THE PHOGlU<:SS OF

THE MINERAL INDUSTRY

()F

T AS MAN I A,

FOil TilE QUA IlTEIl ENDING :;0'1'1[ JUN E, 1900.

COM PILED BY

W. H. WALLACE, ESQ., SECkETAltY FOR MINES VOR TASMANIA,

BY OHDEH 01-'

THE HONOUJlABLE EDWARD MULCAHY, MINlST811 0" MINES.

Q!.aemanta :

JOHN YAIL, GOVERNMENT PRINTER, HODAR1'.

IflOO .

PROGHESS OF THE MINERAL INDUSTI:Y

OF TASMANIA

FOll 'rnE QUAHTER E~D[NG 30TH JUNE, 1900 .

• Hobort, 16th .July, 1900.

THB followillg Table shows, so fa,l' as can be ascertained, t.he quantities and values of .Metals and Minerals raised and exported durillg the Qnarter ending 30th June, 1900, compared with the corresponding Quarter in 1899, and the previous qnarter ending 31 st March, 1900 :-

DlJl'iug Ih~ Quartel' endin/!

;JQth JUlie, 1900.

During the Quartf'!' ending

:IOth J 1I1lt', ISOU.

During the Qual-tel'l:'luling

31 st March, 1000.

' Quantity I Value. Quantlt.}. I~I~I~

Gold won ..................... OZ8. 14,737 1 oo,~ 15,569 58~84 1 11,7204 1 43~74 AUl'if~I'OU8 Quartz and I

pyrItes exported . ........ tOilS 28, 279 92J 852 1201 491 Silnr Ore (lxpol'ted...... ..." 22841 31,845 3131 38,:-I7S 2532l 3!),1I4U Blister Copper exported... I> 2306f 209,954 1':;621 137 ,88fi 1U66~ J 7!i,:1l(j Copper Ore exported ...... " I ~4! 230 SS9! 12,831 10 1,',0 Iron Ore t'xported ,,1447 1 1227 460 I 41b l3GU 1:366 Coal raised ...... ,,12,484 10,611 11 ,834 9402 11,:284 0027 Silver Bulliun exported ... JJ 1009~ 3.5,162 34lJI 1:.I,OS7 Tin Ore expo'·led ....... ..... " J I 3U 2 IJ!J Lead expul·tod ... . .... .... .. " i 8 2 30 Tin (metallic) exported ... I, ·i3H GO,OS7 4i4 50,134 474~ fi:.!,681 Wolfram 01'6 exporterl ...." 11! 382 24~ lO,5{j A15best08 exported .........." 33 I 20 .51 I 4U Gold Tailingsexported ....• " I 10 .. . Zinc-Lead exported......... ., t 15 ... I Zinc Ore exported ........." 18 216 I .. .

TOTA.L VALUE ... " .... - ... £ 40.5,349 -".£\313,347 1--"'£1341.242

2 MINERAL INDUSTRY

There is an increase of £64,107 in the total value for the previous quarter, and a.n increase of £92,002 in the total value as compared with the corresponding quarter in 1899.

GOLD.

During the past quarter 9309 Olll1rr ' of guld were obtained from quartz, 269 ounces from alluviu.i, aHJ 51:')9 ounces by means of the cyanide and chlorination processes, valued at £55,264.

The following Table shows the quantities obtained from the various sources on the different fields during the period Hilder review, rogether with the total8 for the C01'l'csponding period of 1899, and the previous quarter endiug 31st }larch, 1900:-

Gold obtained during the Quarter Total/! 'rotals for ending 30th June, 1900. corres· QUBl'lflr

CtUlidC & ponding ending

Quartz. Alhn"lal , hlOl'lna- 'rOTAL. Qual'ter, 31 st Uar .. tlo n. 1800. 1000.

--0208. 0208. OZ8. 0,.. 0% 8 . OZ8.

Bettconsfield .............. . 4538 36 3600 8264 8196 6737 Matbinna ............. ....... H2O . .. lil7 55a7 5577 41201 Mount Victoria, W tl.rren-

tinna, &.c. ............... 99 5 ... 104 830 31 Left·oy ...................... 252 ... 362 604 599 603 Lisle and Golconda ....... ... 160 ... 150 175 150 MangRIJI:t. ..................... Weet COtlst: Middlesex,

... ... ... . .. 42 9

&c. ......................... ... 78 ... 78 150 76 --------

TOTALS .............. 9809 269 5169 14,787 . .. . .. TOT .u.s for corresponding

Quarter, 18{)9 ......... ... 10,668 3U 4M7 ... 15,669 ... TOTALS for Qua.rter end.

ing 31st March, 1900 .. 6844! 388 4499 ... ... 11,7261

BEACONSFIELD.-At the Tasmania mine 65 heads bave been kept going. During the past quarter 5~80 tons of quartz were crushed, and yielded 45380zs. 6 dwt.. retorted gold, as against 5340 tOilS crushed and 35700zs. 3 dwts. for the preceding three months. In ~ddition to this, 36900zs. 5 dwts. of smelted gold were produced by the chlorination plant, totalling for the quarter, 82:!8 ozs. II dwts. The total output from tbe mine to 30th June, 1900, has been 487,5340zs. 10 dwts. 5 grns. from 410,965 tons quartz crushed: value £1,780,684, and the amount

OF TASMANIA. 3

paid in dividends, £721,071 12.,., including £9000 paid during the past quarter. Tue new main shaft has been sunk to 833 ft. 6 in. from slIl'face.

At the ~loon1ig'ht-cllm_ 'Vander, the shaft i, down 535 feet, and ~ti ll sinking-. 'V-indillg plant hfL:5 ju~t been erected at a cost of £ROO. A large Root's blower is now being put in, with engille attached, to improve the vent.ilation of the mine.

The Amalgamated West Tasma.nia has had 12 men employed, alld is dl'iving at the 359 feet level.

LEFROT.-The New Pinafore cl'll'hed 93 tons of stone from slirface prospecting, which returned 30ozs. 3 dwts. The output from the cyanide plant was 196 ozs. 14 dwts: 64 men h<1ve been emplo,Ycil. The Govel'llmellt grant will be applied to exploratory work, by driving and cross-cutting at the 1200-feet level. This I::: th (~ (leepest mine working 011 Lefroy, and has the good wi.-shes of all interestpu in the discovery of payable gold in deep ground on that field

The Whi te Pinafore i, still in the .hallow zone. Its shaft is dmYIl to 200 feet: 25 men have been employed driving and storing 235 ton~ of stolle ha\'c oeen cl'Ushed during the past quarter, yielding 21 i 07.8. 17 dwts. gold. The only other mine now working on tile 1.e£I"0Y field is the New Monarch. Its workings, also, a 1'6 not deep, tile shaft being dowil to 245 feet. 186 feet have been dri,'ell all the lode at the 245-feet level. Three rises have been pnt up, and a win7.C has been Slink in the 180-fcet Jevel. The stopes average 6" to 15" payable stone, and there are now about 45 tons o£ qual'tz in paddock. The mine employs 18 men. It is boped to start it small crushing in .Tuly.

L,SLE -TIle Lisle Dred,!ling Company is now having a mOre powel'ful plant constructerl than was at first contemplated, The one now being made will cost £4000. The dirt from the excava­tion now being dug (70' x 60' x 9') for the dredge is under treatment. The ground intended to be worked has been care­fully prospected; it is said, with satisfactory results.

MA1·HINNA.- At the New Golden Gate, tenders are about to be called for driving the 1400-feet crosscut. All the stapes are I'eported as showing large bodies of JJ.lyable stone, and it is expected that the quality will-improve very SOOn . It is believed that the half-year's results will show that the usual average ha.!! been kept "p. The slime plaut is being improved. The cyanide plant has continued to give the highest satisfaction;

4 MINERAL INDUSTRY

Hicksons' is continuing sinking. A t the Mabel, there have beef] two crushings: one of 100 tons, giving 7 dwts.; one of 30 tons, retu1'lling 18 dwts. The City of Melbollrne has taken up an old property in its vicinity, and is driving :1 tunnel for seen ring crnshings from various parts. A. party of cyanidel's are at work on the old City of Hobart tailings. and al'e getting payable returns. The Salmon Gold Estates has a IO-head battery and stone at grass, bnt this has been idle for want of water, on account of the exceptioually deJ season.

MANGAN A.-The Mangan. Gold Reefs is crosscutting at 400 feet from the shaft, at the New Sovereign; the crosscut is in 100 feet, and the reef is expected to be cut in another 15 feet,. The only other work at Mangana is that being done by the Golden Entrance, a Melbourne syndicate, to the north of the abovementioned property. A crushing has been t.aken out, and 10 tons of stone are being sent to 1\1 elbOlll'ne. Sinking is pro­ceed1ug-·now 30 feet down.

MOUNT VICTORIA -The Ringarooma Company's Wililey concentrator has Leen giving sfttisfactory trial results; but battery work has been greatly interrupted for want of water. The ( "entml W"garooma has been in the same plight. A low adit is contemplated, to intersect the lode in 550-feet driving-, which will give 90 feet of backe. At the close of the quarter t.he battery (12 heads) was started to crush stone, whieh it i, expected willl'eturn £1000 worth of golcl. This compall.'· w :t'"

started with ollly £400 capital, alld has won to date about £7()U worth of gold.

The Caxton has beeu worked by a small partnership, a 5-head battery being got from Wal'l'entinna.

W EST COAST.- Madame Melba Flat contintles to giye employment to a few men. Prospecting work on a small scnle has been carried on at Mount Ellen, on the old Mount Huxley claim. At the King RiYet' J\Iine, near Lynchford, the crosscut put in by former tributors has been extended.

A Sydney company is about to begin work on six dredging claims and leases on the Queen River, neal' Lvochfol'd. Tenders have been called £01' the construction of dredg.e and pontoon .

TIN.

The long drought has seriously interfered with the output during the past quarter. The Anchor l\line is proceeding with the erection of its smelting works and the construction or water-race,

OF TASMANIA.

The Australian Tin Mine (formerly the Puzzle) has heen brea.king stone from sections acquired some little timf' ago. known as the Don Sections. The average of stone bas been payable for some time past. The Ringarooma Tin Dredging Company has been stripping it6 ground, and does not seem to have got properly to work yet. The other Dredging Company, the MOQl·ina Byd.raulic, bas taken up leases, but not started yet. Tbe Briseis Company, at Derby, and the Mount Rex, on nen Lomond. are both making extensive preparation!' for future work. The Brothers' Home Extended and the Old Triangle property, at Derby, bave been bought by a Scottish company (Ringarooma Tin Mining Company). The South Esk bas been stripping, and the Esk Proprietary is building a dam and cutting a race.

The Shepherd and Murpby Mine has about 500 tons of tin, bismuth, and wolfram ore at grass. The machinery is expeeted. to run regularly with the heginning of the new quarter, ann when this is done, undergJ'()lllld work will be resumed.

A little tin has been obtained from the flat at the Whyte Hiver, 10 miles from Waratah, and some prospecting ,york is going on upon the Khaki Ridge, above the Wlt,lJte Riur ]Iote.l, at the same spot.

WEST COAwr.-Tin-mining is being carried on at Mt. Heems­kirk, at St. Dizier, New West Cumberland, and Mt. Agnew. Tbe New West Cumberland is making a serious start to take out the lode 'in . ,11 open face. It has had to lay three-quarters of a mile of hOl'irJOntal tramway and 20 chains of incline.

Sluicing is going on at Wbaie's Head, and an output of tin ore is looked forward to.

Prospecting and development work is being carried on on a restricted scale upon the Renison nell property, North Dundas.

SILVER. WEST COAST.-At the Western Mine, Simson's workings

continue the same, and are yielding a large proportion of the total ontput. 7000 to 8000 tons of ore are reported to be in sight in that section, with every chance of increasing to 20,000 tons. In the main mine the new pumping plant was started recent] y, which will 11 Uow sinking to be carried down to a de.pth of 1200 feet: the greatest depth attained, so far, is 650 feet. The engine can be worked up to 220 hOJ"8e~power, with a pumping capacity of 20,000 gallons pel' hour. The water has been kept nnder with a steam pump, but the mine is now clear of water, ~,nd sinkin~ will be I'e8~eq.

6 MINERAL INDUSTRY

The Zeehan-Montana shaft is now 400 feet from surface, and a No.4 level is being opened out at tbat deptb. No. 6 lod e, in No.3 level, is putting out large quantities of good ore. A bout 1650 tons of ore have been won this year, and £3000 paid in dividends. To the end of 1899, the mine raised 14,545 ton, of silver-lead ore, realising £104,000; and tbe dividends to same date totalled £50,180. .

The Silver Quoen has been doing moderately well, with the belp of tributors. The Spray sections in the 13ritish-Zeehan are looking well. The New Mount Zeehan ha' closed down, pending an attempt at reconstruction, and is working its shallow ground by tribute. Fahey's party, on the South King, has done well: the lode has been cut in the crosscut 60 feet from sbaft at No.2 level, and carries concentrating stuff, .,'hieh is anticipated to improve when the drive is further advanced. The Oonah bas struck the downward extension of the stannite lode in the drive north from No.3 level. The quality of the stannite appears to have fallen off. Wbere it was cut in No.3, it assayed only 9 per cent. copper and 56 ozs. silver, and a sampling of 63 tons from the tributors in May returned only £14 per ton, against a previous average value of £21. It is hoped tbis is only temporary. At the close of the quarte)' a good galena develop­ment occurred in this mine.

At the Colonel N ortb, a good improvement took place in May, but the ore-shoot in south drive, at No.3 level, is now irregular. The stopes continue to yield well.

The South Comstock tributors bave been raising blende and silver-lead ores, whicb have been sold locally. Exploratory work has also been carried on in that district, on the Britannia sections, and attempts made to revive work on the Comstock and Silver Stream properties. When better communication with Zeehan is effected, there ought to be a general revival of this field .

At Dundas, improvements bave taken place at the Comet mine in all three of the working-levels, and the mine, generally, is looking better. Consignments of gossan ore are sent regularly to the Zeehan Smelters as flux.

At the Great South Comet, a little good ore is being met with, but, on the whole, the proposition is a low-grade one, and its success depends upon whether profitable concentration can be effected. l(ozminsky, Quinn's, Hnd other sections have been working with moderate success.

NORTH-WESTERN DISTRICT.

MOUNT FARRELI_.-T!.is is a coming field, labouring at present under the drawback of defective communication with the

•

OP TASMANIA. 7

railway at the Pieman, five to six miles distant. The North Mount Farrell mine is breaking good sihrel'-]ead ore, which has realised between £19 and £20 pel' ton-the best of it. About 60 tons have accnmlllated at the mine, owing to difficulty in getting the output away by the Pieman pack-track. This company has surveyed a route for its tramway to the Emu Bay railway line, It distance of five miles, with a maximum g-rade of 1 in 30. The Mount. Farrell mine has begun a long tunnel to intersect the lode at a lower level. The Central Farrel] is driving a tunnel to cut its ,lode, and get under where a vein of rich silver-lead ore is visible at surface. The Murchison mine has ·been putting out galena and blende ore, but has shortened hands till a :10-tOIl parcel has heen sent to England and tested. The Mackintosh sections are being worked for galena and copper ores. The Osborne copper blocks, in the south-eastern part of the Farrell field, are being prospected.

MAGNET SnVER MINE.- This company is still proceeding with the suryey of route for its tl'amway to 'Varatah. 'Vhen this line is constructed, the export of the large unwol'ked quan­tities of argenti£erous gossan ores ex isting in this mine win be rendered practicable. The output of first-class ore has been maintained. Since March the company has sent away about 100 tons of are per month~ averaging from 25 per cent. to 29 per cent. lead, 'and 90 to 100ozs. si lver, with a little ore l' one dwt. of gold per ton.

COPPER.

MOUNT LYELL l\hNE.-The length of the benchos has been increased, and more ore-stufF taken in, of a lower grade than previously, with a consequent lowering of the general average of copper contents. This has been compensated by economies in reduction, and the improved price of copper. The lower levels have been explored, and high-grade Ore found below the bottom level (No.6). A serious fire occurred on the 2-1tl1 .r une, nt the No.1 smelting plant, involving the blower-room, sampling plant, and some of the coke and ore bins.

At the North Lyell lIiine good grade ore has been sent daily to the smelters: the deliveries were temporarily impeded hy the fire at the Monnt Lyell Reduction "r orks. Hich ore ha~ con­tinued to be met with in the mine. By the end of .r Ulle the mail] ropes of the aerial tram were fixed. The company's railway line to ICe]]y Basin is approaching completion, which bas been impeded by some heavy ~lips in the cuttings. The line skirts the foot of the Jukes and Darwin ranll'e, and, apart frol11

8 MINERAL INDUSTRY

traffic derived from tbe T'Yeli field. will be fed by mines sure to be opened up in productive belts on tbat range.

At tbe Lyell Blocks, the ropeway was finished at the end of .Tune. At lOOO feet, in No.1 tunnel (whicb i, now in 1460 feet, with £acein conglomerate), a band of are 10 feet wide is heing driven upon, and the drive will be continued right up to the boundary Tbe ore is reported to bulk 10 per cent., and it is hoped that the Blocks are about to become regular produoers. It will be the fifth mine of tbe district to senelo,·. to the smelters.

From the Lyell Comstock it is intended to cOllstruct a tram­way to the loading-station of tbe North Lyell aerial ropeway, 4 miles. This will be useful also to other mines at tbe northern end of the field

At tbe South Tharsis, ore in the open cut keeps up to average quality. An extra set of rollers and a Huntingdon mill have been added to the concentrating plant. also a Wilfley tahle. The ore-stuff is now crusbed finer, and the buddIes get tbeir fair share of materjal~ more 81 imes being now produced. Some difficulty in separation, however, still remains to be overcome. This experiment in the concentration of schist are is being anxiously watched, as its success will have an immediate effect on similar pmperties.

At the Lyell Tharsis tbe overburden above the bencbes is bein!! broken. The usual output of ore is being delivered by aerial ropcway to the smelters.

At tbe South Lyell work has been done to prove the ore­body at the 600-ft. level, continuing drives round it. The S.W. clri,'e, the N.'V. drive, and the N.E. drive are all III o\'el' 100 feet: the latter follows tbe ore-body towards the Mt. Lyell boundary.

The Royal Thal'sis main tunnel is now in 700 feet. T'he North Lyell Consolidated is continuing No. i tunnel (now 160 feet). and expects to reacb ore sbortly. The Anaconda tunnel is 400 feet, also expecting ore. Mount Lyell Consols tunnel is being driven, towards the Tharsis ore deposit, in hard hematite country. Exploratory work is also being carried on at the Great Mount Lyell, Queen Lyell. Mt. Lyell Peaks, Lyell Reserve, Crown Lyell, North Crown L~ren, Prince Lyell, Western Tharsis, and ~everal other mines of the group. The outlook for the Lyell field is, undoubtedly, brigbt.

Prospecting work is being carried on in the mineral zone which l"lll1S south through Mounts Huxley, Jukes, and DaTwin. On Mt. Rm:ley tbe Lady Hayill and Mountain Maid sections bave been at work: on M t .• Jukes, the Jukes Proprietary and Jukes 90p1stock. Kin~ Jukes has been unaccountabll suspended,

j ..

I

\

OF TASMANIA. 9

Lake .Jukes has heen vigorously worked, and the resul t appears to show that the rich ore-veins seen a.t surface live down into the heart of the mountain. The same belt extenrls to Darwin ,

. where, on the east side, Mt. Lyen Extended alld ~I t. Lyell Con~ol s have been working. Lying' agai ll !o;t this country, on the east, is a narrow cupriferous schist belt, in which t he South ~It. Lyell and Mount D arwin Proprieta. ry mines a.re situate. Some nice-looking copper ot'e has come out of the drivc3 of these t wo mines. Some of the mines here arc very high above the plain, as much as 1500 feet, hut are favourahly situated for aerial transport to the North Lyen railway at the foot of the mountain.

On t he western side of Mt. Danvin, and accessible only with difficulty from t he eastern side, are the Prince D arw in aml Tasman I Jarwin group of mines, associa.ted with large outcrops of hematite and magnetic iron, Prospecting for COpPel' ore has bccn ca.rried on intermittently, but no serious work call be achieved un til the valley between ~It~, Sorell and D a r wi ll is provided with a. pack-track, to permi t of ingrell,s aDd egress,

The R ed Hills and Tynda.1l M.ouota ins comprise sim il ar (,Olln tr~' to the preceding. The Tyndall copper mine has been resumed, and t he shaf t carried down to 60 feet. Since t he relin lui ",hm ent of work at Red Hills by the Victorian sy ndicate, only a li ttle prospecting ha.:; beeH done-a bout 5 chaim; N .E. of t he No. 1 north workings, amI neal' the outcrop of hemat ite. The formation is reported to be charged with iron pyl'ite~, ea l'l'yin~ a little copper.

R OS EBEUY AND .MOUST UEAD.-H.o~cher'y i.s st ill ex p Ol~t:\.nt of a pra.ctica l ~ollition of the zinc problem. The !\iOllllt 13lack Proprietary is sti ll engaged erectlllg dl'essing-ffool's. \Vhen the concentrating plant nears completion, it is intended to resume work in t.he min e.

The ;\fount R e id mine ha:. been sending regular consign­ments of ore to the Zeehan smelters. The richer ol'es arc r eserved for later treatment, The I'oute fo r tram-line from its machinery site to W illiamsfol'd is being prepared .

The H ercules Company has har! a large development of copper ore in its lower workin g'S j and its present policy is to develop t his disco very and erect a smelter in the Iting Valley, for the 1'C'dllction of its coppel' and gOf: ... nn ore~,

CO AL.

The sma.ll seam of coal found outcropping nenr Erlen, on the Zeehan-Strahan line of railway , ha.s been prospected b., means of a small shaft, hut was no~ worth working. 'rhe s~'ndicate

10 MINERAL INDUSTRY

bas resolved to continue the exploration of these coal measures from the bottom of the 50-ft. shaft, by boring.

At Ffnm Cove, near 1(e1l)' Hasin. boring is proceeding, with the view of striking a scam of T ertiary coal (brown coal and pitch coal), which bas been exposed on t he shore of l\l:~ ::qH al'i (J Harbour.

mON ORE.

The owners of the iron are deposits on the Blyth l'j,"er, ncar Burnie, are surveying a route for a lille to COllllcct with the Coa:::;t railway.

MISCELLANEOUS.

TUlI,9sten. - The Ben Lomond Tungsten Co. has been crushing­and storing are for treatment on the tables in the rainy se9son. The purchase of tungsten from other properties i ~ cOlltclIlplated ·with a view to attempt to regulate market prices of this metal. A discovery of wolf yam orc is being prospccteJ north of the Picman Heads.

Asbe$tos.-Specimens have been ex hibited from the "icinity of the Gordon river. Small quantities of a!':bestos lock have been shipped from the AustrahH~ iall Company's mine, ncar Beacons­field. Thi s company appear:;; to })(' making ~lIre of its market befOl'e developillg the mine very extl·n:::ively.

Iridium, or rather osmiridium, luts been won from the sands of the Savage Hivcr. The Hrit.i l'h sy ndicate, representcd hy 11ajor Hughes, bas rai scd its offer now to £2 lOs, per Ollncl'.

A review of the Industry at the present juncture shows that legitimate mining is bei ng ca.rri~d on more vigorously and seriously than at any previous period in the hi story of the Colony. The favourable market-prices of metals havc stimu­lated prospecting'. Vlork on old mining fields has been resumed, new fields are being discO\ ert'd. and the outlook, generally, is on e which foreshadows an incn:::Hld development of the minel'al l'esources of the Isla.nd ,

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OF TASMAN[A. 11

The average nllmber of men employed during the Quarter was as fo1Jows ;_

in or about the mines

District. European. Chinese. 'fOTAL. Northern and Southern 896 896 North Western .......... 328 328 North Eastern .. . ....... 330 165 495 Eastern ................ 790 82 872 \'1 estern ................ 4300 4300

TOTAL ........ 6644 247 6891 - = = Value of the mineral output perman employed, £58 16s. 51d.

The dividends paia during the quarter were as follow ;_

From Copper Mines .............. . " Gold Mines .................. . " Tin Th-lines .................... . " Sil ver Mines ................. .

£ .•. d. 55,000 0 0 15,600 0 0 31,545 0 0 19,552 16 10

TOTAL ............ £J 21,697 16 10

The amount of Dividends paid from tin mines during the quarter enaing 31st March, 1900, was stated to be £177,000, whereas tbe amount actually paid in dividends was £27,000. A Sum of £150,000 was paid as It bonus by the Driseis Tin Mining Company, ana was includea in the amount of dividends paid, 10 error.

.tOHN VAlL, GOVERNMENT PRINTER, TASMANIA,