West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), Monday 5 December 1898, page 2


MINING NEWS.

KALGOORLIE.

KALGOORLIE, December 4.

The manager of the Lake View East is now driving north at the 500ft. level. A largo sulphide lode 12ft. wide was cut at 100ft. in the east shaft. The stone is very highly cbai'ged with mineral, but the assay value is very low, being a few penny-weights. The quality is slightly improv-ing as the drive proceeds north. This Í3 supposed to be one of the Australia lodes. The manager of this mine, Mr. C. M. Harris, proceeds in a few days to the But-terfly leases at Red Hill to try au interest-ing experiment. He purposes erecting Woodbury vanners there to receive tail-ings from the battery before they run over the amalgamating tables, the idea being to prevent the sickening of the silver on the plates which the friction of heavy

mineral causes.

The manager of the Lalee View and Boulder Junction reports that the main shaft is down 420ft. In the list fortnight 39ft. have been sunk. He states that he will open to the east at the 500ft. level, when he will commence a crosscut to the True Blue m me across the North Kal

gurli ground.

Interesting developments have taken place in the copper show, about eight miles from Kalgoorlie. The lode is about 4ffc. wido. The ore is rich, consisting' of green carbonates and grey ore, some of which returns assays of 70 per cent. The pro-perty contains 100 acres. Considerable interest is being manifested in the develop-

ments.

THE DONNYBROOK FIND.

ENCOURAGING PROSPECTS.

BUNBURY, December 4.

Mr. W. H. Timperley, K.M., paid a visit of inspection to the Donnybrook goldfields yesterday in his capacity as warden of the field. Interviewed, Mr. Timperley said that after driving for about two and a half miles he reached Cammilleri's find, where there were about 20 miners waiting to interview him. He took about a dozen

declarations for permits to mine on private property, and then issued the permits. After about four hours of office work he proceeded to take a look round the mines. He first inspected Cammilleri's claim,

where he saw two vertical shafts. Mr.

Cammilleri expressed the hope that he

would strike the reef which was shedding

the gold on the adjoining land. Mr. Cammilleri took out for his* inspection a spadeful of dirt, which he washed in the creek in Mr. Timperley's presence, and the washing showed a very good prospect.

Mr. Cammilleri said that he could get equal prospects from anywhere within 100 yards of his shaft. He also crushed a small piece of stone which showed the colour of gold

Mr. Timperley then proceeded to Hun-ter's claim, and found him sending up quartz from the shaft. There was a bag of quartz specimens standing near the shaft, and on inspecting it Mr. Timperley and also Mr. Eastman and P.c. O'Connor, who accompanied him, saw the colours of gold in most of the specimens. About half an

hour afterwards Mr. Hunter crushed a

piece of stone which showed a. splendid prospect. For about six inches along the edge of the pan there was a streak of gold, which Mr. Clowes, who was also present, estimated would be about four grains, but he (Mr. Timperley) could not judge as to the quantity.

He next inspected Burke's claim, where there was a small quantity of gold on the surface. Mr Burke informed him that he did not look for specimen stone, as he wa3 quite satisfied that the gold was there, in-asmuch as the trial crushing of eight tons sent to Northam had yielded 5oz. 4dwt. without cyanidiug.

From there Mr. Timperley went to Paynes', where there was also a vertical shaft. The Messrs. Payne were also get-ting out quartz, and in one piece which Mr. Timperley inspected he saw gold.

Mr. Timperley was very much impressed with the great progress of the field, and said there was not a single place he had visited where they could not show him gold without difficulty. Looking at it from an inexperienced point of view he would say unhesitatingly that there was a splendid prospect of liuding gold there in consider-able quantities. Mr Burke was getting up 20 tons of stone to be sent for crushing to Northam, and if that trial proved satis-factory he intended to erect a five-head battery on the ground to crush their own quartz, as the expense o£ carting to Donnybrook and' sending the stone thence by rail to Northam would be, of course, too great to allow them any profit for themselves, whereas by crushing on the ground they would get very handsome returns. He might mention, he said, that the shafts appeared to have bean put down systematically, and were woll timbered, with windlasses overhead and shades for the men to work under. The prospectors on the whole appeared in excellent spirits and were satisfied that there wa3 a very good future before tha field. He eaw a man prospecting in the- gully with a cradle and tin dish, who got a colour of gold each t<me he panned oii, but he should say that ¡.he returns from such work would be ex-ceedingly small. The reefing prospects, however, appeared to be very good. It was anticipated that the field would continue to develop, and new finds would bs made, as prospecting was going on steadily. Burke's, Hunter's and Paynes' claims are within a quarter of a mile of each other.

While at Mr. Cammilleri's claim Mr.

Timperley took the , opportunity of ex-plaining to the assembled miners the Mining on Private Property Act, and of reading the regulations. He impressed upon the tuen that the idea that they could easily obtain a lease was net altogether cor-rect. There were certain formalities aud re-sponsibilities to be undertaken, and they seemed to recognise that such were neces-sary. He statsd that he had every reason to believe that a Warden would very soon be appointed, and that the Donnybrook, or

Preston-whichever it was-would be de-clared a goldfield.

MINE MANAGERS' REPORTS.

Lady Shenton, Menzies.-Fortnight end-ing November 26th:-No. 4 level: No. 1 winze-This winze has been sunk 7ft., total depth 65ft. It is being carried down 13ft in length by 5ft. wide. The quartz is making stronger, and a little more sul-phide is coming in, carrying nice colours of gold. A machine will be put in this face after next week, when better progress will be made. North slopes-These stopes are being worked at this level, and have been advanced respectively 20ft. by 10ft. by 5ft., 16ft. by 12ft. by 8ft., and 20ft. by'Sfc. by 4ft., the ore broken from these faces being of a very good quality. South drive -This face has been extended a further distance cf 6ft., total from crosscut 235ft. There is about 1ft. oE reef showing, being highly mineralised, and showing a little fine gold. No. 3 level: North stopes These stopes have been advanced 10ft. bv 6ft. by 2it. and 12ft. by 6ft. by 2ft., the pay-ore brokon being of a very fair quality, averaging about 2ffc. in width. The stopes have also been mullocked np, and the necessary timber put in the passes to enable us to continue stoping.

North-west crosscut - This crosscut has been extended -14tt., total dis-tance 30ft, the country being

tight closed-grained diovire. South Drivi

This level has been driven a further dis-tance of 8ífc.¡ total from No. 3 main level, 227ft. This face shows 1ft. of stone (low grade), and will be discontinued for the time being. South Underhand Stope : This stope has been taken uut 12ft. by 14ft. by 2ft., the pay-ore being 2ft. in size, highly mineralised, and of very good quality. No. 2 Parallel Level-Stopes : There are three stopes working above this level, and the ground blocked out is 16ft. by 5ft. by 4ft, 14ft. by 5ft. by 4ft., and 20ft. by 4£t. by 1ft. Thestone broken has been of good quality. No 1 Level-North Drive : This drive has been extended 2Sft.; total distance from the crosscut, 244Ct. The reef has averaged about 2ft. in size, carrying nice payable gold. The reef at present is pinched a little, but will no doubt make larger again as the drive Í3 advanced. Norih Rise : This rise has been put up 25ft., which is the total height risen. The reef h i3 been of a very bunchy nature, being about 2ft. between the walls,

and fair gold is to be seen both in the ore and in the casing surrounding the reef. Western Stope : This face has been carried in a further distance of 14ft. There is not much change to report from here. The quartz is still showing a. fair sprinkling of fins gold, and the same may be said of the red kaolin previously mentioned. The crushing stuff is fully 2ft. wide. South Stopes: These stopes have been carried on as usual, the reef being 4ft. in size, and of good quality. The best gold seen in these faces during the fortnight was principally in tho soft kaolin near the quartz. Mul locking up of these sfcepes has been started, as the ground has become very heavy.

Fraser's, Southern Cross, for week ending 30th November.-Fraser's lease, shaft No. 2, No. 2 winze, No. 4 level : Sunk for week 01ft., total depth 63Jft. The winze is now going down on a big body of quartz, which, however, is prospecting rather poorly. South drive, Sholls reef, No. 5 level : Ex-tended for week 9ffc., total length of drive 79ft. The lode is now coming in from footwall, and on the whole the drive is looking better than reported last week. Samples taken from the face are prospect-ing fairly well. North drive, Sholl's reef, No. 5 level : Driven for week 21ft., total length 23ft. The lode here is still very much cut up, and prospecting poorly. AVest crosscut, No. 5 IBVOI: Driven for week 7àft.; total, 144Jft. There is a dis-tance of about 28ft. yet to be driven before this crosscut intersects Fraser's or Western reef. Fraser's South lease, shaft No. 3: Sunk for week (¡.¿ft.,totaldepthfroni surface 356ft. West crosscut to extended lode, No. 3 level : Driven for week lOJf t., total length of cross-cut, 32ft. The ground being gone through by the crosscut is of a regular slate forma-tion. North drive on Hill's lode No. 3 level" Extended for week 2ffc., total 25Jft. The face of drive continues very mullocky, and no improvement has occurred during the week. South drive on Hill's lode. No. 3 level. Driven for week 12ft., total 53ft. A nice lode is being disclosed here, and the quartz is showing gold freely.

CEUSHINGS. '

CUE, December 3.

The tributors of the Arcadia mine have crushed 93 tons for 141oz. at the Cue Victory battery.

A parcel of 205 tons from the Eclipse yielded 98oz. 13dwt. at the Cue public battery.

A parcel of 30} tons from the old Lady Emily mine has been crushed at the Victory battery for a yield of 15oz. 4dwt.

MINING NOTES.

A parcel of 60 tons of stone from the Tambourrah Reward mine, Pilbarra, re-

cently put through the battery, yielded 76½oz. of gold.

The principal nuggets comprising the alluvial find made by Bligh and party in the Nullagine country a few weeks back were placed in the custody of the Union Bank at Roebourne. The largest piece turned the scale at 41oz., three other pieces weighing 16Joz, 12oz., and lloz. respec-tively. The gold appeared to have come from a clay 6ubsoil, judging by the dirt adhering to it.

A trial crushing of 10 tons of ore from ths Star of the East lease at Mt. Ida will

shortly be treated at the Friday battery. This lease is one of those recently acquired by Mr. L. R. Menzies during his last prospecting tour, and is at prosent being worked by him. The stone to be treated is said to be of a good grade, says the Menzies Se.ra.li, and returns should more than repay the co3t of cartage and crush-ing, although it has had to be carried

from Buoh a considerable distance.

Our Broken Hill correspondent tele-graphs as follows Almost all the pro-perties surronuding Broken Hill are being worked now by local and Victorian syndi-cates with most encouraging results.

The numerous friends of Mr. John Wil-

son, the first mayor of Kalgoorlie, who was

made much of in London on the occasion

of his first visit to the old country in 1896, and who is now en route to Klondyke, will be glad to hear that he is in the best of health (says the London "Citizen".) From a letter received from him, dated ''The Grand Rapids, Mackenzie River, Canada," he says, "I never felt in better health and spirits, the cold air seemingly agreeing with me." He is the leader of a small party of eleven, and was fortunate enough to secure as his guide for the "rapids" Mr. Thomas Leo, a French Canadian, who accompanied Lord Wolseley in his Nile expedition. Mr. Wilson is not following the beaten track to Klondyke. He intends to go as far north as Fort Mc Pherson— the most northerly of the Hudson Bay forts — and then proceed south with the object of exploring the head waters of the Peel River which he believes have their source in the Rockies, somewhere near the head waters of the Stewart River, recently found to be so rich in gold. At any rate, this source it is the object of the little expedi-tion to discover. Included in the party are Mr. Daniel McFadden, engineer, and Mr. Duncan McCallum, mining expert.

India is a gold producer in a small way. From January to September of this year Indian mines have turned out 310,799oz. The output for the whole "of 1S97 was 389,779oz.

The promptness with, which the monthly gold exportations of the colony are now announced, in comparison with the delays of four, five, and even six days which formerly prevailed, is creditable to the Customs Department. But there is a danger in sending forth incomplete re-turns, as is shown by the fact that many of the London journals quote and comment upon the October record as 115,376oz. instead of 116,824½oz. It will be remem-bered that the first figures were published locally, with the explanation that they were not complete; but this proviso appears to have been overlooked by the London newspapers.

The world's production of gold is now at the rate of ,£60,000,000 sterling yearly, of which sum the British Empire produces

£32,000,000.

A gentleman who has interested himself concerning the finds of asbestos in the Nor'-West had some samples sent to the Department of Mines, Sydney, for examina-tion, the following reply being received -. " Sir,-I have the honour to inform 3*ou that the sample of asbestos submitted by you this morning has been examined. It is essentially a matter for practical tests to enable an idea as to its commercial value being formed. The sample is undoubtedly well worth submitting to a firm dealing in asbestos. The United Asbestos Co., Ltd., Dock House, Billiter-strset, London, would no doubt be prepared to submit it to te3ts, and afford information as to commercial value. It is necessary, however, that suffi-cient quantity of the material be available for export to render this course advisable. The following facts in reference to the Canadian deposits may be of interest. The price varies considerably, depending prin-cipally on length of fibre, flexibility, and tensile strength. The following prices may be quoted: 'Firsts,' fibre three-quarters of an inch and longer, ¿£24 to £2.6 per ton ; 'seconds/ fibre Jin. to -Jin., .£12 to £16; 'thirds,' fibre up to lm., £à to ¿£10; * waste,' ¿C3 to £IS. Tho available quan-tity of firsts, however, in a mine is very small, and it is necessary that an average price of about ¿£16 per ton be obtained for remunerativo working." Ona weli-known mining mau who visited the district a couple of years ago was of opinion that to profitably work the asbestos seams here it would be neoessary to establish a manu-factory (says Northern Public Opinion, Roe-bourne) ; failing that the price for the raw article is too low for it to bo profitably ex-ported.

Our Brisbane correspondent tslegraphed yesterday as follows :-The amount of gold produced in Queensland during November was 77,017oz. from 110,556 tons of ore. Alluvial gold amounted to 3,06 loz., making a total of 80,07Goz. This is an increase of 2,038oz., as compared with November of last year.

At Gullewa mining operations are said to have become a thing of the past, and re-port has it that the. Gullewa mine is about to seek a further period of exemption.

The Derwent mine, at Lake Way, is having 100 tons crushed, and the Dark Horse follows with 100 tons. The assay of tailings from the last crushing of the lat-ter mine assayed by the Government Assayar, Perth, gave a return of 2oz. odwt. 15gr. per ton, so that more than half the

gold was l03t to the owners in the crush- I ing, the return from crushing being 2oz. per ton. The Essex tailings assayed at

same place went loz. Sdwt. 12gr., so that three-quarters of the gold went into tie tailing, the original return being 32dwt. It is to be regretted, says a correspondent, that the crushing plant and gold saving appliances on the field are not up to date, as the loss to the owners through the pre-sent appliances being so crude is consider-able, and the district does not receive the credit due to it as a gold producer.

The greater part of the machinery for the British Lion lease at Mulline, consist-ing of a 10-head battery and the necessary appurtenances, has arrived in Menzies, and will be forwarded without dolay to its des-

tination.