Kalgoorlie Miner (WA : 1895 - 1954), Friday 7 February 1896, page 3


Mining News.

(BY OUR MINING REPORTER.)

HANNAN'S REWARD.

This mine, which was originally known as Hannan's Hill, was one of the first leases taken up on the field and includes the six acre lease granted to Hannau for discovering the best alluvial find ever made in the colony, and without knowing it the best reefing field the world has ever seen. The history of the mine is the same as of most other properties on

the lme. that is me outcropmg quartz leaders or feeders of the main lode were first discovered and. extensively opened up before the presence of the main north and south lode was dreamed of. In the Reward claim, which has had the advantage oJ: being under the one management from the first' all the work accomplished has been very thoroughly done. A series of shafts were sunk originally along the length of the leases and connected by crosscuts which at the SSf t level were run north and south for a total distance of 1100ft. In -the' course -of this work no less than 17 quartz veins of various thicknesses, but almost invariably rich in gold, were cut. So rich are they in places that these small reefs may even yet be regarded as banks from which may be drawn a few tons of rich stone to sweeten up poor crushings should the ore from the main lode ever need this to be done. Subsequently it was discovered that all these veins of quartz make into the main north find south reef. In the Reward the main lode was discovered about 12 months ago, and, breaking into it while following one of the leaders, it was found to be so immense in size that for some time its direction' could not be determined. At the point at which it- was struck, cast of the main shaft, it is 40ft wide, and in places full of fine gold, while the whole 40ft will average over an ounce per ton. . The matrix

is a decomposed pbrphry, through which run veins of quartz varying in thickness from an 'inch .to afoot. . These run in all directions, forming a complete network in the other . lode material. This immense formation has tjeen' opened up for a distance of GOOft, and 'although, it turns and twists, its general strike is . north-west . and south-east. The average thickness of the ore body is between 20ft and 40ft,' but will probably approach nearer to the latter than the former width. Taking it at an average of something more than an ounce per ton it is one of the best bodies of stone ever opened up in Australia. Very little work has been done in it for a long time past beyond running a drive along the course of the lode with occasional crosscuts to test its width.. ? To prove its permanence in depth a winze has been sunk in the formation; and has attained a depth oE 70ft belo\v: the SSf t level.- In this the ore has been richer than in the main workings, and the winze is still being carried down in good ore. This gives the management about 15 Oft of backs to work on as soon as the reduction works have been erected. For some time past the manager, Mr W. H. Corbould has realised .that the most important thing next to the gold was -water with which to treat the stone, and he has accordingly devoted most of his energies to getting the main shaft down to water level. For this reason a three compartment shaft has been steadily carried down, and at a depth of 2S0ft a fair supply was met with. The shaft was put down 1 2ft below the 300ft level, and the supply now averages about 500' gallons daily. -The last 30ft of

snking was done in a mixture of quartz and country rock. The leaders here comprise about half the rock, and are running in almost horizontally towards the main lode on the western side of .the shaft. The veins are heavily, charged with pyrites carrying fair gold, and in addition the stone is studded with free gold occuring in biocrystals all through the gangue. This is a pretty clear indication that the lode fed from these leaders is not poor, and the manager is naturally anxious to cut ..the reef at this level. The plat is now 'being- excavated, and as soon as this work is accomplished crosscutting will be simultaneously carried on from both the 200ft and the 300ft levels. At the bottom the lode is estimated to be within 50ft of the shaf :,' and within the iiext month or six weeks it should be proved at both levels. Ike water is all coming from the veins of quartz, and there is little doubt that the main body will be found to carry a large supply. This is the first- mine on the line to reach the 300ft level, and the result of the crosscuts will be awaited with a good deal of interest -all through the field. Until the nature of the ore at the bottom level is known, and the quantity of waterthere made evident, 'no attempt will be made to erect reduction 'works. As soon, however, as these points are settled, machinery will be ordered and the vast stores of wealth in the ground will be ? converted into dividends. By this time the railway will be almost at our doors, and the company will reap all the benefits of cheap carriage for its plant. The mine is destined to become one of the great wealth producers of the- field, and it is to be hoped that in a very short time crushing will be commenced. .