion, and capital coming among them, as a few new races are being made, and some of the old ones cleaned up.

A party of Italians, lately come here from Daylesford, were cleaning up one of the races a little below Cunningham's Hotel, at the crossing on the 'creek, found a rich quartz reef, report says; should this reef turn out as expected, it would be of grel1t benefit to the neighborhood by the introduction of capital and mining population.

Snob's and Dry Creeks. The party named are now working in the bed of the Goulbum River, and report doing well.

no other alluvial working in the district, only those two (i.e;), Reedy Creek and Snob's and Dry Creek.

QUARTZ MINING.

Reedy Creek, on McKenzie's Run. , The company's claim here has not been worked,during this quarter' they have made attempts

with a six horse.power steam engine to raise the water out of their flooded shafts, and failed; they are now erecting a 12 horse.power engine, and must ultimately succeed; they have now three steam engines on the ground.

, No.1, Captains Reef, Hayes and Co., idle this quarter, ,f1\loded out. The Morning Star Claim, on the Porcupine line of reef, has been lately taken up by Thompson and Co., they have been flooded out of the Albert Claim, though they usnally got 4 ozs., to the ton out of it; want of steam pumping machinery to dry it.

P1'oviderwe Mining Association Company, Muddy Cree!', Yea, on Kerr's Run. This company crushed none this quarter, their mae~inery and buildings are all now, ercct'ed ;

their main new shaft is 96 feet deep, and must be sunk 50 deeper to get under the old workings before they can commence, said to be in about five or six weeks time.

Jl.fcIntosh and Co. crushed none this quarter, they have a few tons raised, waiting for ,Webster and Co.'s mill to crush for-them; ·no quartz will be crushed here before next February.

Flat Lead, near Yea, on Miller: 8 Run. A company of twelve shari?holders have lately taken up a quartz claim on part of this ground,

they call it the Canadian Reef; no return from it yet. . . The Tea.tree, Welcome Reef, Soraghan and Co., crushed this quarter, twenty-six tons

produced 3 OZ8. 16 dwts. per tons; state they have sixteen tons more of better quality raised and ready to crush immediately. Tea·tree, Bristoe and Uc:NIanus, have lately taken up a quartz claim here on Arrops line of reef, state they have seven or eight tons raised; and will crush immediately. I am informed, when this claim was worked, it produced I} ozs. to the ton.

44

The absence of the returns from the company's claim, at Reedy Creek, Yea, and the Canadian, part of the Flat Lead, and several others, not carrying on with either spirit or energy, is a great drawback.

There are 12 very good quartz claims, most of them were prospecting claims, at Tea-tree, 10 at Ring Parrot, and 8 at Reedy Creek, and many others that paid well when worked between 1868 and 1862, which I find on referring to the registry books of those years. If companies, with capital. and machinery, took up those reefs like Ballarat, they would pay as well as any reefs in" the colony. See the average of 4 ozs. to the ton. • '

Rilmore Gold Mining Qompany, Laurence, Bourke, and Co., have been getting on well, as already deseribed.

They have crushed very little during this month, the water having failed them .both ion the new race and Price's Creek, the work is still continued, and the men retained until water comes.

Soraghan and Co. crush a little for 'the publie; eharge only £1 per ton; no one else in the district crushes for the public. '

HEATHCOTE DIVISION AND W ARANGA SOUTH SUBDIVISION. ~

Mr. J. T. Strong, Mining Surveyor and Registrar.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MtNERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

Europeans. Chinese. Division a.nd , Remarks. I Subdivision.

, , I I I Total for the

-----------~~-~- -_._-- ---------- -_._---_._---------Alluvial Miners

Quartz Miners

Totals

545

477

73 61B

477

---·-I---~ -----1,022 ;3 l,095

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF :\hNERS IS rHUS DISTRIBUTED:-

Heathcote (proper), including Argyle Gully, Caledonia Gully, Peter's GUlly and adjacent reefs, Wattle Flat, &c., &c. ... 641

Redcastle 70 Costerfield 90 Wild Duck Creek (New rush) 313 lfundy Gully, Mundy Flat, Ford's Gully, &e. 47 Campaspe and Coliban ... 34

Total 1,096

THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS ;---'

ALLUVIAL lIIiNn<G. QUARTZ lIInmlG.

Description of Maohiner:r. Num~r

Steam Engines Puddling Machines Chilian Wheels Horse Whims

" Whips ... . Sluice Heads .. .

... !

At Work.

47

2

Total value of mining plant in the division and 8ubdivisi?n, £39,660.

3

4 5 4

I

!

of Stamp Heads.

101 ... ... ... ... ...

AgSTegate

~~~~~o~~~

3S0 ... ... ... . .. ...

:Number of square miles o~ alluvial ground which is being or may have been actually worked :upon, 53.

Number of distinct' quartz reefs which have been aetually proved to he auriferous to the present time, 91.

The price of gold during the quarter in the division and subdivision has been from £3 148. to £4 per oz.

45

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION· HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ TAILINGS, l\iULLOCK, RUBBLE, AND CEMENT CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THERE~'ROM.

Where Qun-rtz, &e., were I Aver~ I . Remarks relative to the

N a.Dle of Company ~ Quartz orushed. Yield of Id I Total Y teld of Depth at which the obtained. per Ton. I . GQld. Quo.rtzwasobtained, &0.

0 -~--~--~.~--.

HEATHCOTE (Proper). ton cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr.

HiI'd and Company ... lIird and Co's. Reef, 144 0 0 11 2 12 1,602 3 12 60 feet Argyle Gully

;~: Butler's Reef Company Caledonia Gully ... 112 0 0 1 0 167 10 0 150 feet Bald Hill Reef Company Bald Hill ... ... 11 0 0 0 8 410 0 (;orinth Reef ". 0 0 3 1 76 10 0 120 feet ... ... . .. .. . -" Bock and Company ... Butler's l~eef ... '44 0 0 4 5 187 0 0 160 feet Phrenix Company ... Caledonia Gully ... 6 0 0 1 18 16~ 11 12 0 75 feet Norris Heef Company Long Gully ... 42 0 0 0 7 14~ 16 0 0 84 feet. Sinking a

shaft Ricard and Company .•. Black Jack Heef ... 45 0 0 0 5 15 12 13 0 Surface Humboldt Reef ... Long Gully ... 63 0 0 0 2 18~ 8 15 9 Ditto Scandinavian Heef .. , Caledonia Gully ... 33 0 0 0 12 3 20 0 0

COST ERFIELD.

Coster, Field, an'd Co .... Costerfield ... 240 0 0 I 6 17~ 320 18 9 Various depths to 180 feet

:Minerva Mining Co. ... Ditto ... ... 240 0 0 0 7 12 90 0 0 From surface to 68 ~ feet

}lorris and Company ... Ditto ... . .. 37 0 0 G 15 3! 250 0 0 100 feet Margaret Reef ... Ditto ... , .. 14 0 0 011 19 8 5 0 Surface Daly and Company ... Ditto ... . .. 6 0 0 o 13 8 4 0 0 TriaL roo feet Australasian Company Ditto ... . .. 16 0 0 0 3 2i 2 9 18 Sundry crushings ... Ditto ' .. ... 259 0 0 0 9 13i 123 18 0

RED CASTLE.

Reid and Company ... Redcastle ... 14 0 0 2 4 20i 31 8 0 Surfacing Spiro and Company ... Ditto ... .. . 10 0 0 1 3 16~ 11 17 0 Hit-or-Miss Company Ditto ... ... 10 0 0 3 4 12 32 5 0 Blondell and Company Ditto ... . .. 25 !l 0 1 1 9" 26 15 0 5 Hay and Company ... Ditto' ... ... 29 0 0 0 9 3~ 13 5 0 Yorkshire Company ... Ditto ... ... 1 0 0 I 16 0 1 16 0 Trial crushing Campbell and Company Ditto ... ... 9 0 0 I I 9~ 9 13 0 90 fee~

, Clarke's Welcome Heef Ditto ... ... 13 0 0 24 14 8~ 321 6 14 Various depths Bunny and Company, Ditto ... . .. 30 0 0 0 14 12~ 21 16 0

Mary Ann Reef Stewart and Llynn ... Spring Creek ... 8 0 0 0 8 0 3 4 0 Surface Howard and Hay .. , Antimony Heef, Red- 20 0 0 I 10 0 30. 0 0 70 feet

castle Perthshire Company ... Ditto .. , ... 5 0 0 3 0 0 15 0 0 60 feet

Totals, Quartz ... --1----1,511 0 0 2 5 8 13,424 10 14

QUARTZ TAILINGS, MULLOCK, RUBBLE, AND CEMENT CRUSHED.

Name of Company. I Where Quartz, &0., were obtained. Quo.rtz CTUJlhed. IYi.,t;:'~1d Total Yield of Remarks relative to th!t

Depth at whieh the Quartzwasobtained.&:c. I I per Ton. GQld.

---------:----------1-----.:------ -.--___ 1 _____ · __ ··_

HEATHCOTE (Proper). HiI'd and Company ...

Von del' I .. uft ... . Corinth Reef ...

Garibaldi Company .. . Bock and Company .. . Simms and Company ...

Cement BHl Company Alabama Company. late

Mcl VOl' Caledonia Co.

COSTERFIELD.

Hird, and Co's. Reef, Argyle Gully

Old Racecourse ...

F~enchm~~;s Hill ::: Butler's Beef ... Argyle Reef, Argyle

GuUy Cement HilI ." Caledonia Gully ...

Coster, Field, and Co. Costerfield Morris and Company... Ditto ...

, REDCASTLll. Welcome Reef ... Redcastle ...

Clarke's Welcome Reef Ditto

ton cn qr. \' 12 0 0

300 0 0 600

154 0 0 10 0 0 15 0 0

18 0 0 130 0 0

360 0 0 20 0 0

40 0 0

40 0 0

oz. dwt. gr.

o 1 20

020 050 o 1 2} 0"2 0 o 3 17~

oz. dwt. gr.

I 2 9 Mllllock

30 0 0 Surface and ruhblc 1 10 0 Rubble S 10 0 Rubble 1 0 0 Mullock 2 16 12 Mllllock

16 10 0 Alluvial 25 0 0 Rubble and refuse

o 9 10~ liO 0 0 I 0 0 20 0 0 Rubble

o 1 12

080

3 0 0 Mullock. Sinking new shaft

16 0 0 Mullock ----_·----------·-1---------

Totals, Quartz Tail- } iugs and Cement 1,100 0 0 o 5 9 295 S 21

•

46

:" _ "I'am: glad to be able to inform you that an increased briskness has been manifest in quartz mining, through the 'division since the date of my last l'eporf, owing chiefly to the splendid yields obtained from HiI'd and Coo's Reef, Argyle Gully, the discovery of which I had the honor to report to you on !9lh Octob,er, 1864. Little or no changes ~an be reported as regards alluvial.mining. The new rush at the Wild Duck Creek still maintains the usual numbers of diggers, and though no very large returns arere~orted, ,the miners, are making average wages., The Alabama Company's (formerly McI"or Caledonia Company) ground, having changed ownership, is now about being re-worked after so long a period of idleness. Some very good stone has been struck in the ground of the Butler's Reef Company and by Bock al).d Company adjacent. - . ,

There has beeri a very considerable falling oll both in the number of miners employed in Coster­field and RedcMLle, and in the yield of gold reported from those places since my last report; and complaints of the difficulty of efficiently extracting'the gold from the stone and antimony are universal: from this cause Messrs. Ooster and Field have desisted from crushing quartz, except in as small quau. tities as possible, just sufficient to enable them to re-crush the quartz tailings, from which they obtain large results.

I mentioned in my last report, that two water-races were being cut for sluicing purposes by Messrs. Bramble aud Co, and Francis Debney.

On the 19th October, 1864, Mr, Mining Surveyor Strong forwarded a report to the Honorable the Minister of Mines, in which he stated that a new lead of gold had been discovered, about nine miles in a westerly direction from the township of Heathcote, near the Wild Duck Creek. There were, upwards of 150 miners at work on the rush, most of whom appeared to be profitably employed, and satisfied with the yields obtained. '

The gold was of a coarse and heavy descriptio!!, and was found at from two to seven feet from the surface, the sinking being easy, through clay or to a bottom of gravel mixed with' soft slate and decomposed sandstone, the yield varying from one to six dwts. to the tub.

The gully was being actively prospected, and in almost every hole sunk gold in greater or less quantities had been found. About thirty payable claims were being worked. '

The mining surveyor also reported that a new line of reef had beeu discovered by a party of prospectors in Argyle Gully, which promised very well, and on which several claims had been taken up. From a tun of stone the prospectors had obtained 231 ozs. of gold, and a further crushing of nille tous gave a return of 36 ozs.

WARANGA NORTH SUBDIVISION.

Mr. Hem"!! Boyns Nicholas, Mining Surveyor and Registmr~

THE TOTA.L NUMBER OF MI::iERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

I \' Totalfor the I : Europeans. \ Chinese. Subdivis~on. i

-------~------I----I--~· ,- ~---------_I-_, Alluvial Miners •.. ...! 251 91 342

I

Remarks.

Quartz Miners 193 193

Totals 444 91 535

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MI::iEJl.S IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:­

Rushworth: Old Lead Main Gully Antonia Gully Storekeeper's Gully Blaek Joe's Gully N uggety Gully ... Growler's Gully Paramatta Gully Mousey's Gully ... Skitiug Dick's Gully Shelback Gully.,. Billy: Button's Gully Chicken Flat Diamond Gully ... Old Ned's Gully Canadian Gully". Chinaman's Flat ... , Charcoal Gully...' ,.. . .. N uggety and South N uggety reefs Cockatoo Reef '" Charcoal Reef . , . Main Gully Reef Growler's Reef .. . Crooker's Reef .. . Chinaman's Reef

, Union Heef : Belfast ],teef "',,,_,.,,

23 17 3

,2 8

10 9 5 5 4

14 7 6 5

21 11 59 2

36 15

2 2

11 14

4 4 8

Rushworth -continued. Scrub Reef, Champion l{ecf ... Frenchman's Reef

Whroo: N uggety Gully ... Ballarat Flat Chinaman's Flat Main Gully ... Champagne Gully

, Butcher's Gully Scotehman's Gully

, Gravel Pits ... Graveyard Gully Poverty Gully .. , Windlass Flat ... Mosquito Gully .. , Long Gully ... Two-mile White Hills Blackwall Gully ... Fontainbleau ' Siberia , ' Rilmore Road Telford's Reef.

-

5 5 2.

319

20 1 6

26 3 8 3 3 4 9 3

13 4

. .. 2 3 8 5 5 5 2

47

,DISTRIBUTION OF l'tIINERs-continl!cd. Whroo-continuetl.

Balaclava Hill·Reef· Malakhoff Reef Happy-go-Lucky Reef Albert Reef Scotchman's Reef· Stockyard Reef ..• Carr's Reef .,. Peep-o' -Day Reef ,Tohnson's Reef ... Victoria Reef 2\1: vsterious Reef Vogelsang's Reef

31 2' 3 7 2 2 f5

2 8 2 2 2

201

Coy's Diggings, or New'Rush:" . Byron's Reef-No.1::.

Jones' Reef . Bryon's Reef-No.2.

Totals: Rushworth Whroo Coy's or New Rush

Total

10 3

... 2

.. ·15

319 201 15

535

THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

ALL1JVIA.L MINING. QUARTZ MINING.

Deserlption of Machine17. Aggreg~te

At Work. I i Number Aggregate At Work. Idle. ~~~~;;::': Idle. ofSta.mp Horse.~eror

Heads. Steam ines. '. '.

1-Steam Engines-

Quartz-crushing ... '" ... ... . .. 6 ... 66 66 Quartz-crushing, pumping, and ... ... . .. 1 ... 12 16

winding . .. -!Horse Puddling Mills ... ... 55

I ... ... .. .

I . .. ... .. .

Borse Whims ... ... 6 .. . ... . .. .. . ... I .. , Horse Whips '" ... 15 ... ... .. . ... . .. .. ..

Total value of mining plant in the subdivision £ 17,000. Number of sq'Jare miles of alluvial ground which is being or may have been actually worked upon, 35. Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present time, 65. The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision has been from £3 15s. to £3 17s. per oz.

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HA& BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ, AND QUARTZ TAILINGS AND CEMENT CRUSHED DURING "rHE QUARrER", AND THE GOLD OBTAINBD THEREFROM.

Yi:J'~}a.A~I(1 I Remarks relt;tive to th.

Name of Compa.ny. Where Quartz, &e., were Quartz <ll'11sb.ed. ·rotal Yield of Depth at which the obtained. per Ton. Gold' Quartz WM obtained,

&0.

ton ewt. qt. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr.

Lewis and Menzies ... Balaclava Hill ... 3,936 0 0 0 2 23i, 582 19 18 Surface to 90 feet Coy and Anderson ... Coy's Reef, Coy's . .. 2 0 0 1 3 0 2 6 0 Surface Bailey and Thompson Bappy-go-Lucky ... 15 0 0 1 13 16 25 5 0 12 feet to 30 feet Jones and Anglade ... Happy-gG-Lucky ... 50 0 0 0 4, 7A 10 15 0 Surface Jones and Anglade ... Carr's Heef ... 222 0 0 0 4 lOt 49 3 0 110 feet Jones, Malloch, and Co. Albert Reef . 37 0 0 o 12 20 2.3 15 0 120 feet Rousseau and Company Johnson's Heef I ,

17 0 0 o 15 10 13 2 0 2!i fee t to 40 feet ... Rousseau and Company Stockyard Heef ... 7 0 0 o 15 0 5 5 0 60 feet Dalcom and Company Dalcom Reef ... 24 0 0 0 1 0 1 4 0 10 feet Baud and Vogelsang ... Happy-go·IJucky ... '" 4 0 0 1 15 0 7 0 () 130 feet Crago and Hicks ... }Ialakhoff Reef' ... 30 0 0 011 q 16 1~ 0 100 feet Malloch and Barrett ... Johnson's Heef ... 15 0 0 o 10 0 7 10 0 40 feet to 180 feet Hannah and Company Malakhoff Heef '" 7 0 0 0 1 0 0 7 0 Surface Byron and Company· ... Byron's Reef, No. I 18 o .0 2 1 6! 37 3 0 Surface to 10 feet Telford and Company ... Telford's Reef '" 14 0 0 o 19 15! 13 15 0 60 feet Jones and Anglade .•. Carr's Reef ... 25 0 0 0 6 0 7 10 0 110 feet .Tohnson and Company Johnson's Heef ... 8 0 0 0 6 6 2 10 0 20 feet Wilson and Company ... Mysterious Reef ... 4 0 0 0 7 0 I 8 0 20 feet Wilson and Company ... Sunrise Reef ... 2 0 0 o 14 12 1 9 0 30 feet Vogelsang and Company .. Vogelsang's Reef ... 13 o '0 011 2 7 4 0 Surface to 20 feet Crocker and Ahern ... Chinaman's Reef ... 37 0 0 0 4 3t 7 13 0 15 feet Crocker and Ahern ... Crocker's Reef ... 16 0 0 23 3 3 370 10 0 100 feet Crocker and Ahern ... Crocker's Reef ... 29 o· 0 2 5 17~ 66 6 0 100 feet Stewart and Smith ... South Nuggety Reef .' 63 0 0 I 0 44 63 12 0 180 feet Stewart and Smith ... Various Reefs '" 100. 0 0 0 9 17t 48 12 0

-J------ ---------Quartz Tailings and Totals, Quartz ... 4,695 0 0 0 5 20~ ! 1,372 l.~ 18

O<'1l!ent crushed. ------ .-Anglade !Lnd Company Albert Heef ... .. 170 . 0 0 0 1 0 810 0 Rubbish from shaft

mouth Law and Darroch ·11 .. ••

,Graveyard and Wind- ._ 213 0,. o· 0 IH .1 ,18. ·4 ·12 , Cement and tailings lass Flat

Stewart and Smith Nuggety Gully, ... 179 0' 0" 0 7 5b 64 II 12 Cement Stew'art and Smith- :<:. Nuggety Gully ... , 350 00 0 2 6~ .. " '39 1'3"'.'6 Puddler's tailings

and cement Gaffney and Company Old Ned's Gully I.". ~ 3' 0 .0' o 18 0' , "2 14 0 'Cement

------ ----.------Totals, Quartz Tail.}' ". 91'5 O' 0 o "2 22 ''I'' '13'3 13 . 6

. , ings and Cement

48

I have the honor to report, that throughout my division a marked improvement in mining progress has characterised the last quarter. In alluvial mining on the older parts of the Warnnga gold.fields payable, and in some cases very satisfactory returns, have been reported to me. Small rushes to the branch gullies off Chinamau's Flat aud the Old Lead have opened new ground, which continues to support a slightly increased number of alluvial miners. The question of a water supply for our usually very dry districL is forced upon the attention of the miners by the continued drought

, of the dry season. At Coy's, or the new rush, it has been most severely felt; alluvial mining is com­pletely closed. The water which is used for domestic purposes, and obtainable within a distance of two, miles, is described as "rich in color and strong in flavor," a statement which I can endorse, as I have found by experience that it possesses these disagreeable properties. '1'he preparations for conserving water, in anticipation of the wet season, are slill very inadequate to supply the wants of the few miners who are settled there, and but for the holes and paddocks sunk in working the gullies becoming wate'rholes of necessity, the alluvial ground could not btlyrospected. Notwithstanding this drawback the discoveries in quartz mining are very satisfactory. ]'rom Byron's Reef No.1 the yield of 18 tons of quartz was about 2 ozs, per ton. Other reefs which are being prospected are also producing a little, gold, but the expenses attendant upon taking the quartz seven miles to the nearest crushing machinerj: are too heavy for the working of these reefs with profit. '

At Balaclava Hill good criterions of progress are shown by Messrs. Lewis and Menzies, by an increase of 500 tons in their returns of the, quantity of quartz crushed, and an improvement in the produce of nearly 6 grs. per ton. From Crocker and Ahern's claim the same splendid average of more than 20 ozs. per ton has been maintained. Sixteen tons of the first quality quartz yielded 370 OZ8., and from 29 tons of 80 called poor quartz 66 ozs. were realised. '

At South Nuggety Reef Messrs. Stewart and Smith have struck quartz in their engine shaft at 244 feet from the surface; it looks remarkably well, and so soon as the necessary work is completed to enable them to begin stoping, they anticipate large and payable yields from this claim. Their pumping,

, crushing, and winding ,machinery is now in good order, and working satisfactorily.

RAYWOOD DIVISION.

Mr. E. N. Errvrnett, Mining Registrar.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS :-

I

I Enropeam. i Chinese. Total for the Remarks. 'Division. , :'

,

Alluvial Miners ... ... 2,036 100 2,136

Quartlil Miners ... ... 210 . .. 210

Totals ... 2,246 100 2,346

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINEllS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED;-

Raywood Sebastian Elysian Flat Kamarooka

Description of lII.allhinery,

Total

THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS :-

1,534 120 -546 146

2,346

ALLUVIAL MINING. QUARTZ MINING.

i'" i----,-.. · I : Number

>._n:~ ..

.... -~.~--

i At Work, Idle. Horse-power of At Work. : Aggregate, I

: Steam Engines, Idle. ot Stamp

HeadJl.

Aggregate

~~~~~f. --...... .

Steam Engines ... ... ... . .. ... 3 . .. 38 36

Puddling Mills ... ... 45 ... . .. I

. .. . .. . .. . .. I

Total value of mining :elant in the division, £7,850. Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being or may have been actually worked

upon, 2!. ' N'umber of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present

time,13. , The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been from £3 17s. 6d. to £3 ISs. Bd.

per oz.

-

49

,Tall FOLLOWING lNFOIUU.TION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ CRUSBBD

DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE' GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM.

Where ~uartz, k. were AV~ I Total Yield of lUmarJm relative to t.be Name of Company. Quartz crushed. YieldoC Id Depth at which the o tail:led. per Ton . Gold. Qua.rtz WlIoII obtained.'

. -. 0 Kamarooka Reefs:- ton em. !lr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr.

Pe.mbroke Castle ... Kamarooka ... 5 0 0 3 2 0 15 10 0 Surface to 30 feet Ditto ... ... Ditto ... . .. 30 0 0 o 18 8 27 10 0

" 30 feet

Jones's Reef ... Ditto ... n • 12 0 0 1 o 10 III 5 0 " 20 feet Ditto ... ... Ditto .. . . .. 40 0 0 o 15 0 30 0 0 "

20 feet Christmas Reef ... Ray,wood '" 40 O' 0 0 6 6 12 10 0 .. 60 feet 'Coulter'S Reef. .. , Ditto ... '" 40 0 0 0 7 12 15 0 0 "

80 feet Frederick the Great ... Sebastian ... 300 0 0 2 1 17J: 626 0 0 .. 8 feet

Totals, Quartz .. , 467 0 0 1 11 15! 738 15 0

I have the honor to submit my quarterly report of mining operations for the Raywood Division.

I have been unable to obtain exact particulars of the respective" yields from the quartz crushing machines, but I have carefully endeavored to ascertain the gross amount of gold purchased in the neighborhood, during the past three months, and find it amounts to 5,100 ozs.

No new discoveries in alluvial have taken place around Raywood, and the population has consequently diminished; I feel, however, no hesitation in expressing a conviction that other and rich alluvium will eventually be found in this division so soon as a supply of water is obtained.

The reefing interests present features which will probably give them a prominent position in the district, although as yet but little developed.

Kamarooka, Sebastian, and Raywood Proper, appear to be intersected with matrix indications, and the recent discovery of a large body of auriferous stone at a depth of 110 feet on the Christmas Reef, Raywood, supposed to be a portion of a main lode, will give confidence and impetus to quartz workings in the locality. '

At Sebastian, the Ifrederick the Great Company, upon the private property of Mr. Hugh Glass, and taken by the company on tribute (30 per cent. of the gross proceeds) for ten years, have given most satisfactory returns. Three crushings only have yet been made, giving the following results-

First week lPO ozs. Second week Third week

I

269 " 207 "

In these cases the quantity of stone reduced was not accurately kept, the weekly. result of gold ouly being taken, but I have averaged ~t at 100 tons per week.

The continued scarcity of water in this locality has tended materially to retard the progress of the district, the annual rain-fall this year being considerably below the average. Puddling machines from this cause havc been almost idle during the past two months, and comparatively there exist no means of testing the surface alluvium of the district at present, \Yhich alluvium I believe largely exists.

A water supply would tend to the opening of new leads, the want of which may be considered a great drawback to thlS gold field. ,

In reference to the Kamarooka quartz workings, I state that no machinery is yet on the ground, and the cost of carriage being so high to the nearest, the pal·ties engaged there stack their stone; but a project is in contemplation to erect machinery for the purpose on the spot.

At Kamarooka seven prospecting claims have been registered, and about thirty ordinary claims on the lilles of reef.

About 10ozs. of quartz gold, in nuggets from 5 oz. to 1 oz., have been bought by the banks here during the last three months, but the sellers decline to name the locality. This points to another rich reef formed in this division.

The population, other than those engaged in mining, may be taken at Miners .

Total for this division

No.32,f

1,474 2,346

3,820

50

,*' I

MARYBOROUGH MINING DISTRICT. , .

----~.---~

··'t

' .... .-~.; ...... MARYBOROUGR DIVI~ION.

Mr. D. O'Leary,. Minilng Surveyor (J(!Ld Registrar. :.: ,':' I" ,.,> ., ..

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

, Europew, i .Chinese, I

Total for the I Remarks" ,. Division.

" 1'-, " i--':""'"

Alluvial Miners ... . .. 3,400 1,500 4,900 Quar\z Miners ... . .. 550 . .. 550

---'--Totals ... 3,950 1,500 5,450

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:-

,·.:M:aryb?rough, Main Lead, and Blackman's 200 Inkermann '.. '" . Cuddy s Flat." ",' '" '" 80 Majorca, including Gibraltar '"

! j.

• ,i,j j

80 2,500 . 650 Waterloo Flat and adjoining gullies •.. 90 Chinaman's and adjacent reefs ...

.. :f\1osquito Flat and adjacent reefs 550 Adelaide Le!l4 and adjoining. reefs ,;, Old Man~s Gully and adjacent reefs 300 Alma and·Balaclava

400 150

..

, Golden Point and Fourcmile Flat 200 Havelock and adjacent.reefs 250 Total .... 5,450

THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

ALLUVIAL MINING. QUAll.TZ MINING.

Description of Machinery. Aggregate Number Aggregate

At Work. Idle.. Horse'COr At Work. Idle. of Stamp Hors<>-Power of

• Steam . as. Heads . ~team Engines. . Steam Engines, employed in 8 1 158 ... ... ... .. .

pumping, winding, &c. Whims - ... ... 102 ... ... ... . .. . .. ... Puddling Machines ... 205 95 ... ... ... . .. . .. Steam Engines, employed ... ... ... 9 1 170 170

,in pumping, winding, ; crushing, &c.

Total value of mining plant in the division, £47,000. '. _ Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being or may have been actually worked

upon, 50 • .' Number of distinct ,quartz reefs whi~h have been actually proved to be auriferoua to the present

tlIDe, 115." , The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been from £3 18s. to £4 1s. P!lr oz.

, THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN' OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND

CEMENT CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM •

------------~----------~------~----~------~---------I Wh Q, rt & Average Total Yield I Rema,;'" relativ~ to the . Name of Company. ere o{'~. c" w?,e Quartz .ruahed. Yi~~r %o~ld oHio!d. ~:~~z :! • .;blf,:g;eJhe

-,~. -------.-, --to-:~";;'. qr. ~dwt~. -gr-. --o-z~. -d~wt-.-gr-~I - •.

Houghton and Williams Ballarat Company , '" Close Heef Company •.. Bansen and Company . Boughton and Williams,

late Seers and Sons GreenawayandWnllace Johnston 'and Sons ... Watkins "and Company l'erseverance Company

Cement crushed. Johnston and Sons Boughton and Williams Greenaway and Wallace

Blncher's, &c. . .. Leviathan Reef. ...

1,550 0 0 0 9 12 736 5 0 50 to 250 feet

Mariner's ... 1,741 0 0 0 122.1 1\120 14 0 100to.120 feet 1,20000 050 30000 1l0feet

Differen t reefs ... 2,250 0 0 1 4 0 2,700 0 0 Different depths Blucher's, F';'Cdks .... 470 .0 0 0 12 12 293 15 0 200 feet

Sydney Reef, &0. . .. 400 0 0 o 18 0 360 0 0 Finche's, Ironstone 250 0 0 o 12 0 150 0 0 Leviathan, south end 450 0 0 0 2 O. 45 0 0 North British. &c .... I_.:~~i 0 8 0: 500 0 0

T!?tals, Quartz... 9,561 0 0 o 12 234 6,205 14 0

Majorca ... 750 ·0 0 0 14 0 525 0 0 Ditto 470 0 0 0 14 12 340 15 0 Ditto .:. ... i~550_~ _~ 1,240 ~_

Totals, Cement... 2,770 0 0 0 15 4B 2,105 15 0

Ditto 90 feet 60 to 100 feet 95 feet (

60 to 100 feet Ditto Ditto

51

I have the honor to report that, during the last three months, though no fresh features have appeared, yet minin~ operations generally in the division have been regarded with somewhat unusual confidence, which mlght account for the considerable increase in the number of applications for mining leases. . . ...

Amongst these Chinaman's Flat appears most conspicuous. In addition to the six leases already granted, there are four applications recently made for an area of 120 acres on the supposed continu-ation, northerly, of the Lead: ' :

On the Alma, at the supposed junction of the old leads, operations are commenced in earnest. A shaft 8 x 3! feet in the clear is already sunk to a depth of 70 feet; about 115 feet will reach the bottom. An engine of 25 horse-power is being erected, and no doubt exists as to success. At all events, after some cross driving the party niust ultimately succeed in discovering those lost leads or tlteir J"unction.

Majorca, though having well sustained its population, has been rather dull. The lead is trending in a north-easterly direction, but it has not been traced with that diligence. which mig~t have been' exercised, arising partly from the north end being principally occupied by Chinamen. However, the refusal of Millar's application, it is to be hoped, will enable the Europeans to discover the lead north of the Chinamen's ground. Application is made for a lease of twenty-five acres on the west side of the Majorca workings by a Ballarat party, for not only to test the ground in that section but to erect a powerful crushing machine, a deficiency much felt on Majorca, as the carting and crushing of cement cost no inconsiderable amount. .

QUARTZ MINING.

The old re~fs have been attracting much attention; two leases on the old Portuguese and Bristol reefs have been applied for, and there has been a decided improvement in the yields from almost all the old established reefs. From the return of gold from quartz during 1864, and the average number of miners employed (525), it appears that each would havc for his share during the year 57 ozs. 8 dwts. 13 grs., while by a similar process, including Chinamen, an alluvial miner would have during the year 11 ozs. 14 dwts. 9 grs.

On the 7th November, 1864, Mr. 'Mining Surveyor O'Leary forwarded a report to the Honorable the Minister of Mines, stuting that in the parish of Bet-bet, on the west side of the Mount Korong road, and about 100 chains northerly from the junction ·of the Maryborough and Carisbrook road, a prospector named Grant had discovered what might be termed a good payable prospect, i.e. 3~ ounces out of four loads of wash-dirt; in the prospect appeared a handsome nugget 1 oz. 12 dwts. The depth of the prospectors shaft was 39 feet, bottom sandstone intersected with quartz veins. There was a fine flat available for a large rush, 250 men were shepherding and marking out claims .

. On the 19th November the Mining Surveyor referring to the rush above mentioned, furnished a tracing showing its position, and stated that the depth of sinking was 40 feet, through strata of sandy loam 10 feet, fine gravel 7 feet, yellow cement and gravel It feet, grey clay and fine sand 8 feet, and yellow drift 12 feet. The wash-dirt was composed of cemented gravel and small round boulders. There were no indications of any quartz reefs. Appearances on the ground were very dull. . The prospectors' second washing gave 7 dwts. to the load. Only three golden holes had been bottomed, and there was no certainty as to permanency.

AMHERST DIVISION.

Mr. Oharles Oole, Mining Surveyor and Registrar.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

Europeans. Chinese. Total for the Remarks. Division.

Alluvial Miners ... . .. 2,950 380 3,330

Quartz Miners .•. ... ... 380 '" 380

Totals ... 3,330 380 3,710

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:-

Rocky Flat Lead 460 Mount Greenock Lead 500 Gibraltar (south end) 220 McCullum's Creek 260 Cockatoo Gully 210 Blacksmith's Gully 350 Daisy Hill Flat 290 Mia-mia Flat 330 Adelaide Lead (south) 350 Kangaroo Flat 480 N uggety Gully 90 Scandinavian Lead 100 Mysterious Lead 70

Total 3,710

, .

52

THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

De.~Ption of Machinery. " I I 'Aggregate Ai Wo~k. Idle. Horse.power of Steam Engine ••

AtWork. i --a--I---2-50---I-~, ~-,~- !'--

a---'-, 1'--

4-

0

--

Idle, .! Number! Ag!l1:!ll!ate

of Stamp Horse-Dower of Head.. Steam Engines,

Stearn Engines, employed in wind-ing, crushing, puddling, &c.

Puddling Machines .,. Horse Whims Hydraulic Hoses Sluice Boxes .•.

II

252 40

2 12

56 10

6

86

4 5

Total value of mining plant in the division, £23,800. Num1;>er of square miles of alluvial ground which is being or may have been actualiy worked

upon, 40. . N umber of di'stinct quartz reefs which have been actually, proved to be auriferous tQ the present

LIme,45. ' " The price of gold during the quarter in the division has b~en from £3 18s. 9d .. to £4 2s. per oz.

'THE FOLLOWING IN1WR1IUTION HAS EllEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTI'l'Y OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ TAILINGS AND CEMENT CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM.

Name of Company. I Where Quartz, & •. , were obtained,

! Avera~

Q--'-IY;'''''' " per Ton.

Total Yield f, I Rema.rks relative to th Gold. 0 8~~~z ,~!. ;b~ej~

e

" ton .wt. qr. oz. dwt, gr. oz. dwt. gr.

! Freestone and Company North British Reef 20 0 0', 0 -1 0 4 0 0 I 25 to 40 feet Dunston and Company Prince of Wales Reef 65 0 0 0 9 6 30 I 6 55 to 65 feet White Horse Company White Horse Reef. .. 45 0 0 ,0 7 12 16 17 12 45 to 50 feet <Germain Reef ... Windermere Reef ... 65 0 0 0 6 8 20 11 16 50 to 70 feet Dana Company ... Dana Reef ... 25 0 0 2 8 12 60 12 12 24 to 30 feet Ellison and Company Dana Heef ... ,49 0 0 o 12 0 29' 8 0 20 to 29 feet Pattison and Company Finche's' Reef ... 42 0 0 3 t 0 128 2 0 135 feet deep Dana Company ... Dana Heef ... 26 0 0 3 19 0'· 102 15 0 40 feet . 13 Manganell and Co. ... Finclle's Heef ... 75 0 0 o 8 10 31 II 6 100 to 120 feet Strattan and Company Church Hill Reef .. ' 35 0 0 6 18 0 3t 10 0 40 to 55 feet Hosie and Company ... Splitters' Creek Reef 28 0 0 0 7 6 10 3 0 to to 35 feet Bet-Bet Reef .. ; ... Quarterman'sStation 2 0 0 4 1712 9 15 0 8 to 12 feet Costick and Company Laum Reef ... 650 0 0

i 0 5 8 li3 6 16 120 to 135 feet

Quartz Tailings and Totals, Quartz 1,127 0 0 I 0 II 12! 648 13 20 Cement crushed,

BartIemore ... Various places - . 368 0 oj 0 '6 1,6 122 13 8 ." ...

Totals. Quartz Tail- 368 0 '0 r' 0 6 16 122 13 ,~ ings and Cement

I have the honor to furnish my quarterly report relative to the progress of mining matters in this division, and in doing so it gives me great pleasure to be able to say, that never heretofore could the prospects of the division be reported of in a more favorable light.

The prospects of the Mount Greenock Lead are certainly highly encouraging, During the guarter just ended .six claim\,!, comprising an area of about 50 acres, have proved their ground to be nighly auriferous; and were it not for the expensive nature of proving the ground, no doubt treble this number of claims would ere this be yielding good returns. The great expense attached to working the ground, and the absence of sufficient capital to thoroughly open it up, havc heen the main. !'Iausce of the richness of the Mount Greenock Lead remaining so long comparntively unknown at It distance. The foHowing claims have been yielding, during the quarter, dividends to individual shareholders from £5 to £15 per man per week, viz., the Pioneer, the Oriental, the All Nations. the Black Ball, the Talbot, the Perseverance, the Gre'lt Tunnol, the Darling, tho Exploring, and Victoria j and of all the claims occupied onthie lead only two, up to the present time, have been found unremunerative. These claims, which will not be worked out for some years, owing to their large area, are yielding from £3 to £12 per man per week, and in fact sometimes higher than the latter yield. Many other claims are sinking .and expect as favorable results. . .

The paddocks betweeri' Talbot and Amherst are yielding reLurus beyond the most sanguine .expectation of their occupants, more especially Taaffe's paddocks, which are yielding to the lessee on an average abqut £20 per week. '

.. QUARTZ MINING.

During the quarter much has been done in this branch of mining. '1:he Dana Reef, diseovered about four months ago, has proved the most prolific in the division. In about two months from this date the shareholders, to the number of four, expect to have realised, clear of all expenses, the sum of £1,000 each. The stone has 'averaged .. from the commencement about 4 ozs. 5dwts. per ton; the lode averages in width about 2 feet;' .". . .

. The Bct-bct Reef, disco,ered about three weeks ago by Freestone and party, near Quarterman's 8tation on'the Bet-bet Creek, has up to·the present time given great promise of future richness. The first two tons crushed averaged 40zs. 17 dwts. 12 grs. per ton. The lode is two feet thick, and was found at a depth of 10 feet. IJal11'a Reef: Amherst, continues to yield a handsome return to the owner j

the lode is from 10 to 15 feet th~ck, and the average yield from 5 to 7 dwts. per ton.

53

AVOCA SUBDIVISION.

Mr. Rich. English, Mining'Surveyor and Registrar.

TBE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

, I Europea.no. Total for the Chine,., .. Subdivision. Remarks.

I

-------~.-- ~.------ ~

Alluvial Miners ... ... 1000 570 1,570

Quartz Miners ... '" 4 ... 4

Totals ... 1,004 570 1.574 I

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:-

Avoca Homebush Amphitheatre Mountain Hut Green Hill Greek

Description of Maehinery.

Steam Engines ~mployed winding, pumpipg, crushing, &c.

Puddling Machines ... Crushing Machines ... Winding and pumping Toms ... ...

At Work.

5'

·74 ... 4

25

700 Lamplough .. . 170 No.1 Creek .. . 275 Fiddler's Creek

95 40

TBE 1\IAOIlINERY lSAS FOLLO'YS:-

ALLUVIAL MumlQ, -

Idle. I Aggregate

Hon&-power of ,Steam Engines;

At Work.

-~---I 146 ... ,

\'5 ... ... ... ... I 1 ... ...

10 ... ...

Total

Qu All.TZ Mu."ING.

Number Idle. of Stamp

Heads.

I 8

... . . _ . 1 20 .. . .. , ... ...

120 45

,129°

1,674

As_te Horae-~ ot Steam ' ...

6

... 18

'" ...

Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, £10,500. Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being or may have been actually worked

upon, 20. . Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to l:le aUl'lferous to the

present time, 7. . '. '. . . . The price of gold durmg the quarter m the subdlVlslon.has been from i?3 t5s. Sd. to £4 per oz.

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION BAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AJ!!D CEMENT

ORUBHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM.

Where Quartz, &e., were Yi.;fd~'m,ld Total' R<lm&rko relative to the Name of 00mpaJl1. Quartz crushed. Depth at which the obtained. per Ton. Yield of Gold. Qu .. rtz was obtained.

-~.-------- ------~

'. ton ewt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. I oz. dwt.gr. Bosanko l!-nd Company Hampshire Reef, 120 0 0 0 7 U 42 0 0 From the surface to

near Avoca I a depth of twenty

Totals, Quartz ... 120 0 0' 0 7 0 42 0 0 feet

Cement c,.ushed. ~-----

Bosanko and Company Avoca Lead ... 1,300 0 0 0 2 8 151 13 8 Cement ----~--~ --~----

Totals, Cement ... 1,300 0 0 0 2 8 151 13 8

I have the honor to state, that in quartz mbing there is no cha':lge to report since last quarter, and although there does not appear to be much activity displayed at present'in alluvial mining, yet, notwithstanding this temporary relaxation which prevails (owing, I presume, in a great measure te the Christmas festivities), this braIlch of mining, I can confidently state, is steadily improving.

The Avoca Gold Mining Association (Pascoe's Lease), a.re n,ow in full working operation, with fi~ separate shifts below, and although they are constantly meeting with impediments by breaking into old workings filled with water and sludge, yet, the manager informs me, they are now, and have been for some time past, paying working expenses, the average yield of. the drift giving four and a half (41) OZ8. to the machine. The gold is of a coarse waterworn character, and .Bmall nuggets, varying from half to three and four ounces in weight each, are also frequently being met with; the workings, so fur, have been in

54

old ground, which was never supposed even to pay working expenses. They fully anticipate being in much better unworked ground during the ensuing month, when a dividend is also expected to be declared.

The Avoca Gold Mining Company (Bland'sJease) lJ.re getting dirt which gives a trifle over work­ing expenses; the manager informs me that the average yield is four (4) ozs. to the puddling machine., This Company have already done a, consid~rahle amoun,t of work below, having in the first place sunk their shaft some distance 'from tlie'lead and' opened 'out theil:1drives at"a depth very much below the, auriferous drift, in that portion of the lead contiguous to the same, but with a view, I believe, of meeting with deeper ground in the vicinity, which they have already done; but not being of that character to, induce a: continuation of their researches for ,the present in that direction, they are now working in the old lead with more than a probability of being better remunerated',

, The Hit-or-Miss (Hocking's) Company have not been doing so well this quarter, the average yield of the drift b!)ing only two and a half (~) ozs. to the puddling machine, and getting only three machines in a fortnight; they appear to lose a quantity of gold in their tailings, even more than they obtain, by a puddling process instead of using stampers, the drift being partially composed of a con­glomerate, all of which in this portion of the lead, contains gold in paying quantities.

Harrison's Company have entirely susp.ended operations, and when I visited the ground I could tind no one in charge.

The Star Company (Pascoe's, Homebush), are sinking a second shaft, having lost their first one at a depth of ninety-three (93) feet, being then thirteen (13) feet in a very loose fine gravel drift, which has always been found very troublesome in this portion of the district; the second shaft is expected to be partially on the reef west of the Jead, and to evade this drift strata which in the' deep ground is found several feet above the wash-dirt.

The Amphitheatre portion of my district I expect will shortly engage the attention of a more enterprising class of miners than hitherto, for I am informed, immediately after the close of this year

,ll.two or three parties (separately) purpose applying for ground in this locality under the leasing regula­tions; they also iriform me. that a large tract of land, not more than from thirty to forty feet deep, although containing water, will give from three to twenty dwts. to the ton, with two and three feet thi«kness of wash-dirt. It has frequently been a matter surprising to me that this auriferous-looking part of the district should have remained so long uncared for by the more enterprising class of miners, and even by the speculator; neither can there be a better test of the paying character of all these diggings than as at this place, we find every one apparently in easy circumstances; also, at land sales at Glenlogie I have seen more competition tharr at any other place" I have not the slightest hesitation in stating that these new companies, with efficient management, will succeed beyond their most sanguine expecta­tions. In the other parts of my division I have no change of any moment to notify.

• DUNOLLY DIVISION.

Mr. R. J. M eM illan, M iJnVng Swrveyor and Registrar.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

Europeans. ChiIlese. Total for the I Division.

---.~.-

Alluvial ,Miners ... ... 1,892 364 2,256

Quartz Miners ... ... 640 ... 640 . --~---

Totals ... 2,532 364 2,896

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS· IlISTRIBUTBD :­

Dunolly-}\{ain I"cad ... , Wilson's Lead ' German Gully and Hard Hills .. , Gooseberry Hill .... ... Reefs, ... .. .

:Burnt Creek and Bet-bet Inkermarin and WattIe Flats Eastern Rush ' .. Reefs, .. Moliagul

146 46

122 380

40 225 280 30 30

318

Bealiba-Uochrane'~ FI,at Puzzle Flat ... ' Scattered

Tarnagulla ... " Halfway ".

Jones's Creek and Mosquito Cay's .. ,

Total

THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

Remarks. , "

.. , ..

... ' .. ,. 90

.' .. ti~ _1..0' .t~~"'lOO

100 570 130 248 41

... 2,896

ALLUTI.u. MINING. QUAll.TZ Mnmm;

Deserlption of Machinel')'.

At Work.

-"~-~~~-"~-~--'-~-~-.--"~-----Ste~~ Engmes, employed pump: 6

ing, winding, and crushing Whims, , 14 Puddling :Machines , .. 140

; . ',.

Idle.

140

Aggregate Hor.e.~wer of At Work. Steam l!illgiDea.

'77 13

8 I.

" " I,

16

4

'.1 Hf <':'" , .,,'!

55

Total v"atue of mining plant in the division, £52,000. Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being or may have been actually worked

upon,12t· . Number of distinct quartz reefs. which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the

present time, 156. , The price of gold during the quarter, in t,!le divisionJ has been from ·£3 18s. to £4 pe).' oz.

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE. QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND

QUARTZ TAILINGS AND CEll:RNT CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OB~AINED THEREFROM.

/

YietJ~~ld Remarks relative to the Name of CompallY. Wbere'QuartZt &c., were Quartz crushed. Total Yield of Depth at whlcll the obtained. per ton. Gold. Quartz was obtained.

ton. cwt. qr. oz. dwt !!T. oz. dwt.!!T.

J New Chum Reef'

f J. Davies Sandstone Reef

1,495 0 0 0 8 1ll:J 635 0 0 ... l lI.faiden Reef

Hard-up Reef

i G'ook',HUl ~ Ironbark '" Wilson's Reef

Fraser and Williams German Reef 1,680 0 0 0 9 2; 766 0 0 Stony Reef March Reef . Great Western Reef

." j Anon Reef

} .

Albion Reef D. Kirk ... Quaker's Reef 950 0 0 o 12 10,~ 590 0 0

Cheshire Reef Morning Reef

... { Sheoak Reef· } Sheoak Company Queen's Reef 650 0 0 0 1222-i!J 420 0 0 . Bull-dog Reef . ..

Totals, Quartz ... 4,775 0 0 o 10 21- 0 0 Quartz Tailings and

Cement crushed.

Glamorganshire Co •... Bealiba ... ... 3,060 0 0 0 5 16! 872 0.0 H. Reed '" ... Ditto ... ... 960 0 0 0 5 2~ 245 O· 0 D.Kirk ... ... Burnt Creek . .. 850 0 o I 0 3 22Q, 168 0

:/ ,

Totals,Quartz Tailings I o ~~11'285 and Cement .... 4,870 0 0

Alluvial mining in this division dtiring the quarter has generally employed the population in the old workings, but at the south end of Dunolly township, Gooseberry Hill has grown to be a rush of considerable importance; two extended claims, of four and three and a half acres, respectively J were taken up on this ground in May and August, 1864, on one of which a steam engine has been erected; several ordinary claims were also taken up, and fair prospects were obtained; the consequence is, that at present about 380 miners are on the ground busily engaged. About tweno/ claims are getting payable gold, some of them, I am informed, paying handsomely. The sinking IS wet, from forty to sixty feet in depth, with several feet· thickness of washdirt in most of the claims. There is every probability of this b!-ling a permanent rush; but I regret to state that it is quite close to private property on its north and north-western sides.

A small rush took place to Cochrane's Flat, Bealiba, early' in October, in thirty feet wet sinking, which continues to employ about ninety niiners, and several claims are getting payable gold.

With the above .. exceptions, alluvial mining in the divjsion has undergone no change since my last report. .

Quartz mining is ,prosecuted with its usual average success. Poverty Reef, Tarnagulla, has been taken up in leases along its entire length, but no quartz has been raised from it during the quarter. A level is being put in at a de:pth of 385 feet, and there 'is every probability of the lode being reached about the end of January, whICh will allow ofa great number of hands being employed at once, as the reef has been already opened up a great length at that level.

Oh Ironbark, Greek's Hill, Wilson's Reef, ::\-Iarch Reef, Stony Reef, Hellas' Reef, New Chum, Sandstone, German Reef, and Menliinick Reef, a great many claims are crushing payable stone. These are all at Tarnagulla.

At Moliagul, Queen's Reef, Bulldog Reef, and Derby Reef are paying exceedingly well, the prospecting claim on the first named yielding over two ounces per ton regularly.

At Dunolly, the Arvon Reef and Bealiba' Reef are of most note, the former yielding over an ounce per ton, regularly, in'sevcral claims, the latt!lr yieldipg steadily over an ounce and a half in the prospecting claim. '.

The reefs at Bet-bet and Burnt Creek are generally not paying much at present. I should have stated in connexion . with alluvial mining. that a prospeeting claim was taken up

early in December, near the Bet-bet Creek, about SOO'yards west pfthe· Dunolly and Mary borough road, and a small rush set in which gradually died away, but the prospectors continue to get gold, and three days ago got a nugget. of twenty ounces, so that It is probable a revival may take place here. ,

56

KORONG DIVISION.

Mr~ Jrw. 8. Robertson, Mining Swrveyor and'Registrar.

t,'

THE ,TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS'-..

Europeans •. I Total for the I Chine ••• I Division. RelllA1'klI.

---.. ~ _~ __ I

;

Alluvial Miners ... .. . 1,100 500 1,600 , I .• Quartz Miners ... ... 1,100 . .. 1,100

.

Totals ... 2,200 500 1- 2,700'- -..

THE'TOTAL NUMBER o~ ·MINERS

New Inglewood IS THUS DISTRIBUTED;-

Old Inglewood Korong Jericho Kingower McIntyre's Sinnott's Bourke's Flat .. , ... Loddon and Kingarra ;" Caledonian Flat ...

Total

l,4110 20

500 60

240 20 10 80

300 70

2,700

THE MACffiNERY IS AS FOLLOWS;-

ALLUVIAL MINING. I QUARTZ :MINniG.

Description of :ltIachin"'l'. ._- --~---I---·-·-·~

I Number

. / ~

H:'~;~~ of I At Work. At Work, Idle, Steam Engines,

Idle. ! of Stamp Aggregate

Horse-power of . Heads. Steam Engines.

------Steam Engines employed pumping ... ... . .. 3 3· ... I 90

Steam Engines employed crushing ... .. , . .. 10, .147 I

5 210

Whims ... . .. . .. 1 . .. ... 20 5 . .. ... Whips ... ... ... ... .. . ... I 22 3 . .. ... PUddli'ng Machines ... . .. 70 25 ... I ... ... . .. . ..

I

* In COUl'll<l of erectwu,

Total value of mining plant in the division, £28,500. Number of square miles of alluvial ground which i~ being, or may, have been, actually worked

upon, 30.. ., Number of distinct quartz reefs whioh have been aotually proved to be auriferous to the present

time,I411. • The price of gold during the quarter in the division hU8 been £3 17~. 6d .. (alluvial), £3 18s. 6d.

(amalgated), per oz.

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ

CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED JllEREJJ:ROM.

I Where Quartz was Average I Total Yield of Remarks relative to tbe

Name of Company. obtained. Quartz crushed. Yield of Gold Gold. Deptli at' wbieh, tb. per Ton. Quartz was obtained.

-.~-~--~-.--- --~-.--.-~----- -.--.---~~--

tou em. qr. oz, dwt, gr. oz. dwt. gr.

Prince Albert Crushing ... ... 957 0 0 o Il 20f~ 548 0 0 . Machine ,

Victoria Company do. ... ... 680 0 0 0 9 9" 320 0 0 17 Duke of Cornwall do. ... ... 720 0 0 0 7 6* 262 0, 0 Lady Darling do. ... ... ... 1,156 0 0 0 8 22 t 5t6 0 0 Sutton's do. ". ... ... ... 200 0 0 tIl 0 310 0 0 March Reef do. ... ... ... 1,050 0 0 010 16 560 0 n Granite Reef do. ... ... .. . 1,200 0 0 012 16 760 0 0 Union Reef do. '" ... ... 630 0 0 0 61gb 215 0 0 Lane's Reef do. ... ... .. . 232 0 0 010 6g 119 0 0 Incidental Crushing ... ... .. . 300 0 .0 o 10 0 150 0 0

---~.-~ - .. --- '~'-.-.~.~-~ I Totals to. 7,125 0 0 0 10 14~ 3,780 0 O!

"

-

57

The quarter has, in this district, been unusually dull, both as regards alluvial and quartz mining. , Several crushing machines hav~ been sold and removed to other gold-fields, in consequence of not finding sufficient employment. This I attribnte, in a great measure, to the expensive mode by which the stone is raised from the mines, viz., by hand labor only, by which process quartz, which in other districts would prove highly remunerative, here, does not give the miner ordinary wages.

Like other gold fields, in former times, the miners of this district have been very loath to allow capital to step in and share with them. Latterly, however, several com,Panies have been formed, which, whilst allowing the original shareholders (i.e. claimholders), their faIr proportion will, by the assistance of efficient steam machinery (which otherwiee could not be obtained), prove that the quartz reefs in this division, if properly worked, will gil'e highly satisfactory returns.

'1'he Deep Lead, formerly known as Daly's Lead, to the south-east of the township of Inglewood, and which has been totally abandoned for nearly three years, is also about to be worked, for which purpose powerful steam pumping machinery will be erected.

From the indications which this ground gave shortly before it was abandoned (and it was abandoned solely on account of the men not being able to overcomc the water by hand and horse labor), I am of opinion that a lead of gold will be found to exist. Should my surmise prove correct, the prospects of mining in this district will be materially altered for the better.

The average yield of gold from the quartz reefs has been something more than half an ounee to the ton; this result has, however, been brought about by a few extra good crushings. < The prospectors of the Bocco Flat Reef having obtained over 195 ozs. of gold from about 18 cwt. of quartz, have ~ince crushed several tons yielding from 5 to 7 ozs. to the ton.

The March lleef has yielded ozs. to the ton; and the Granite Company have averaged very nearly that in their few last crushings.

In alluvial mining very little has been done in the division; the Old Inglewood has been entirely abandoned, having proved to be unremunerative with the present mode of working.

A good deal of ground (surface), which contains a eemeut of from one to four feet in thickness, has lately becn taken up. in consequence of the Surface Hill Company having obtained an average of over 7 dwts. to the ton from their claim within the last week. This class of mining was entirely abandoned four and five years ago, when crushillg cost 203. per ton, and cartage 48. to 5s. per load. The difference of the price now, and that then, gives the miner a'very handsome return for his labor.

Kingower has not pI'oduced this quarter any of those surface nuggets which I have generally to report, nor have the quartz reefs in that locality yielded sat,isfaetory results.

The German B,eef is the only one at Jericho which is at present paying. No alluvial mining is going on at all, nor has there been any during the quarter.

The Bourke's Flat Reef has YIelded, on the average, nearly 2 ozs. to the ton of quart.z; but as the company have not yet erected their own machinery, and have to cart their stone five miles, into Jericho, to be crushed, their returns are not so satisfactory as might be cxpected from thc yield.

At Sinnott's, a prospector ill the alluvium discovered some very good gold about a month ago, which it was expected was the commencement of "run," but. it did not cxtend beyond one claim, and ill:lllY who went there returned disappointed.

Korong, which until the discovery of thc Bocco Reef was almost at a stand-still with regard to quartz mining, has received an impetus from that find; and the result is, that a great many prospecting parties have commenced operations. Several alluvial claims (surfacing) have been lately takcn up, and arc being steadily Iyorked.

The Chinese in this place still continue their mining operations with their usual perseverance, and from the amount ,of gold I am informed they dispose of, tlteir,industly is weU rewarded.

The reservoir at Korong is entirely empty, and has been so for months. <

On the 10th December, 1864, Mr. Mining Surveyor Robertson forwarded a rcport to the Honorable the Ministet, of ~:1i.nes, stating that a quartz reef had been struck at Bocco Flat, two miles north of Wedderburn Camp, within six feet of the surface. The prospectors had been working an alluvial claim. 'The width of the reef was undefined, only the eastern wall and abouti 18 inches of quartz having bcen removed for about 9 feet along the course, in all 18 cwt. The yield of this 18 oWl.. was 195 ozs. 7 dwts. The largest lump of solid gold found in the stone was 80zs. 9 d wts. The bearing of,the quartz, as far as it was worked, was N. go 55' W.

_.

HEDBANK AND ST. ARNAllD SOUTH SUBDIVISIONS.

!tlr. William Byrne, Mining S1trveyo1' and Registrar.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

! Europeans. Ohinese. Total for the lWmarkll. Subdivisions.

I ---~."-~.-

... \

-< .. --~"------------

Alluvial Miners ... 680 20 700

Quartz Miners ... ... 21>0 ... 250

TotalB ... 930 20 950

--THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTltIBUTED:-

Redbank Hines ... Donkey Hill .. , Moonambel ... Emerald Flat Victoria, and adjoining gullies

No. 32, g.

250 Forest Hut ... 30 Stuart Mill , , , 40 Darling :Elat 60 30

120 'rotal

40 80

300

950

58

THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

. ALLUVIAL MnuNG. QUA.ll.TZ MnuNG. , ': '

F

Description of Machiner,y.

; ~ A,ggr"~~te Aggregate Number At Work. Idle. Horse·power of At Work. Idle: of Stamp

i li+: ~,,;;,::;:..~' Steam EDgines. Beads,

i· .. ··-···_··

Puddling Machines .,. . .. to 6 ... . .. .. . . .. ... Whims

, 1 ... . .. ... .. . . .. ... ,3 ... . ..

Steam Engines, employed in pump" ing and crushing

... I 10 2 1 26 49

Tot. .. l value 'of mining plant in the Bubdivisions, £950 .. Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked

upon,6. N umber of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present

time, 23. The price of. gold during the quarter, in the subdiv~sions, has been from £3 178, 6d. to

£3 18s. 6d. per oz.

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFRoni.

, I AVe1'afJe Remarks relative to the Name of Company. Where Qunrtz was Qunrtz crushed. Yield of old Total Yield of Depth n.t which tho obtained. per Ton. of Gold. Quart~ was obtained.

--ton ewt. qr. IOZ. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr.

Stuart Mill Crushing Eureka Reef ... 90 0 0 o 16 32 72 14 0 Company

~

Ditto ... . .. Oxonian Reef ." 297 0 0 o 12 9 183 15 0 McDonald's Machine, Eureka Reef ... 95 0 0 011 0 52 5 0

Stuart Mill Ditto ... ... Lancashire Reef . .. 35 0 0 0 9 0 15 15 0

Totals ... -517 ~I o 12 13tl 324 9 01

There is nothing of importance to report upon in this division this quarter. Work on the Pyrenees Reef is suspended, awaiting the ereetion of pumping machinery. Darling Flat still continues to yield remunerative wages. .

ST. ARNAUD NORTH SUBDIVISION.

Mr. John Phillips, Mining 8uT1.Ieyor and Registrar.

THE TOTAL NUMIlER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

Europeans.

Alluvial Miners . ,. ... 515

Quartz Miners ... ... 122

Totals ... 63i

TBE TOTAL NUMIJER

$crub Rush Silver Reefs ... Suwpit Gully Freyberg ... Master's Reef Sanderske's, Reef Chrysolite Hill Bristol Reef ... Schewring's Reef Gap Gully ... Armenian Gully New Bendigo Wagner's Hill (Mogg's) Peevor's Flat (Mogg's) Douglas lIill Frenchman's

I .

Chin...,. Total for the Subdivision.

74 ,589

... 122

74 711

OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:-

40 : Bell's Hill, Cara~ooree 30 Forty.feet Peter s ... 8 Butcher's Engine ...

15 Wier's Hill .. . 2 Brigg's Hill ... ... 4. Greenock and Pioneer reefs

21 Spinster and Sailor's reefs 8 Peter's ... ... '

10 Dogbury 40 Emu

4. Rostron's 80 Salter's Hill ... 3, Banshee 6 3 Total 8

Remarkll.

12 14 7 8 8

17 4

304 19 4 8

12 12

-'-' . 711

59

THE M.A.ClIlNEBY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

I ALLUVIAL MINING. QUA.RTZ Mn'ING.

Description of Ma.ehiner:r. I I , Number Aggregate

At Work. I Ag~ ... gate Number I ,I Idle. Horse,power of of Sta.mp At Work. Idle. of Stamp Horse-power of

Steam Engines. Heads, Heads. Steam h'ngill.B.

-.---.~.~. ---1-- I--'~'

Steam Engines ... ... 2 ... 23 14 5 4 84 177 Steam Pulverjzer (Balfour's! ... ... ... .. . ... 1 = 8 ... Appleton's Stone-breaker .. : ... '" .. , ... ... 1 ... ... Whims ... ... ... ... .. . ... 10 4 ... ... Chilian :Mills ... ... . .. ... ... ... 4 I ... ... Puddling Machines (horse) 5 10 '" ... '" '" ... ... Sluices ... ... ~ , ... ... 4 .. , ... ... ... ... ...

I

Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, £29,700. Water-races, dams, &c., £1,092. Number of square miles of alluvjal ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked

upon,16. ' Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present

time, 45. The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision has been from £3168. to £4 Is. per oz.

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTA'INED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ TAILINGS AND CEMENT CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM.

Where Qua.rtz, 8i:c., were Yi~J~:t~ld Total Yield of Remarks relative to the Na.me of Company. Qua.rtz crushed. Depth at which the obtained. per TOll . Gold. Quartz was obtained.

. -~,.--

ton cwt. qr. 0'. dwt. gr. oz. 'dwt. gr. Silver Mining Associa- Bristol Reef '" 451 0 0 010 0 225 10 0 20 to 120 feet

tion Sil vcr Minin; Assoeia- Sebastopol Reef ... 400 0 0 0 8 0 160 0 0 50 to 100 feet

tion Freyberg ... ... Clark's Reef , ... 273 10 0 o 14: 23~ 204 18 0 100 to 150 feet Butcher's and Company Sundry claims ... 364 11 0 o 13 18~ 250 18 6 50 to 200 feet

Crushing ,Greenock and Sail- 0

1

50 to 150 feet Stuart Mill Crushing. 85 0 2 422¥, 191 0 0 Company or's reefs

Pioneer Reef ... 5 0 0: 011 0 2 15 0 Near surface Cprysolite Company ... Chrysoli te claim '" 37 0 0 1 2 23 42 9 0 170 feet

----------- ------Quartz Tailings and Totals, Quartz 1,616 1 0 o 13 8 1,077 10 6

Cement crushed. ------ ---------Eddleston and Co. ... Middle Creek. ce- 845 0 0 0 4 12 190 2 12

men t hill caps Williams' Engine ... Peter's Hill, caps of 676 0 0 o 10 12 354 18 0

cement Totals, Quartz and}

Cement 1,521 0 0 0 7 4 545 o 12

silver. The Silver Mining 'Association have crushed 769 tons, yielding 3,690 Oz. of mixed metal, gold and'

At Mogg's diggings the number of miners is small, in consequence of better things turning up . . The Gap rush has been worked steadily and has given most of the workers above par of wages. Last winter's lack of rain has been much against the miner. There is the scrub rush east of the township about five miles, although not a new discovery,

which hash.een lately attractive, a~out half-a-qozen claims now ~i:v~ng coarse an~ payable gold: . The last-named IS only one of many thmgs of the kmd all over the dIVISIOn, namely, limIted patches of gold at the bottom of cemented ancient sea boulders.

It is generally asserted here that this part of the country had not the usual quantity of winter's rain, and the consequent disappointment in this neighborhood is severe, many having left for other en terprises.

Darling Flat is extending north·west, the last elaim being registered as in my division. If the miners had a few acres of land each, and homes 'for improvement, to occupy them during the dry por~ions of the year, there is no saying for how many years to come the slopes of the Pyrenees would continue to supply gold advantageously.

There is a mode of sluicing by machine pumping, applicable hereabout in many parts during the flowing of the brooks.

The cement hills are dispersed far and wide from the one little crusher of six heads at Peter's, and I verily think there is quite as much need of others as this one, for where carting costs so much, these cement beds cannot be touched. .

On the 11th October, 1864, Mr. Milling Surveyor Phillips forwarded 11 report to the Honorable the Minister of Mines, stating that since the more attractive rush near St. Arnaud had been fairly gold­giving, the previous one at lVlogg's Flat had been forsaken by all those failing of paying gold, and even by Bome who would have been satisfied with their yield.

'file surveyor continued as follows :-" I think there is the reverse of retrogression in alluvial mining emanating from New Bendigo as a centre. Tlie low hills are now being examined by miners

60

lately attracted to this division, and it may _be anticipated that the northern and western slopes of the Pyrenees, as well as those south and cast of St, Arnaud, will shortly become dotted around with mining operations.

The Chinese occupy the whole of ono hill in New Bendigo. They have been of late making from lOs. to 208. or more per day there, puddling the mass 10 or 12 feet deep, and taking all before them. This is not a new thing, for they have been at this work for a year or two, and others before them; their yields having lately improved." In connection with thc above official notice of these cement· capped hills, dispersed hereabout over some 400 square miles, I feel it needful to add the following notes :-

1. There is no spare ground on the hill with these Chinese. 2. That there are hills of similar surface appearances near it, of which some have to be tried,

and others are being tried, ' 3. The following are registered discoveries, the latest I have made :-At Dogbury, t oz. to the

load; at Sheoak, 8 dwt., another 6 dwt.; at Carapooree Banks, 5~ dwt., another 1 oz.; Fyfe's Hill, S dwt.; Mogg's Flat rush, ~!oz.; Cochran's Hill (near it), 5 dwt.; 'Wanger's Hill (near it), 6 dwl.; besides these there are other discoveries, which will probably soon be registered.

, There is a company of four miners at Gyer's Hill, who have lately attacked one of tbese tertiary beds in a spirited and exemplary way, constructing dam, tramway, and balaneing.trucks, showing how'­that such small forces could, in four weeks at ID')st, subjugate iuto working m'der many similar hills ill this divison. All that these men now want is the use of'the reservoir, without which they will ha\'e to remain idle during the coming summer.

There are many such cement hills near creeks workable on a similar plan, by the aid of gravita. tion. It is hard to presume on what the silver miners' future will be from the late disappointing results, but at present they ltre doing very fairly well.' I feel a little persuaded in my own mind that silver will prove to be the lasting and mam characteristic of this set of veins. I belle,e eight men in a month have turned out 1700 oz. of mixed metal, silver and gold. '

JJASTLEMAINE MINING DISTRICT.

-~

Alluvial Miners Quartz Miners

,

Golden Point Forest .Creek Sai).or's Gully Little Bendigo Castlemaine Moonlight Flat

CASTLEMAINE DIVISION •

..1111,.. T. L. Brown, MWLing Surveyor' and Registrar.

THE ToTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

I

Europeans. Chin_. Total for I the Division. I

.. _,-_ .. --- -.~- --~-----~. -------

... ... 1,126 1,486 2,612 I

... . ... ,46i ... 461

'I-~-' I

Total 1,593 ---3'O;9-~1 -' ...

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF 'MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:-

265 322 198 304 165 339

Barker's Creek Campbell's Creek Below Five Flags Guildfol'd

Total

THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS

Remarkll..

ALr.tlVIAL Mnmm. QUARTZ l\rnmm.

Description of Ma.ebinery.

233 687 364 202

3,079

.

I \ Aggregate '1: Number of I Aggregate--At Work. Idle. Horse-power of At Work. i Idle. Stamp IHOl'5&-power of

I steam Engllles I H oads. Steam Engine.,

--~ --1--1 --- ------I 1------Stea.m Engines Puddling Machines

Crushing Machines

I... ... I ~S 5, 334. 556

I '" I .1 I " ! 4 I I

o

61

Total value of mining plant in the division, £68,000. N umber of square miles of alluvial ground whioh is being, or may have been, actually worked

upon, 25. . Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present

time, 89. The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been from £3 15s. to £3 178. per oz.

THIl FOLLOWING INFORMA.TION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND

QCAUTZ TA1LINGS AND CEMENT CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED

THEREFROM.

Name of Compan,y.

- "-,--,.- --

McIntosh and Company Tullock and Company nohcrtson and others ... ]"airbairn ... ... Walker oRnd Company Lloyd ... ... Terrell Brothers . " Walker and Company Small and others ... Lovell and others ... TJogan and ( ·ompany ... Russell and others ... McWattur's ... ... 8almon and Company Lewis and Company ... B. .Tones and Company Bowan and others ... Ajax Company ... Bannister and Company Plane and othel's ... Nuggety Company Moore and Company ... North and Company ... Roberts and Holge .. , Harris amI Company ... Trembath ... .Lewis and Compaq.y .. , 8treade and Company ~ymes and Company ... Streade and ·Company Schell and Company ... Jon.es and ComplJollY ... Smith and others Hawkins and Company Jj'oster and Company .. . Powell and Company .. . Hall and others Vincent

Quartz Tailings and Cement crushed.

Hayes 'l'regonning ... Williams and others .. , l'otter and others

"'Where Quartz, &c., ware obtained.

--

Vineyard Reef ... Ditto ... ." Ditto ... .. . Wattle Gully ... Ditto ... ... Vitto ... ... Vitto ... ... :Mauchester Heei' ... Hard Hill ... Pos t Office Hilll~eef Argus Hill ... Ditto ... ... Burn's Heef . .. Ditto ... ... Nimrod Heef ... Ditto ... ... Ditto '" ," . Boli ria Reef ... Ditto ... ... Ditto ... .. . Nuggety Heef I

Ditto ... . .. Ditto ... ... ... ... .. . Eureka Reef ... Ditto ... .. . Sebastopol Reef ... Ditto ... ... Cl'anky Ned's Reef Welcome Heef ... Fiddler's Reef ... Ditto ... ... , Sbeepshead Reef '" South American Ditto Chew ton Reef Various reefs Eureka Reef

Totals, Quartz , l)onkey Gully Blan ket Hill Mon tgomery Hill ... Ilarker's Creek

Totals, Quartz Tail- } i ings and Cement

Quartz crushed.

ton cwt. qr.

146 0 0 227 0 0 139 0 0 320 0 0 295 0 0 660 0 0

56 0 0 135 0 0

56 O. 0 315 0 0 202 0 0

97 0 0 193 0 0 113 0 0 289 0 0 230 0 0 461 0 0

6,431 0 0 316 0 0 116 0 0 822 0 0 267 0 0 240 0 0

80 0 0 3S3 0 0 764 0 0 542 0 0 496 0 0

79 0 0 115 0 0

20 0 0 28 0 0

153 0 0 230 0 0

85 0 0 102 (j 0 98 0 0

4,000 0 0 ------19,301 0 0

1,200 () 0 510 0 0 118 0 0 402 0 0

2,230 0 0

Yi.;i,l';;t~~ld parTon.

- ... ~-~

I

oz. dwt. gr.

I 8 14~ 0 18 S·tf 0 9 9t 0 5 5g 0 7 17* 0 3 0" II 0 14 18 0 4 4* 0 7 a~ 0 4 lO~ 0 II 18t 0 4 181& 0 8 217ij

2 3 13 I o 211 I 0 14~ 0 10 6ir 0 3 12 0 4 151\ 0 'i 14¥1 0 4 15i 0 14 9~ 0 18 5* 0 12 lSi 0 6 o~ 0 5 ,}j,

-2 0 10 8l 0 5 9~ 0 8 4~ 0 9 8+1 7 15 0 0 i I ~¥ o 4 ofl o 9 8~

o 3 0" 1

1 9 o 7 ·0 I

0 5

0 14 0 2 0 0 4 9ti 0 2 18,

~---~~--

0 2

Totll Yield RelllJl.l"ks relative to th e e of Gold.

Oz. dwt. gr.

208 IS 5 2uo' 2 0

65 4 18 83 12 0

114 2 0 100 3 0 41 6 0 28 4 12 19 19 6 70 ~ 12

liS 14 12 23 I 0 7S 6 0

246 0 0 301 16 14 236 18 0 236 7 0

1,125 18 6 73 8 1I H 4 0

190 17 12 192 5 12 218 12 0

50 10 19 115 r, 2 195 0 0 280 5 0 133 16 18 32 7 12 .'i3 '14 0,

155 0 0 10 18 0 30 16 0

107 13 0 12 15 2

152 19 3 38 4 12

336 0 0

5,729 7 20

95 0 o I 51 0 0 26 0 12 5.~ 11 G

- ... --'-~

227 11 18

Depth at which th Quartz waaobtained, &:0

0

Surface to 200 fee Ditto 80 feet 120 to 170 feet Ditto Ditto Ditto 200 feet deep 70 feet deep 35 to 40 feet Ditto 25 to 30 Ditto New claim Ditto 30 to 50 Surface to 20 feet

30 to 40 Ditto to 300 f~et. 12

months' returns

My present report shows a considerable diminution in number of European alluvial miners, some having gone to the deep leads of Taradale, but the greater number are only temporarily absent, owning farms, or having engaged themselves for the harvesting season. Many make gold mining and agrieultm'e ~ubsidiary pursuits. .

There have not been any sluicing operations during the quarter, and puddling anu tomming have been impeded through want of water,-but quartz mining has been sufficiently prosperous to cause an addition to the number of quartz miners and to machinery,

The Fiddler's Reef is the scene of eonsiderable excitement, 19 tons having yielded 130 ozs. of gold, the whole line is taken up. In Barker's Creek the Cranky Ned's Iteef has been taken up by a registered company, having a capital of £2,000, with which to develope its auriferous treasures. 'rhe two steam crushing machines, lately erected in Launceston Flat, arc employed upon quartz and cement from the neighbourhood, and the Specimen Gully .Mille is likely again to be let on tribute. There have been several extended claims taken up for cement working, some of which have yielded prospects of from 5 to 11 dwts. of gold per ton. . .

In Forest Creek many of the reefs continue to pay well; of these the Vineyard, Nimrod, Burns, Sailors', and Cbewtoll Reefs are the best. The Whitehorse, 01' Reservoir Reef. has been transfen'ed to some industrious men, who, backed by capitalists, are abou t erecting efficient machinery thereon.

But the most important feature in mining operations, in this division, is the great interest takel1 by the commercial comlliunity, and the amount of energy displayed in taking up and making preparations

62

for working the deep leads, believed to exist from Walmer, through the i\'1:ucldeford Valley, and under the basaltic lands known as Loddon Plains, parishes of Guildford and S,trangways, to, and connecting with the deep leads being worked at Guildford, Loddon Valley, and Vaughan.

The first company, called the Rising Sun, have 120 chains in length of the upper or north end of the Muckleford Valley, near the Walmer reserve, they have made a commencement by boring, the indications giving every promise of success, to a depth of seventy-three feet, the strata are watcrworn quartz stones and gravel mixed with clay, which changed to clay and sandstone, ann at 110 ·feet deep to shingly drift, with a great quantity of water. . •

. Going down the valley about six miles is the Muckleford Racecourse,to prospect which Baker and Co. have made application; adjoining it, south, are 106 acres of Crown lands, now held, and about being prospected, by Messrs. Gregg and Co. :h'roni thence to Guildford is nearly all private property, which is being leased and taken up for mining purposes. Of the numerous companies projected, are the Ballarat Company, who have leased 200 acres belonging to Messrs. Monks and Co., to pay a weekly rental, and 6 per cent. of the gold obtained. Gelienier and Co. (Italians) who have leased allotment 4, section 6, have a tunnel driven 700 feet, yielding excellent prospects. The next

. allotm.ent, No.5, the Castlemaine,Deep Lead Gold Mining Company, have leased, at a rental of £5 per annum, and one-twelfth of the gold obtained, they have a capital of £3,000, in 120 shares of £25 each, area of claim-174a. 3r. 4p. On the next allotment" No; 6, about 200 acres, the Pioneer Company have been prospecting for nearly twelve months, but have not been able to combat the water; they have now purchased, and are about erecting, efficient machinery.

East of these allotments are Nos. 1 to 6, section 11, 413t acres, taken up by Messrs. Fanell, Mackay, and Co.; adjoining again 92 acres are leased by Mr. Aberdeen to a company from Ballarat,

, Clunes, and Daylesford, and hundreds of acres of adjacent lands are being occupied by eager and expectant companies from different parts of the colony, many of whom purpose commencing work immediately. Nearly the whole of the lands are private property, but I shall frequently' visit and inspect their operations, and report thereon, as the work proceeds.

• FRYER'S CREEK SUBDIVISioN .

Mr. R. L. M. Kitto, Mining Su?'veyor and Regi8t~ar.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

! Europeans. Chinese. Total for the Remarks. Subdivision.

• Alluvial Miners ... ... 1,527 1,551 3,078 There is a considerable decrease in

Quartz Miners ... ... ... 154 ... 154 the Chinese mining population ----... -

Totals ... 1,681 1,551 3,232 .

TOTAL NUMBER of MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:-

Specimen Hill; and vicinity Blaeksmith's Gully ... Spring Gully Church's Flat Belle Vuo ...

, Murdering Flat Fryerstown .... I

German and Mopoke gullies StrathloddOD n,nd Gllildford ,~~ New Year's Flat and Bald Hill Loddon Va:lley

64 'l'arilta and Shicer gullies 28 Vaughan, &c. • ••

149 Glenluce 85 Hard Hills 67 Sailor's Gully and Middleton's 91 Pickpocket and Loddon

286 Holcombe, and other hills 136 Rae's Hill ... 253 Upper Loddon 218 342 Total

THE MACHINERY IS 'AS FOLLOWS;-

ALLlJVIAL MINING. QE'Al1TZ lIf.t."'lNG.

Description of Ma.chinery. I Number Aggregate Number At Work. Idle. of Steml' r~~:-~~~e~: At Work. Idle. of St:>mp

Heads. Heads. ~-.-- --- - ---

Steam Engines, washing, crushing cement, and pumping ... ... 7 1 50 138 ... ... . ..

Horse Puddling Machines , 183 49 . ,. ... ... ... ... Whims ... ... ... 5' 2 ... . .. ... . .. . .. Whips ... . .. ... 22 4 . .. . .. ... . .. . .. Horse Pumps ... ... 70 5 ... ... ... . .. ... Sluices and Toms ... 100 11 ... . .. ... ... ... Water Wheels ... ... 6 1 ... . .. . .. ... ... Steam Engines ... ... , '" '" ... ... . 5 I 42 Whims ... ... ... ... ... ... . ~. ~ ... 2 . .. Whips ... . .. ... '" ... . .. 14 6 . ..

236 407 165 111 69

368 104

• 19 34

3,232

Aggregate Horse-power of Steam EngWel!.

. .. '" . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. 84 .. . . ..

63

Total value of minil).g plant in the subdivision, £45,200.

Number of square miles'ofalluvial ground which is being, or may h~ve been, actually worked upon, 19i. ' ,

time, Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been aetually p~oved to be auriferous to the present 25. " , "

The price of gold during the quarter in the, subdivision has been from £3 15s. to £3 18s. per oz.

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED R}lLATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AlID

QUARTZ TAILINGS AND CEMENT CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED , THEREFRO}{.

I Where Qu~r:tz, &c., were I Quartz crushed. Avera~ Total Yield of Remarks relative to the Name of Company. Yield or ld Gold. Depth a.t which the

i obtamed. I. porTon. Quartz was obtained, &C, ----- _._.- ----~-- .,~-,--

ton cwt. qr. Oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt, gr.

Ferron's Company ... Ferron's Reef 353 0 0 0 5 0 88 5 0 Various depths C. Matthews Heron's Reef

. . 172 0 0 0 8 0 68 16 0 70 feet ... ...

Jacob Little ... ... 'Ditto ... . .. 20 0 0 011 0 11 0 0 65 feet William Eddy ... Ferron's Reef ... 66 0 0 0 7 0 23 2 0 75 feet Richard Stoneman ... Cattle's Heef ... 55 0 0 0 8 0 22 0 0 43 feet Rowe Brothers ... Clark's Reef ... 100 0 0 0 5 0 25 0 0 60 feet

" ... Cattle's Reef ... 150 0 0 '0 10 0 i5 0 0 100 feet ... Ferron's Reef ... 30 0 0 0 5' 0 7 10 0 Various depths " , Hand of Ifriendship Co. Emu Reef ... 'SOO 0 0 0 2 12 100 0 0 Dittil Miller and Company ... Prince of Wales 40 0 0 0 5 0 10 0 0 70 feet

(North) Morrison and Company Two-foot Gully ... 30 0 0 o 12 0 18 0 0 37 feet 'V. Rowlands ... Bristol Reef ... 35 O . 0 2 1 3~ 72 0 0 75 feet Meyers and Company Bullock's Heef '" 360 0 0 010 0 180 0 0 140 feet Baker and Company ... Ditto ... ... 110 0 0 1 3 0 126 10 0 120 feet Hill and Company ... Cemetery Reef '" 18 0 0 0 4 0 3 12 0 20 feet Williams and Company Gobbler's Reef ... 11 0 0 o 12 0 6 12 0 Various depths Cattle and Company ... Cattle's Reef ... 200 0 o i 0 5 0 50 0 0 30 feet

Quartz Tailings afld Cement crushed.

Totals, Quartz ... 2,550 0 0 0 6 23:1. 887 7 0

Perseverance Company Vaughan 1,200 0 0 010 0 600 0 0 Cement Odgers and Company Tarilta ... 307 0 0 0 5 3~ 79 0 0 Cement Table Hill Company ... Table Hill ... 1,950 0 0 0 2 4~ 213 2 12 Cement ::lir H. BarkJy Company Strathloddon ... 910 0 0 1 2 12 1,023 15 0 Cement Jenkins Company ... ' Taril~a ... ... 1,300 0 0 0 6 0 390 0 0 Cement

Totals, Quartz Tail- } ings and Cement 5,667 0 0 1 0 8 3*12,305 17 12

I

The total number of miners in my division is very nearly the same as at the end of the year 1863, there being a decrease of 128. The Chinese population has decreased to the extent of 350. The number Ofl European miners is slightly in excess of last year's returns. Of quartz miners, there is a decrease of six on last year's returns, the numbers being 160 and 154 respectively.

The yieh~ of gold from quartz 'is slightly in excess of that in my return, as one or two parties decline giving information to anyone.

Quartz Mining.-I had anticipated being able to report much more' favorably of the quartz mines of my division than I am. The machinery of the Eldorado Mine, Specimen Hill, is removed to Ingle­wood. The removal entails a loss of crushing power to this place of equal to·6Q h01'ses. The machinery of the Alexandra Company, Blacksmith's Gully, has been sold to a p3rty who intend working the White Horse Reef, Forest Creek. The Blacksmith, or Alexandra Company, scareely had their machinery in position before dissensions arose in the party, and the consequence is a valuable plant has to be removed without'-Iiaving done a good week's work. The Hand of Friendship Company have been engaged up to the. present time in crushing headings and other debris lying about the mine; as also in sinking a new ,engine shaft, on which they are placing a new whim, for the purpose of obtaining supplies of quartz from the deeper parts of the mine. Cattle and Co. have their machinery in working order on the new site near the mine; they ohtain yields that give them a fair income per man. The yields from the Duke of Cornwall mine, adjoining Cattle, are improving; the last quartz they crushed averaged eight (8) dwts. to the ton; this, from a reef of five feet in thickness, is a good yield. Rowe Brothers continue to do well. Roland and Co., of the Bristol Reef, Specimen Hill, are making good wages, as also are Meyer and Co., and Baker and Co., on Bullock Reef.

In alluvial mining there is little new to report. The leads, .supposed to follow approximately the course of the Loddon, have not ye~ been fully developed, although gold has been found in one or two places. Smith and Co., working on Kitto's Hill, are obtaining fair yields. None of the claims arc up to the present time fairly bottomed in the deep ground. '

Cement mining is becoming an important branch of industry in this division. The yields from the Sir H. Barkly claim, and those aroun~ it, are sufficient evidence of this.

The puddlers continue to make fail' wages, but the sluiccrs, principally Chinese, are not doing much.

64

I find that the amount of gold produced, gives the miners an average of about £69 per annum per man. SOQle t,hree hundred of those in this division make only a very precarious living-they make barely enough to keep them alive-these consist of old andintirm men. As a whole the mining population of this division is a steady, sober, and industrious class. As a rule they are very anxious to get homesteads around them. Not a miner, that I am aware of, in this part of the country, is living in a tent of the old style, except he belongs to'the family of hatters. Scarcely a hut or house is to be seen in the many gullies of this locality but has a neat, and sometimes extensive, and highly cultivated garden around it. Most of the miners grow their own vegetables, while,many have fruit in abundance. ' .

Great numbers ~re only engag~d a 'part of their time in mining, the remainder being spent in gardening and otherwise cultivating the soil, thereby supplementing the income beforementioned as the average of that obtained by them as miners.

- HEPBURN DIVISION.

JYIr. Ambtose Johnson, Mining Surveyor and Registrar.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

Europeans~ ChiueSe. Total for the Division.

---------'---:---- -,~,-~,--~ --,---1--------Alluvial Miners Quartz Miners

Totals

TIlE TOTAl, N mtDER

Pickpocket .. ' Forty-foot .. . noots G nlly .. . Brandy-hot .. . Blind Creek." Deep Creek .. Stony Creek Wombat Creek Connell's Gully Dry Diggings Spring Creek Doctor's Gully ... Jim Crow and Sailor's Creek Daylesford and Glenlyon

840

840

O~' ~h:!IERS IS TIlDa DISTRIBUTED:-

Total

260 158 398 271 180 555 415 626 282 508 532 396 802 913

... 6,296

TIlE :n:1ACIIINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

5,586 710

6,296

ALLUVIAL MnlING. QUARTZ MINING. , Description of Jlf .... llincry.

Aggregate !

Number Aggrega,te ,Work., Idle. :~=~~~e~: At Work. Idle. of Stamp Hon;ew~rof

Head •• Steam 'ncs, ---

Steam Engines, employed in pump- 13 5 841 ... ... ... .. . jng. winding, puddling, &c.

Steam Engines, employed in pump· '" ... ... 26 5 285 530 , ing, winding, and driving stamp heads

Crushing Machines-water power ... ... .. . . .. 2 8 ... Whims ... ... ... 25 I 13 ... 26 7 ... .. . Horse Puddling Mills ... -.. 196 I 34 ... ... ... ... ! . ..

Total value of mining plant in the division, £67,184. Number of square miles of alluvjal ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked

npon, 80.' . . Number of distinct quartz reefs wliich have been actually proved to be auriferous to the

present time, 81. . The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been from £3 15s. to £3 l'1s. 3d. per oz.

65

~nE FOLLOWING INFORMATION lIAB BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO TIlE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ TAILINGS AND CEMENT CRUSIlED DURING TIlE QUARTER, AND TIlE GOLD OBTAINED

TIlEREFROM.

! I Yi.tJe.;r'S'oldl Total Yield of • l«>marks relati,. to tho

Name of Company. Where Quartz, &Co, were Quartz crushed. Depth at which the obtained. per Toil.: Gold. Quartz was obtained.

-"---~" ..

ton ewt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr. About 60 feet Specimen Hill Quartz Specimen Hill ... 577 0 0 I 10 0 865 10 0

Mining Company ,

Daylesford Quartz Min- Collier's Reef ... 870 0 0 0 II 0 478 10 0 ing Company

Nuggetty Reef 163 0 0 o 16 0 130 8 0 Nuggety Quartz Min· ... ing Company

Wombat Reef 1,800 0 0 o 15 0 1,350 0 0 New Cornish Quartz ... Mining Compauy

Ha velock Quartz Mining Wombat Reef ... 1,300 0 0 0 8 0 520 0 0

Company Crown Reef (pri vate 1,100 0 0 1 0 0 1,100 0 0 Cornish andYork Quartz

Mining Company , property) 0 0 10 0 300 0 0 Charles Wilson (for hire) Various reefs ... 600 0

Jenkins (fur hire) '" Various reefs ... 340 0 0 1 0 0 340 0 0 I William Tell Quartz Federal Heef ... 620 0 0 o 10 0 310 0 0 Miuing Company I ,

J. Robson and Company Vadous reefs ... 830 0 O· 011 0 I 456'10 OJ (for hire) I

Liberty Heef ·540 0 0 0 10 0 270 0 01 Unknown

Liberty Quartz Mining ... Company

Doctor's Reef 0 0 o 15 0 450 0 0\ Lucini and Company ... ... '600 Sir Chas. Darling Com- Various reefs ... 800 0 0 o 14 0

I 560 0 0

pany Union Reef 0 0 5 0 212 10 0 Imperatrice Eugenie ... 850 0

Compauy I Wonderful Quartz Min- Wonderful Reef ... 1,500 0 0 0 10 0 I i50 U 0

ing Company Dannevirke Quartz Adelaide Reef ... 4iO 0 0 2 0 0 940 0 0

Mining Company Sportsman's Reef ... o 15 0 420 0 Sportsman's Quartz 560 0 0

I

0 Mining Company

Christmas Reef 0 0 o 15 0 305 5 0 'Morrison and Co~pany .. , 407 Prince of Wales Quartz G lamorganshire Reef 740 0 0 0 6 0 222 0 o·

Mining Company Welshman's Heef ,., ! 0 I 0 10 0 81 10 o i Golden Eagle Quartz 163 0

i\1inin Corn an g p y Totals, Quartz ... 14,830 0 0 o 13 13~

Quartz Tailings and Cement cTWihed.

Old Cornish Company Township and W om-bat leads

3,000 0 0 0 9 0 1,350 0 0

Wilson Township and Wom- 220 0 0 0 5 0 55 0 0 bat leads

Jenkins Township and Worn· 1,000 0 0 010 0 500 0 0 bat leads

Morrison Hard Hill, Yandoit 3iO 0 0 I 0 0 370 0 0

Totals, Quartz Tail. } ings and Cement 4,590 0 0 '~~\2'275 0 0

In submitting my report for the last quarter, I am enabled to Btate that mining affairs continue in a healthy condition and that the progress of prospecting companies has not been retarded. In fact, on reviewing the past year, it is at once noticeable, that, in no one year since the discovery of gold in the

.division, has the progress been at all comparable.· 'While the yield. of gold shows a very high average throughout the year, in proportion to the population; twenty-five steam engines of an aggregate power equal to 532 horses and representing a capital of upwards of £25,000 have been added to our mechanical appliances, and in addition to our dividend· paying companies; nearly all the ground east of Daylesford, from the coast-range to Holcombe Station, both private and Crown lands, has been secured by well organized mining companies, mostly now in full operation, and although I am not aware that payable gold has as yet been discovered, yet the position of deep ground has in many instances' been ascertained, and the color of gold obtained in the bore, and the formation and general appearance of the country are such as fully to warrant the favorable opinion entertained by our mining community. Two of our pioneer companies have bottomed during the last quarter, and are now driving in search of the deep ground, and while their respective positions are such as to cause·the result of their operations to affect the state of the share market very materially, they are watched with considerable interest. Although the greatest attention has been directed to alluvial mining, more specially during the latter part of the year, still quartz minin~, as will be seen from the accompanying return, has been very successful, and from the splendid returns of the Specimen Reef, will probably soon obtain a large share of attention.

The Crown Claim, in Daylesford, and the Dannevirke Company on Adelaide Reef, are also making themselves very prominent, both for ste.1.diness and richness of yield, and even the Prince of Wales Company in Yandoit,'with an average yield of 6 dwts., and the Imperatrice Eugenie Company, on Union Reef, with 8 dwts., are clearing good dividends.

Sluicing operations have, during the latter part of the quarter, been almost entirely at a stand-still but putJ.dlers have generally, thanks to previous years experience, secured a sufficient supply of water t~

No, 32, Ii,

66

keep them lilmployed as yet. 'The general yield appears to,have been so far satisfactory, but -I ,have not heard of the dIscovery of any nuggets, and in' the absence of th~se, .even. if ordinary wages are made-still from the necessary sameness of the operations, and from the superior.,attractions of the ,deep sinking about Daylesford, the miners are very apt to get dissaFsp.ed, an.d ~ometimes sacrifice, thil .. safq,.fora .. more, promising but insecure; income. .

* * * " * '*' .* .*. * 1,* Tunnelling does not offer any thing of public interest, but is progressing much t.he same as usual.

This branch of mining is not so much affected by the scarcity of water as any other, because, as a rule, the tunnels from which the gutters are worked, produce water enough to feed a puddling machine, and the gravelly stuff is tl].erefore staeked till the following winter, only sufficient of the most clayey stuff being washed, from time to time, to keep the company going. Italian Hill, Fiery and Sebastopol Hills, I Elevated Plains, Book Yandoit, Shlcers, and Frenchman's Hills still continue pretty well occupied, and to all appearances the yield continues satisfactory.

'Deep alluvial sinking still continues the favorite branch of mining, and on the Township' Lead, the Union, Haphazard, and Wombat Companies are still clearing good dividends. The H;and-of-Friendship Company, after expending a ca.pital of £3000, hus been wound up and the machinery disposed of, and the same is the case with the Hope Company.

The Dannebrog Company have also expended some £3000, and have during the quarter been at a stand, but appear not to be at all downhearted, and will shortly resume operations. '1'he Red, White, and Blue Company; on private property, adjoining the last-named cO'mpany, have not been at work for a long time, and do not in fact appear to be in existence.

At Italian Hill the Royal Standard Company have suffered some delays, in consequence of the drive being too shallow' to test the deep ground, and shares have therefore suffered some depreciation in the market; but the company have now opened out at a lower level, and will probably, ere long, be into' the gutter. The Nelson Company are also in full operation, and in the northern part of Mr. Sunderla.nd's property, JV{r; W oolnough has ascertained the position of deep ground by boring, but whether this will prove to be the Italian Hill Lead, or a tributary, is as yet a matter of conjecture. The Florellce Nightingale Company have for some time been boring, and have commenced sinking; ~nd so have the adjoining Waterloo Company, but in the last case the quantity of water encountered has compelled the Company to suspend operations.

The Wombat Creek Extension Company have bottomed, and opened out at a depth of 260 feet, and if the result should be favorable, whieh there is every reason to expect, the consequences to the district call hardly be overrated. As far as may be judged from appearances, this would demonstrate the existence of a run of deep ground from the Dividing Range to the Comoora Company's ground, at Wallaby Creek; and the whole of that ground has alrea.dy been secured in anticipation and boring operations, and other preliminary works have been commenced. .

Another run of deep ground seems to commence froI)l the rangtl, near the same point, a.nd trend in a north-easterly direction towards the Glenlyon township reserve; and as far as surface indications will allow, that has also been taken up, and working commenced. ,

At Blanket Fbt the Extended Company have also bottomed, 'after nearly four years' incessant work; and although the deep ground has not yet been reached, still the formation of the ground is not such as to lead to the idea that the company will have very far to drive, but the operations are necessarily slow from the heavy influx of water.

At Brandy-hot the usual activity prevails; but some of the claims are nearly worked out, and parties are in most instances ohliged to stack their stuff until.next season, the Tandragee tunnel draining the deep ground. The Last Chance Company are waiting for machinery; the ground struck being considerably deeper than the tunnel referred to, and the water therefore not affected.

At Glengower only one compa.ny, the Interior, are at work, and this is only preliminary prospecting; but the company's prospects, so far, are very promising. At Yandoit deep sinking is also at present at a stand. '

In shallow alluvial workings no new ground has been opened; and although during summer the number of miners engaged is necessarily larger than in winter, still this branch of mining is of so very little importance at present as not to call for any remark.

TARADALE SUBDIVISION.

Mr. Thomas Turner, Mining' Surveyor and Registrar:

THE TOTA.L NUMBER OF MINERS IS A.S FOLLOWS:-'-

I Total for tho Europeans. Obinese. Subdivision. Remn.rks.

,

AUuvhil Miners ... ... 288 278 566 Quartz Miners ... ... 125 . ... 125

Totals ... 413 278 691 .0

67

T'HE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:-

Taradale (scattered)... 120 Star Lead ... . .. Park Lead... 96 Lauriston (scattered) :Bell's Lead... 53 Kangaroo Reef and Creek Scorpion Lead 41 Frenchm!Ul's Reef, &c. Ironstone Hill 10 :Belltopper, !Uld vicinity 11 Hanover Reef, and vicinity 71 Achilles and Alpha mines 15

Malmsbury. :Burra.a Iteef, &c. Orr's Reef ... Coli ban Reefs

12 42 13

On 5 reefs ... Barfold.

Oolib!Ul River, Metcalfe Ooliban River, Redesdalc

Total

THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

34 12 59 12

24 32 34

691

ALLUVIAL MINING. QUA.RTZ MnmIa •

Description of Machinery. I I Numoor Aggregate At Work. I . 1 !i!~~ Aggregate At Work. Idle. of Smnlp Horse~power of o Horee~power of

Heads. Steam Engines. Steam Engines.

'--~' ---Steam Engines, for crushing ... 1 '" ... 6 4 1 48 45 Ditto, crushing and pumping ... ... ... . .. 3 1 32 52 Ditto, puddling and pumping 4 ... '" 40 ... ... ... ... Water Mill for crushing ... ... 1 ... 6 ... . .. . .. . .. Horse Puddling Machines ... 10 3 ... ... . .. . .. '" ... Horse Whims and Whips ... 6 2 '" '" 2 ... ... ...

Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, £13,000. Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked

upon, 10. Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present

time; 22. The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision has been £3178. 3d. per oz.

THE FOLLOWIN,G INFORMATION HAS :BEEN OBUINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ A,l'iD

QUARTZ TAILINGS AND CE~IENT CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD ODTAINED THEREFRO!f.

I Yietd~Old

Remarks relative to Name of Oompany. ' Where Quartz. &c., were Quartz crushed. Total Yield of the Depth at which

obtained. per Ton. Gold. the Quartz was obtained, &c.

'---

Barfo/d. ton ewt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr.

Siddle and Company .•. Gibbins Reef ... ... 107 0 0 0 7 16 41 0 0 165 feet Ditto ... . .. Ditto ... ... 84 0 0 o ·7 &(i, 12 7 0 Ditto McBrittany and 00. ... Steed's Reef ... . .. 21 0 0 1 4 69 25 10 0 50 feet Rodk. Grey ... '" Grey's Reef ... . .. 30 15 0 0 5 IBlb 8 18 0 100 feet Leslie and Company ... Ditto, No.2 ... '" 27 10 0 o 11 19ir 16 5 0 150 feet

Malmshury. French and Company ... Burra-a Reef ... ... 81 10 0 0 8 12ilJ 34 15 0 230 feet

Lauriston. Pullen and Company ... Kent Reef ... '" 29 0 0 o 18 21! 27 8 0 20 feet Braithwait" !Uld Com- Jefferson's Reef ... 3 0 0 010 0 110 0 30 feet

pany Ditto ... ... Ditto ... . .. 12 0 0 o 11 16 7 0 0 , Ditto Ditto ... . .. Ditto ... . .. 74 0 0 o II 11 42 8 0 Ditto Reid and Company ... Ditto No.2 ... . .. 4 0 0 1 4 6 4' 17 0 Surface

Totals, Quartz '" 423 15 0 o 10 IIi 221 18 0 Quartz Tailings and ,

Cement Crushed. Lauriston. Loads.

Russell and Company Coliban Reef .... ... 300 0 0 0 4 0 60 0 0

Taradale. , Alpba Company ... Alpha. Mine ... .. . 30 0 0 0 2 0 3 0 0 Refuse stuff Ditto ... '" Ditto ... . .. 86 0 0 0 4 21~ 21 0 0 Ditto Ditto . ,. ... Ditto ... .. . 12 0 0 0 1 10 o 17 0 Ditto Drew and Company ... Park Tunnel ... . .. 410 0 1 17 lSi 8 10 0 Tailings Ditto ... ... Ditto ... . .. 20 10 0 0 6 19m 7 0 0 Ditto

4' lOt /100

. . Totals, Quartz. TailingS} and Cement 453 0 0 0 7 0

68

The general aspect of mining remains about the same as when I last reported, as regards results; but considerable enterprise is displayed about the deep sub-basaltic leads in this division; every likely spot is being appropriated bl some company or otner.

A claim of 50 mens ground (under miner's right), has been taken at Snowdon Hill, Kangaroo Creek; also a wide extent of private land at the Kangaroo Hill, in the same vicinity; another claim for 50 men, near the Frenchman's Reef, and 40 mens' ground, just :eorth of the township of Malmsbury; besides a wide extent of private gronnds near the Boundary Hotel, situate one and a-half mile north of Malmsbury.

At the Park Lead, Taradale, the same extent is \Jcing worked, and with the usual good results, and in one claim with a marked improvement, wherein late washings have averaged an ounce per load.

At the Talbot Hill Lead.-Bell and party (the prospectors) are getting as good returns as ever, averaging two ounces per lond.

A second party on this Jead has just struck the auriferous earth. The Scorpion Lead.-At the Old Scorpion Mine, which now goes under the name of the London

and Melbourne Company, the new proprietors are but making prepnrations for working the mine on a better system. They are excavating new and larger drives below; and nbove ground, are erectiug new and more powerful machinery. \

The Ballarat Compnny on this lead, have not yet struck the auriferous earth, or at least so as to work it, but arc persevering against many difficulties.

The Cambrian Company, who have beeu the last fOllr months sinking a shaft for the same lead, are still in the basaltic rock, at a depth of 130 feet.

The Hercynia Company, at. the old BelHopper Lead, Ironstone Hill, have not yet . reached the auriferous deposit. They have extended the tunnel now over 700 feet.

Star Lead, Lauriston.-The workings here are progressing most energetically. On claim No.4, the party have just completed the erection of a steam plant of 10 horse-power.

They have not, however, yet struek the lead. . In claim No.3, which is the farthest point to which the lead has been worked, the yield has given

lately an ounJe of gold per ton of wash-dirt, which is much above former averages. In quartz mining there is little new or interesting. '.I'he Kangaroo Reef, situate three miles south­

~wards of Malmsbury, has been again appropriated by two parties. Orr's Reef, a mile south of Malmsbury, is the chief scene of quartz operations. Ten parties are

·.working here. There is abundance of quartz in disunited reefs; nnd four of the claims are yielding well. Chinese.-Theyare now widely scattered over the division. The Kangaroo Creek is the. resort of

-numbers of small parties. The vicinity of Taradale is another resort of many, invariably working old ,ground. The Government Reserve, iVIetcalfe, is a third chief place of resort; and the Coliban River, . North Redesdale, is the fourth locality that engages their labors. In these two last named' localities, ; their workings are confined to the bed of the river.

,Alluvial Miners Quartz Miners

Totals

Porcupine . Pegleg Nuggety ::Bradford Long Gully Eaglehawk Sandy Creek Pickpocket ... Newstead Frenohman's Gardner's Gully Long Gully

MALDON DIVISION.

Mr. Robt. Nankivell, Ni12ing Surveyo?' and Registrar.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS

European!!. Chinese. Total for the Division.

... 662 354- 1,016

... 525 ... 525 ~---~,~.-.~-

.. , 1,187 354 1,541

THE TOTAL NUMBER OJ<' MINERS IS TIID'S DISTRIBUTED :-.

159 Armst~ong's . 84 Hard Hills ... 63 Ironbark Gully 16 Hunter's Rush 78 Back Creek ...

175 Fryingpan Gully 233 Beehive Hill . 105 ivlount Tarrangower 45 Green Valley 26 Joyce's Creek 30 16 Total

THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

B.elllM'klI.

7 12 16 17 44

5 125 223 45 17

... 1,541

I ALLUVIAL MINl:NG. QuaTZ MIh'ING.

Description of lIbehinery. Number \ Aggregate At Work. Idle. of Stamp HorBe-power of

Hends. Steam Engines. I--~-- ~.-.---.. ~~

Steam Engines, employed in pump- 2 1 36

ing, winding, nnd crushing Whims ... ... ... ... ... ... Derricks ... ... ... 3 2 ... Puddling Machines .. , ... 62 12 ... Toms ... ... ... ... 13 2 ... Water Wheels ... ... ... I 2 I ...

IS 12 312 567

32 II ... ... 4- 2 ... ...

... ... ... . ..

.. . .. , ... ....

... . .. ... . ..

-

69

Total value of mining plant in the division, £67,350. Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked

upon, 10. Number of distinct quartz reefs whieh have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present

time,53. • The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision has been from £3 178. 6d. to £3 19s.

per oZ.

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS' B1<EN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY Of QUARTZ AND QUARTZ

TAILINGS AND Cl'l~IENT CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM.

I Where Quartz, &e., were I Average Total Yield of Remarks relt>tive to the

_ . ~,per Too. _ ld. ,. Quart, was obtamed,&e. ..

N~a~m~e~of ... _co_m_p_lU1_Y_. _I obtained~. ___ , Quart,' C111llhed. _Y_i_Ol_d_Of_G_"O_ld_ ~ __ Go ___ ,~D_e~Pt_h_at_w_hi~'cll_t_he

Beehh'e Ea.glehawk Union Linscott's ...

I tou cwt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr.

... Beehive Reef ... 1,561 0 0 0 17 I! 1,331 3 0 EagJeh(lwk lwef ... 71 0 0 1 2 ll~ 79 16 18 Eaglehawk Reef' ... 595 0 0 0 7 4, 213 9" 6 Linscott's, EagJehlLwk, 6iO· 0 0 I 6 ,17" 894 1-4 0

Victoria, Manton's Gully, and Frede-rick's Reefs '

110 feet 150 feet Va.rious

Eaglehawk, Manton's 866 0 0 i

Gully, Lisle's, WiI-j son's and Parkin's

Oswald S 4 4~o 7,IOS 10 0 Ditto i

Reefs . , Phrenix "', German, Wilson's, 1.069 0 0 7 61 1,452 0 0 Ditto

Brittingham and Sons Alpha Great Western Chrystal and Co, Welsh and Euglish ... Hope ... ...

Quartz Tailings and Cement Crushed.

Eaglehawk ". Prince of Wales Welsh a.nd English ... Hope ... . "

Victoria, Lisles and Manton's Gully Reefs

Thonhill's Reef Beehive Reef Beehive Heef Nuggety Heef ... Teetotal Reef ... Joyce's Creek. Frying-

pan, a.nd Welshman's Reefs

Totals ...

Cemer:t ... ... . Ditto ... ... Ditto ... ... Ditto .. , ... Totals, Quartz Tail-} i

ings and Cement I

440 O. 0 313 0 0 6~8 0 0 635 0 0 85 0 0

135 0 0

7,068 0 0

784 0 0 2,014 0 0

960 0 0 350 0 0

4, lOS 0 0

o IS 16A o 12 lsi o 15 8+ i

o 10 2~ . o 13 18/f ·

1 016';.

"'411 3 0 311 feet 194 17 0 225 feet 481 13 0 230 feet 321 0 0 300 feet

5S 10 0 120 feet 144 12 0 50 feet

...

1 15 21a ,12,691 8 0

18ft i 0 2 108 5 0 Surface 0 1 3~ 165 12 0 Ditto

Ditto 0 4 0 192 0 0 0 3 4b 55 10 0 Ditto

0 2 IO! 521 7 0

ST. ANDREW'S EAST SpBDIVISION.

Mr. R. BrCltzill, Mining Surveyor and Registrar.

TIlE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINEltS IS AS FOJ,LOWS;-

I I i

Europe"" •• Cbinese. : ToW for the, Remark.!!. SubdiV'ision. i

Alluvial Miners ... ... "'1

455 85 540 Other p"pulation, 1450

Quartz Miners ... ... ... 95 ... 95 I

----~ .. _ ... _---Totals ... I 550 85 635 ! ,

TIlE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED :-

The Yarra River, nea.r MeMahon's Creek Same, Starvation Creek Warburton Gold Field Queenstown, and part of Back Creek Old Caledonia Gully ... ... Salter's Rush RoddIe's Creek (Upper) ... ... Emerald Diggings ... ... • .. Anderson's Creek, in the river and adjacent Ferntree Gully Spanish Gully Long Gully Ironbark

56 26 24 73 23 17 30 40 76 15 15 49 11

Thompson's ... Wild Dog Gully Yow-yow Gully Badger Poiut... Darling Gold Field Barker's Reef Rawkin's Reef ... Clayton and Jackson's ... Oram's Reef .. <

One-tree Hill Reefs

Total

24 15 15 31 30

6 2 4

40 13

635

70

THE MACH.INERY IS AS FOLLOWS :-

ALLUv:tAL MINING. , QUABTZ MlNrNG. '"'.,-

Descriptiou of Macbinery. At Work. I I '" I . Aggregate Number Aggregate

Idle. HorBe~power of AtWork. , Idle. of Stamp r=~J,ie~ , Steam Engines. Heads.

--- I~-

Steam Engines' ... ... ... . .. . .. 3 . .. J { 30 Crushing Machines ..., ••• ... ... ... . .. 1

It 34 . ..

Ordinary Horse Puddling Machines 16 8 ... ... ... 6 Water Wheels .. ... • .. 2 1 ... ... . .. ... . ..

Total value of mining plant in the subdivision £7,500. Number of square miles of alluvial ground whieh is being, or may have been, actually worked

upon, 17~. Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present·

time,56., . . . The price of gold during the quarter in the sub-division has been from £3 ] 5s. Od. to £3 17s. 6d.

per oz. .

THE FOLLOWING INFOIUIATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELA.TIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ ORUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTA.INED THEREFROM.

Where Quartz wa. i Yi!ixe~~Oldl Total Yield of

Remarks relative to the Name of Company. i Quartz crushed. Depth at which the obtained. per Ton. Gold. Quartz was obtained. &ie.

._- ~

0

to: ewt. qr. 011. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr.

Hirt and party ... Swedish Reef ... 65 0 0 12 0 0 780 0 0 Cootee and party ... Barker's Reef ... 22 0 0 2 7 0 51 14 0 Murray and party ... Allen's Reef ... 22 0 0 5 4 0 H4 8 0 Clarke and party '" Gillman's Reef ... 5 0 0 6 0 0 30 0 0 Neal and party ... Olam's Reef . .. 65 0 0 110

"I 97 10 0

I Nickenson and party ... Ditto ... ... 85 0 0 200 170 0 0 Oram, prospector ... Ditto ... ... 40 0 0 060 12 0 0 Quarman and party ... Ditto ... ... lO 0 0 010 0. 5 0 0. Nickinson and party ... Doctor's Reef ... 8 0 0 0. 6 0, 2 8 0 Tullidge and Company Excelsior Heef ... 100 0 0 o 7 0 I 35 0 0.

Totals, Quartz ... 422 0. o 1-3-1~~-;i /1,298 0 0

I havo nothing to remark upon specially for the last three months, exeept that the several river workings near the sources of the Yarra are as yet unproductive, in a remunerative sense; and that quartz mining upon old grouJld has improved upon the Caledonia gold field, especially upon the gnce celebrated, but long ahandoJled, Swedish Reef, OJle-tree Hill. Ordinary alluvial mining throughout the subdivision is at a very low ebb. It is probable, however, that the river workings, when more developed, will exhibit good results.

ST . .ANDREW'S WEST SUBDIVISION.

Mr. George Fraf'(/iYis, lWining Surveyor and Regi8trar.

THE TOTAL Nu~mEII. OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS

Europeans.' Chinese. I Total for the

I Subdivision.

-~.----~-.

Alluvial Miners ... ... 8 ... 8

Quartz Miners ... ... 90. ... 90 ._----

Totals ... 98 . .. 98 I

THE TOTAL NU~IBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED :­

Diamond Reef, Phipps and Co. Ditto, above McDougall Eltham, Orille and Co. Patterson and Co. Ophir Reef, near Gisborne Quails' Reef ... New Reef, in parish Tyab, near Frankstone Alluvial-Back Creek... ... . .. Watery Gully

Total

-

Remarks.

,

44 10 15

4 5 6 6 4 4

98

71

T~E MACHINER.Y IS AS ,FOLLOWS :-'7

ALLUVIAL MmmG . QUAll.TZ MINING. . ' .. ,

Description of Machine",. Aggrega.te 1 , Aggregate Number of

At Work. Idle. Rorse~~of At Work. 'Idle. =-~~.;;.: Steam 'ea, I BtampHea.dB.

-~,------ --~ -,

Steam Engine ... ... ... ... ... 1 --. 12 20

Ditto ... ... ... ... ' .. ... 1 ... 6 10

Back Creek, horse puddling ... 1 ... ... ... '" ... . .. Watery Gully, horse puddling 1 .. , ... ... . .. ... ...

Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, £3,700. Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked'

~~~ . Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present

time, 3. The price of gold during the quarter in the subdivision has been from £3 17s. to £33s. per oz.

THE FOLLOWING INFOR.!U_TION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ CRUSHED

DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM.

Name of Oompa.ny.

Phipps and Co.

McDougall ...

Orme

Where Quartz was obtained.

Totals

I I Average QUlU'tz cntshed, ,Yield of G<>ld Total Yield of

, per Ton, G<>ld.

ton ewt. qr. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr.

250 0 0 2 6 9j 580 0 0

156 0 0 2 1 O~ 320 0 0

87 0 0 I 2 19 IS! 260 0 0

n. -:;-;;;;-I~~~:-;

Remarks relative to the Depth at which the Quartz was obta.ined.

160 feet

110 feet

80 feet

I have the honor to forward herewith returns for the past quarter, and to report, in reference to quartz mining in this division, that the neighborhood of Diamond Creek continues very prosperous, showing returns of about One hundred per cent. profit on the outlay. The other reefs, reported on in the previous quarter, have not yet been brou/lht to profitable result. .

Alluvial workings are on the increase III this division: Coal sinkings, for testing, are being continued by the new Griffith's Point Company.

BLUE MOUNTAIN N ORTII SUBDIVISION.

M?'. R. H. Horne, Mining Registra1'.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

, Europeans. Chinese. Total for tbe Subdivision. Remn.rks.

--.~.---

AliuviallVfiners ... ... 760 5 765 The otber popuIa.tion, ~~~~~amountB Qua.rtz Miners ... ... 320 , . .. 320

~~ ~,~~-

Totals ... ... 1,080 5 1,085

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:­

Trentham Coliban Falls ... Trentham and Tylden Farmers' Commons Tyiden, on the Coli ban ... ... ... ... ... Newbury, including Rocky Lead, Main Flat, Dead Man's Hill, &c. Keilan's Rush, Stony Creek, &c. Amelia Reef ... ... Garlick's, Kirk's, Glue Pot, and Blue Creek Alma Reef ... Doctor's Hill, Frenchman's Hill, and Can'ldian Hill

55 10 15 10 60 20 30

.565 290 30

Total ... 1,085

72

THE 'MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

ALr.uvur. MINING. QUARTZ MINING ...

-~.~

Descript,ion of M&ch.inery.

At Work. I Idle. Aggregate Number Aggregate

~~~~~~~~~s~ At Work. Idle. of Stamp Horse-Power 0 Heads. Steam Engines

--.-----~,-.--~,--"----- .. ------~.~---.• ---- --- -~-~.~ .

I I .

Puddling Machines ... ... 3 5 ... ... , - .., ... ... Sluicing Machines ... ... ...

I 3 ... ... , ... . ..

I H'

I..ong Toms ... H. I 2 . .. .. I

... ... '" Steam Engines. ... . .. 3 I 24 I . .. 12 12

Total value of mining plant in the subdivision, £5,400. . ~umber of square miles of alluvial ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked

upon,l",. . . Number cif distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present

tlme,5. The price of gold dnring the quarter in the subdivision has been from £3178. 3d. to £3 17s. 9d.

per oz.

THE FOLLOWDlG INFORMATION HAS EEEN ODTUNED RELATIVE e1'O THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ CRUSHED

DURING THE QUARTER, AND Cl'HE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM. .. I

I ! Average I Where Quartz was Totel Yield Remarks relative to th

Name of Company. I obtained. Quartz erushed. Yield of Gilld I ofGilld. Depth at which th parTon. Quartz was obtained.

I ...

oz. dwi. gr~1 1 I ton ewt. qt. oz. dwt. gr.

Alma Reef ... ... Alma Reef ... I 178 0 0 o 16 4~ 1 144 0 0 No.2, South ... Ditto '" ... 185 0 0 0 8 0 75 0 0

,-'------.. ~ 1--l~ I Totals ... 363 0 0 o 12 219 0 0

t

The Amelia Reef has been purchased during the last quarter, and a new company is in course of formation. Quartz of good promise has been raised, but none crushed.

. The Alma No.1 Claim,has cr:ushed n,o quartz dnriug the last quarter, having been occupied iu makmg new shafts, and makmg drives. 'They are nOW,down about 120 feet, and consider their pros­pects better than ever,

In addition to the foregoing statistics, I have the honor to make the following report:­McPherson's steam puddling operations were carried on at Newbury with great energy and

perseverance, the engine being in excellent order, and the two puddling machines working well day and night; but owing to the extreme fineness of the gold, which flowed away beyond the means of arrest, either meehanic~lly or chemically, the intention of puddling the whole of Newbury has been abandoned, and the engme removed to another locality.

The chief operations during the last quarter have been those of tunnelling and sinking, or pre­parations, and the formation of new companies of large numbers of men for that purpose. In my last quarterly report I had 'occasion to mention that various claims 'for 50 (fifty) men each had been taken up; but a very great increase in this respect has taken place during the quarter. These new tunnelling and sinking claims have, for the most .part, be'en taken out in the vicinity of Trentham. Some have been taken up near the Blue .M.ount, and Garlick's; but the great majority are at or near the latter locality.

The Trentham Company (of fifty men) have been engaged in boring. night and day, through roek. They have twice reached the required bottom, but without striking gold, and are now engaged in a third boring ope·ration. Eugene-O'Donnell's Columbian Company (of fifty men) have been engaged in boriug on their claim within about half a mile of Trentham; but their work has been retarded by the singular phenomenon of a magnetic power having, by some means, been communicated to, or acquire~ by, the action of the boring rods, the force of which was so great that four Ulen often found it very difficult to draw: up the rods. On reaching the surface, it was discovered that the magnetic power at the lower end of the borer was stropg enough to cause some links of.a hcavy iron chain to adhere to it. I can myself answer for the adhesion of a door-key, togethel' with several short sticks, amounting together to three-quarters of a pound in weight. The same experiment was tried at another division of the rods, which had not been within se,enteen feet of the bottom, and the same adhesion took place; nor did the weight detach itself, even whim I made it swing or twirl round. It may be that all such rods are, more or less, magnetic; but I have not yet found anybody on the gold fields who had an experience of such forces as above described.: Possibly, the rods, in their descent, may have eontinually struck in an angular dil'ection upon some metallic substance. Howbeit, the e?mpany have, in consequence, been obliged to abandon their attempts at boring, and have commenced 8wkmg a shaft. .

The Coliban Falls, and the ground adjoining, have been taken up by three claims (150 men'~ ground) under the title of the Niagara Company. N cxt to these claims 950 (nine hundred and fifty) acres of private property have been taken up for mining purposes.

AckriU and Company have taken u~ three claims, .each for fifty men's ground, for tunnelling and sinking operations, on the 'rrentham and Tilden Farmers' Commons; and in Ogden's Paddock (private property) about 100 acres have been taken up for mining purposes. Mr. 'Bickley has also let part of his farm, under similar circumstances.

-

73

Paj'able gold having been already struck in the aboveme.ntioned paddock, it is confidently anticipated that a lead will be soon found in that direotion, or continuing from it, and claims have accordingly been taken up at Tilden and the vicinity. The last of these enterprises have been Clark and Green's 'rilden and Trentham Gold Mining Oompany, being a tunnelling and sinking claim for one hundr~d men. Shafts have already been sunk on this ground, and the prospects have been very encouraging. .

Looking at th~ mal1Y thousand feet (2,500 feet to each party of fifty men) comprised in the claims taken up, under the Oastlemaine Bye-Laws, during the last quarter, in the neighborhood of Trentham, Tilden, and Garlick's (and without including any of the ground taken up on private property), I estimate that, at least five or six: lineal miles, by three-quarters of a mile in width, of auriferous, or probably auriferous ground, have been occupied for mining purposes between the months of October and December of the present year. That the whole of this immense space will be found worth working, it is impossible, at present, to calculate; but as nearly the whole of the alluvial ground. of the Blue Mountain is, more or less, auriferous, there are great probabilities of success for those who employ adequate machinery with chemical appliances, and who possess the requisite knowledge, energy, and capital for the undertaking.

ARARAT MINING DISTRICT.

ARARAT DIVISION.

Mr. Henry Grimes, Milnilng Survey01' and Registrar.

'THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

• European". Chinese. Total for the

&ma.rlm. Division. - ,- " ------ -~-.~-- .~.~-.

Alluvial Miners '" ... 650 750 1,400 ,

Quartz Miners ... . .. 120 ... 120 . ,-Totals ... 770 750 1,520

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTBD:-

Ararat Cathcart Opossum Gully Armstrong's Moyston

Total .1 ••

THB MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

ALLUVIAL ML'fING.

500 130 350 380 160

... 1,520

QUAltTZ lI1nrnio. ,---- "-------- ~---------~.-----.~---

Description of lIIilochinery. A.gregate Number Ag_te At Work. Idle. Horse-Power of At Work. Idle. of Stamp HOl'se~Power of

Steam Engines. Heads. Steam Enginea. --.-~--~.--~~-.-.~- -. -------._-- -----

Steam Engines, pumping and' i winding ... ... '" 4 42 ... ... Puddling Machines 25 20

... ... ... ... ... . .. ... . .. . .. Sluices and Toms ... ... 250 ... . .. ... . .. ... ... Steam Engines, pumping only ... . .. . .. 2 ... . .. 37 Ditto, crushing ... ... .. . ...

I . .. 2 . .. 16 24

Ditto, crushing, pumping, and winding ... ... ... ... . .. ... 3 I . .. 24 ~40 ,

Total value of mining plant in the division, £13,000.

Number of square m.iles of alluvial ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked upon,22. '

.. N umber of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferoUll to the present. tIme,14.

The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been £3 16s. 6d. per oz. No. 32, i.

~1)I,E'i ~9.t,~9-'VI~,G ~N.rrO~:~U,T~O~ ,ItAS' BEEN; OBTAINED' :R:E:LA,~i:V.!"· ~ TO THE. 'QVAN:TITY ';'Olf! "QUARTZ , " AND CEM~'l;l1.'.P~:t!,SHED DURING THE QUART:Ei':,Aim THE GOL~ OBT~i:'~.ED T~EREFROM. :: " .

',J t 1'" ~ , I, "j 11' .' " ~ f r

Na.me 'of Compal:.y:

~~?spectors' Claim ...

l?erseverance Company Kangaroo Compnny ; .• N9r1j11St(j.f COlllpany .•• Rodqa and Company ... Flying.B.nck C\>mpany

Cement crushed.

. Campbell's r. Reef, 'Moyston

Ditto .:.. .,. 50 0 0 0 6· 23~k( 17', 8 0 Ditto ... ... 350 0 0 1 2 2~ 386 15 0 Ditto ... " ,'71, 0 0 I 1 ~ 20i' 106 0 0 Dittp ... ,"', 60 {o, O. 0 9 4 27 10 0 Ditto'r... ... 42 0 ,0 0 9 1'3~ , 20 2 0 ..... . .... 1- --1---'-' .. _-

Totals. Quartz ... 849 0 0 0 19 llq 827 9 '0

Sebastopol Company... Ararat 210 0 0 030 31 10 0

Totals, Ceme~t .... 210 0 0 030 31 10 0

.. " 270 feet .' " -

,250 feet " 267' feet 100 nciet

: 200 feet .I~3 feet' ,

Cement

J have the honor to state that thirteen prospecting claims have been registered with me, viz., three at Shay's Flat, two at Ararat, one at Phillip's Flat, two at Providence Gully, two at Cathcart, two at Armstrong's, and qne at Port Ourtis Creek. None of these have occasioned any. length of lead to be opened up, the ground having been generally patchy, half a dozen 'to a dozen claims are taken up, worked out, and there ends the discovery.

The Cathcart new lcad is nearly worked out, and most of the miners have left. The deep leads of the Britannia, Victory, and Lower Cathcart, still remain unworked; the gr~at

amount of water and consequent expense deterring.the miners from entering upon them. * * * * * * * *. * * * • ". \ 'I: ._/'

Alluvial Miners Quartz Miners

Deep Lead , .. Four Posts ... Commercial street German Gully Elizabeth Creek Ironbark

----~-~-~---.-----

PLEASANT CREEK DIVISION~

Mr. John D'fllton, Mir{I,mg Sur.veyor and Registrar. ,

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-! \ I .. ,

I .

EuropeaIll!. Chinese. Total for the Remarks. Division.

--~-~- ----- --~~~~ -... ... 648 260 908 ... ... 540 . .. 540

----,- ,----~~~ -------'l'otals " 1;188 I 260 1,448 ... ... . .. •. THE TC)TAL NUMBER OI!' lVIINERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:-. . . , 280 Taylor'S Gully

150 Chureh Hill 110 Quartz Reefs

17 Great Western 56 18 Total

THE MACHINERY IS AS F.OLLOWS:-

ALLUVIAL lfINI!'/G. _, '. I

QUARTZ MINING.

Description of MAchinery. ..... -

Ho~~~~ of AtWork. Steam Engines.

At Work. Idle. Idle. ,

!

5 2

560 250

1,448

Steam ·Engines ... ... 1 ."';" 4 '4 12 2 6

, 2 709 7

3 .. ;, 2

... I "'. 330' Crushing "fachines l'uddHng Machines· Whims i'" Whips'" Sluice Boxes Sluiceiimd Toms

.... ,

"'1 5

36 65

I'

17 5

'9 3

"'204 /.' ,'.

fl. •••••

~: J

Tota:1'va111e' 'of mining plant'in' the division, £61,200. . , Number of square miles of Rlluvial ground which is being, or may have. been, actually worked

upon, l1f. . ' , . . . Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been aetuany proved to be aurif~rous to the:present

time, 17. I ",

The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been from £3 168. to £3 E,~' per oz.

75

TaE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ AND QUARTZ TAILINGS AND CEMENT CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER; AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM.

~ ,'''". '''. ",.,,~ ~ '~'r '."", .

1

Average i Total Yield of Remarks relati~e to the Na.~eof Company. Where Quartz • .!to •• were' Quartz cruahed. Yield of Gold' Dep\h at which the

obtained. per Ton. 1 Gold. QUJ>.rtz was obtained, .!te.

ton owt. qT. OZ. dwt. lIT. oz. dwt. lIT. Pleasant Creek Co. ... New Chum Reef . .. 2,306 0 0 o 11 19~: 1,362 11 0 Victoria Company ... Sloan and Cross's 931 0 0 o 19 11il 906 9 12 200 to 300 feet

Reef o 12 11411,701 10 450 feet from sur-Lamont and Company Flat Reef ... 2,726 0 0 0

0\

face Moonlight Company .... . New Chum and 1,134 0 0 9 711 i 528 0 0 130 feet

. Moonlight reefs

~I 0 Estimated only St. George's Company Not known ... 200 0 0 0 4 40 0 Wimmera. Company ... Sloan and Scotch- 2,000 0 0, 0 8 825 0 0

man's 0\ N. and S. Wales Co .• " Dundee Reef ... 187 0 1 0 O! 187 0 0 25 feet from surface

Cambrian Company ... Nuggety and Sloan's 200 0 0' 0 4 12

\

45 0 0 100 feet from sur-Reef face

Rose of Denmark Co. Scotchman's Reef ... 1,200 0 )1 0 5 0 SOO ·0 0 200 feet

Totals, Quartz ... 10,884 0 0 o 10 20 5,895 10 12 Quartz Tailings and

Oenlent crushed. N. and S. Wales Co .... Deep T,ead ... 1,000 0 0 0 6 6 312 10 0 Cambrian Company ... Sil ver Shilling . .. 700 0 0 0 7 0 245 0 0

Tregea. and Company Deep Lead ... 380 0 0 0 3 23~ 75 6 10 Independent Company Deep Lead ... 350 0 0 0 4, 0 70 0 0 Tweedy and Company Commercial street 95 0 0 0 6 13 30 18 0 Victoria Company ... One-hole Lead and 459 0 0 0 7 Wi 171 1 0

Hard Hill

, Totals, Quartz Tail- } ings and Cement 2,984 0 01

0 6 q 904 15 10

QUARTZ.

'During the quarter a good deal has been done in. prospecting for the new deep reefs on the line of the Scotchman'S, and that of Sloan'S, as well as on those of the recently discovered reef near Elizabeth Creek.

Amongst the older reefs, Sloan's now takes the first place for richness, a second claim having struck the continuation of the rich stone found in Petrie and Company's ground, so that several claims long idle are again actively engaged. This lode is about 8 feet in thickness of which 3 are very rich, yielding, when picked, 11 ozs. per ton. Next in importance is the new formation of the Scotchman'S, which has steadily averaged It ozs., per ton since its discovery; several new claims have been. taken up on this line, and shafts are being sunk. This reef was struck at a depth of 280 feet from the surface, and considerably below the water level. The Flat Reef, in Lamont and Company's ground, is also very

. important, proving so far that payable reefs are to be looked for at great depths. The Old Cross Reef has been worked out in all the claims south, and one or two north of the prospectors; the stone at present taken from several of these claims appears to be the commencement of a new and distinct formation of yields from 13 dwts. to 2 ozs. per ton,at 300 feet from the surface. .

Neither the Perth shire nor Hampshire Reef has produced any gold worth mentioning drning the last three months.

The Reefs lately discovered near Elizabeth Creek have continued an unaltered average return of 1 oz. to the ton .. Beyond the two prospecting claims, but one other claim has struck the reef, water being met with at a depth of 40 feet, renders the working of the adjoining ground difficult without the aid of machinery. On a portion of the Church Hill an auriferous leader, running east and west, has been met with, and four or five new claims are marked out on this line, but as yet little can be said about it.

Some important experiments are now in course of trial by the St. George's Company, who have erected heavy chilian mills in 'connection with their othcr crushing plant, for the purpose of working the quartz· tailings belonging to various machines which have hitherto been allowed to run to waste.

There are at the present upwards of 200 quartz claims registered and occupied within this division, about ~O having been taken up within the last six: months; the length of reefs occupied ,being equal to four miles. '

ALLUVIAL.

. The dry season has put a. stop to sluicing and considerably retarded puddling, notwithstanding which I consider the prospects of alluvial.miners somewhat improved. Beyman's Lead, Great Western, is the most important new digging in this division; the. deep and wet condition of, the ground however renders its developement tedious.. .

A prospecting claim has been taken up on the lost Forn' Rost lead,·the sinking'being 75 feet through clay and soft cement. The prqspect. obtained 13liwts. of. slnelted gold to the .. ton from cement, the auriferous stratum averaged about 14 inches in thickness, ,no other shafts have as yet been bottomed.

A good deal of gold has heen obtained rrom;the. old ground ea!lt of the··Main street quartz reefs,' by' crushing the headings which had hitherto:becn neglected as unremunerative.' .

A considerable quantity of cement has been crushed from Commercial street and Silver Shilling. The Deep Lead gives employment to its average number of miners, but not more than wages can

be made there at this season.' . . .,. • ' I have to record a reduction. in alluvi\lol.machinery,. in consequence of the removal·of. Allen and

ShUning's crushing plant from the district. Sinee the failure of the water. supply nothing has been ,done: on . Church Hill;. Taylor's . Gully

Cooper's Flat, and Forty-foot Hill, onilll!-.cho(.which BhIicingoperat~ons.hadbeen.succellsfully carried on: .

76·

RAGT..AN DIVISION.

i'll,'. Edward Wm. Bag8hawe, ]Ifining SU1'veyor and Regi8t1'ar.

THE TOTAL NtlMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

1 I' _______________ 11 _~~peans. .~hin.se.

Total for the Division. Remarks.

53l 550 ],08l Alluvial Miners

~uartz Miners I------I--------·~I--------I

The European population has much diminished, a slight increase being in favor of the Chinese since last _quarter, tho neighborhood of Sailor's Gully attracting . population. ~I.'otal population of the division, about 3000 Totals 531

Sailor's Gully Jock's Gully Old Lcad Beaufort Charcoal Gully Sawpit Gully Surface Hill ... Jonathan's Gully Waterloo Flat Perseverance Gully

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF

550 1,081

j"hNERS IS THUS DISTRIBUTED;--

95 Paddy's Gully ... 63 Old King Charlie's Gully

375 New King Charlie's Gully 230 Shicer Gully .. .

8 Tipperary Gully .. . 20 Swampy Gully 22 Sulky Gully ...

7 Charlton 20 27 Total

51 23 82 20 17

!J 8

5d,

1,081

THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

ALLUVIAL Mmnm. QUARTZ Mnrmo.

I ----~-;:-.. -~-~-- - ---·1--

I -- --

Description of Machinery. Aggregate , Aggregate

At Work. Idle. f=~Z~:i At Work. Idle. Number of Horse-power 0 f Stamp Heads. Steam .l>.:nglnes. ----~--.. -~--.~-~ ... - .. ~----.- .-

Steam Engines, employed in 12 6 174 '" ... ... .. ; pumping, wimling, and puddling

, .'

Steam Quartz Crushers ... ... . .. ... - . .. 1 8 ]0 Puddling Machines ... . .. 54 8 ... '" ... . .. ... Whims and Pulleys ... ... 15 ... .. . ... '"

I ... . ..

Horse Pnmps ... ... 4 ... . .. .. . . .. ... ... Sluices and'Toms .. , ... 5 . ... ... . .. . .. '" ...

Total value of mining plant in the division, £9,400. Number of square miles of alluvial ground whieh is being, or may have b~en, actually worke d

upon, 15. Number of distinct quartz reefs whieh have been actually proved to be auriferous to the

present time, 2. '. . The price of ~old during.the quarter in the division has been fl'om:£3 188. Od. to £3 19s. per oz.

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS DEEN ,OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THB GOLD OBTAINED THBREFROM.

Na.me of Company. Where Quartz was ~btained.

_~ ______ . ____ .. _______ 1

Red Hill Company Old Lead

I .A. veragc .! Rulllarks relative: to the QUllJ'tz crusbcd. I Yield of Gold Tota~ 'i:fld of DePth ",t wbicb the

. per Ton. 0 • Quartzw",:obtained,&c,

- ---- --"'-~~-~-'-~~--

tOll cwt. qr. oz. dwt:gr.

20 ° ° ° G 0

oz. dwt. gr.

GOO

Shaft about 80 feet deev, not fairly tested. Work. registered for want of water a.nd funds

I have the honor, for the information of the Honorable the Minister of lIHlles, to state that mining· matters in this division have not altogether been very prosperous for the' past quarter, although th"e . Garibaldi Company, the Hope, the Southern Cross, the llurke, and Perseverance have been getting gold in very good payable quantities, it has not had the stimulus un the mining popUlation that might have been expected. The prospectors of the Royal Saxon Company, who have applied for a lease of 50 acres at Sailor's Gully, ,were fortunate enough to obtain a prospect of 180zs. out of 5 trucks, they have removed their engine and plant to this ground, and got steam up just before Christmas; there are three more new leases applied for in this gully, and generally good prospects have rewarded steady industry.

The quartz claim at Red Hill Old Lead, I am sorry to say, has suspended operations for wa~t of funds and water. ,

I find that in comparing the escort returns for the past six quarters, the last quartel.' bears a very favorable comparison, and I have no doubt when once minil'lg is fairly tested in this district that much rich ground will be opened up. '

A company is now being formed at Ballarat to 'l'\l()rk 100 aeres at Waterloo, and should tll1s be properly carried out there would be a' great reaction in mining in general here.

- -

BARKLY DIVISION.

Mr. JohnD'AUon, Mining Surveyor and Registrar.

THE- TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS IS AS FOLLOWS:-

Europeruul. Chlnese. ToW for the Remarks. Divi.ion • _.-

Alluvial Miners Quartz Miners

----- . ~----

... 604 162 766

... ::: \- --'" . -~'-' --':"-Totals ••• 604 162' 766

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINERS

Landsborough Barkly ... Glasgow Lead MalakhofF ... Frenchman's Gle~patrick

Total

IS THUS DISTRIBUTED:-

190 122 90

230 64 70

766

I THE MACHINERY IS AS FOLLOWS:-

ALLUVIAL lIfim:Na. i QuaTZ Mnmm.

Deooription of Ma.chlner:J'. ,

Number Aggr<lga.te Aggregate At Work. Idle. of Stamp Horse-Power of At Work. Idle. Horse-Power of

Heade. SIea.m Engine •• Steam Engines. --- ---------

Steam Engines ... ... 1 ... ... 12 ... . .. ... Crushing Machine ... . .. 1 . .. 12 ... ~ ... ... . .. Puddling Machines ... ... 7

I 21 ... . .. ... ... ...

Toms ... ... . .. 20 26 ... ... ... ... ... Sluice-boxes '" ... ... 12 ... . .. ... ... .. .

~rotal value of mining plant in the division, £3,200. Number of square miles of alluvial ground which is being, or may have been, actually worked

upon, 13. Number of distinct quartz reefs which have been actually proved to be auriferous to the present

time, 6. The price of gold during the quarter in the division has been from £3 16s. 6d. to £3 178. 9d. per oz.

THE FOLLOWING INFOR/IUTION HAS BEEN OBTAINED RELATIVE TO THE QUANTITY OF QUARTZ TAILINGS

AND CEMENT CRUSHED DURING THE QUARTER, AND THE GOLD OBTAINED THEREFROM.

I Where ~uartz, &c., were I Quartz Tailings Avera.s:, I .. Name of Company. and Oement Yield of ld Total YIeld of Reml\l"ks. o tamed. crushed. per Ton. Gold.

I

ron ewt. qt. oz. dwt. gr. oz. dwt. gr.

Landsborough Crushing Glasgow Lead ... 860 0 0 0 9 0 387 0 0 Company ------- -----

~~-:\ Totals ... 860 0 0 o 9 0

Mining is still in a very depressed state; there has not been a single prospecting clain! taken up since the date of my last report. One or two rushes 'in the neighboring districts may be looked to as the cause, having drawn off a considerable number of miners to other fields. In like manner the formation of the companies for the working of the Glendhu Reef has been relinquished, in consequence of the attraction offered by Wood's Point, to which place most of the parties, in whose name leases had been taken out, are gone. -

A number of miners who have persevered at the old workings of Landsborough and :Barkly, have made fair wages, and some sluicing parties working on Nowhere Creek and Glenpatrick have done very well, but scarcity of water has for the present stopped the work; in the southern portion of Nowhere Gully I?,old lias been found in several prospecting shafts, but the great underftow of water renders it imposslble to work this ground without the appliance of machinery.

Little improvement in the mining prospects of the :Barkly Division gen~rally, is to be looked for until the return of the wet season.

No. 32, R. By Authority; JOHN ]EUBES, Government Printer, Melbourne.