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EfttftlM,
MINING STATISTIC3.
The most general feature in the last number of
the quarterly reports of the mining surveyors and
registrars, just issued, is the complaint of want of
water for mining purposes. In several localities
the drought during the last quarter was the most
severe ever experienced ; many of the miners
abandoned their claims to engage temporarily in
other pursuits, and had the rain kept off a little
louger, a total standstill in mining would have
been the result in those divisions where mining
operations depend entirely on the water supply,
lortunately, abundant rains have since fallen;
hut two droughts during the year tell heavily on
the returns, and it is only too evident that, not
withstanding the apparently inexhaustible cha
racter of our auriferous deposits, so long bb wo do
not possess a general and comprehensive system
of waterworks, great fluctuations in the yields of
gold are to be eipected. The yield of
la6t quarter is, however, by no means
small, amounting, according to the mining
registrars' calculations, to 896,037oz., whereof
about three-fifths were obtained from alluvial
and two-fifths from quartz reefs. TLie quantity
of gold the produce of Victoria exported from the
colony during the first nine months of this year
was, according to Customs returns, l;0Il,856oz.,
or 262,205oz. less than the quantity exported
during the corresponding period in 1868. The
total number of. miners employed on ourgold-
ficlds on the 30th September last was 68, €84, of
which 51.303 are described as alluvial miners,
and 17,381 as quartz miners. The number of
distinct quartz reefs actually proved to be auri
ferous i3 given as 2,808, which would be about
one reef to every six quartz miners ; but as many
of the reefs employ each hundreds of miners, it is
evident that most of our quartz reefs are merely
" discovered," and their development reserved for
future enterprise. Comparing the returns now
beforo us with those for several previous quarters,
we find that on an average, four or five new nuri-
ferous reefs are discovered every week.
The tables -of crushings for the quarter show
235,87-1 tons of quartz, yielding 119,118oz. of
gold, or an average of lOdwt. 2,40gr. to the ton.
412 tons of pyrites and blanketings operated on
gave l,308oz., or 3oz. 3dwt. 12'27gr. to the ton, a
highly satisfactory result, which has caused more
at tention to be paid to this part of our mineral
wealth.
The mining registrar at . Ballarat reports that
there existed in bis division a depression in
mining matters. The quantity of gold obtained
by the principal companies was 55,139oz., and
the quarter'6 dividends amounted to £69,261.
Other divisions in the Ballarat district appear to
be rising in importance, and notably at Haddon
alluvial mining is carried on with great activity
and excellent prospects. The mining registrar
at Beechworlh reports a discovery likely to prove
of permanent value to the colony and district —
viz., the finding of a tin lode, or rather large
quantities of stream tin, which induce the belief
that the lode is not far off. The locality is the
Pilot Range, to the north of the road from
Eeechwortli to Chiitern. The finders, in order
to protect themselves while prospecting for tlie
lode, have applied for a mineral lease of 610
acres. -The speeimens of black sand (tin ore)
exliibited from the locality are said to be richer
than any hitherto jFound in this district. Li
the Sandhurst district the quartz lodes gayfe
increased yields, aiid new alluvial ground was
opened ait liuutiy and several places in the sub
division of Waranga north ; but Spring Creek
(Moorinbool) was deserted by most of the miuers
who, on the 30th J ubc last, were reported as still
hanging on to that " rush." In the districts of
Maryborough, Castlemaine, and Ararat there is
nothing which calls for special notice at our
linnds : but the Gipps Laud district, hitherto the
least important, claims particular attention for
the new resources bursting into light in various
placeB, such as the new-alluvial workings on the
Lower Dargo and Crooked River, and the cement
workings at Taugil ; and also the increasing im
portance of the quartz reefs in the Stringer's Creek
and St. Andrew's divisions. On the whole, there
is reason to believe that the current" quarter will
bo the most prosperous period of the year 1869
to the miners of Yietom.
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