Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 - 1939), Saturday 15 June 1872, page 3


COPPER.

A GENTLEMAN now in Mary borough (says the Wide Bay News) on his way to Sydney, has exhibited in town some fine specimens of blue and green carbonate from a selection taken up

by bim for copper mining at Ban Ban. A peculiar-looking piece of greyish blue mineral, from the same locality, was also shown, which is thought to be platina ore. Amongst other specimens of copper ore shown were some rich specimens of grey ore from Bawbelle, said to have been got at about ten feet below the surface. A very good piece of weighty green ore, intermixed with quarts crystals, also from Bawbelle, with several mineral specimens from tbe different selections taken up there, were ahown. From their richness and variety, it would teem that Bawbelle, whioh was onoe pronounced to be *' a country not fit to feed a pig" by a shareholder in tbe English Oompany which once held tbe run, will in all probability produce " pigi" enough of different metals, and at no very distant date to aupport a thriving population. We (tame journal) underttand tbat the progreti made at tbe Mount Clara Copper Mi.-c, Kilkivan, ia moat latiafactory. Sinking has commenced, and at a depth of about 25 feet, following the dip of tbe lode, it presents the appearance of a solid bed of blue and green carbonates, ten feet thick, between well-defined walla of rock. About a hundred tont of ore are now at gran, and it may give tome idea of the facility to large a lode gives to mining operations when we state that three men turned out ' hirty tons of ore in a week. Not only does the lode show no sign whatever of pinching; but the quality of tbe ore is fait improving. Tbe development of the mine in other respects it alto being rapidly putbed forward. The chimney stack of the furnace, sixty-six feet in height, has been completed; it has been built throughout of solid blocks of bluestone, clamped with iron at intervals of two feet six inches, and lined with fire-brick. The furnace will be completed, in all probability, in about three weeks' time; it will then take a fortnight to anneal, when tmeltin-e will at once commence. The Kilkivan dittrict appean to be in ooune of change from a gold-field to a copper-field. We learn that there are now only three claimt professedly worked for gold, and the ownen appear to be deiirout of merely holding tbe ground until they can take up mineral selections. Much of the decline of gold-mining at Kilkivan it .undoubtedly due to the stoppage of the cruahing machine there. Tbe machine bas been bought by Mr. Vickery, the well known capitalist, and has been closed. One or two gold miners bave reason to grumble at thit, at they hare about 160 tona of quartz ready for cruthing. The district, which is well known to abound with minerals, is being rapidly taken up as mineral selections; we understand that all, or nearly all, of the applications now before the Government will be granted.— Gympie Times.

Loud Lisoab, better known aa Sir John Young, ia about to quit Canada; and Lord Dufferin will be appointed Governor-General of tbe Dominion. That is a good selection. The Governor-General of Canada should be a sort of king, a sort of diplomatist, and a sort of Commissioner for tbe repression of Fer-ianiim ; and Lord Dufferin can play all those rdles, and be an excellent guide and referee for tbe Canadian Cabinet beside*. It is not everybody who can preside pleassntly over a Government composed of men of two races, two languages, two creeds, and about nine syitemt of political thought. He loses all the advantage of hia Syrian experience, which would have atood him in good stead in India j but he gains the use of his Irish experience, which in a country threatened onoe a yean with a Fenian invation will be almost mvaluable.—/Spccio/or.