ing
works on a lode in a spur running up to a mount known as the Bon
Accord. This lode bears all the features so characteristic of the lodes
of the district, not only in its dip and strike compared with the dip
and strike of the rock layers, but in its slaty nature and dyke
material. The impression received, as one runs through old works on it,
is that at least a 25-head mill is required for its extensive deposits
of low-grade ore, composed of a network of inch-wide quartz veins,
vertical and horizontal,
tearing
20-feet widths of gold-slate, the whole of which is gold-bearing. I
noted the trough structure in the corrugation close by. Mr. Howard
purchased the rights of the area, together with a first-class 10-head
mill, from a company, and he is bent on a thorough test.
A
little further to the south, the Wacher party is opening works in a.
lode belonging to the same system for, I was informed, payable returns.
In mountain " shows," away from mill facilities, " payable " means at
least one ounce to the ton, but then pack-horse carriage of quartz
means sorting of ore. This party has crushed 36 tons for a return of 16
dwts. to the ton.
To
the east, near the top of the spur from Mount Hotham known as the
Razorback, I found the works of the Government Grant party. This is
perhaps the highest mine in Australia, the pinnacle of Mount Feathertop
being close at hand on the same spur; the elevation is about 6,000 feet
above gea-level. The lode structure is, as usual, underlying east about
45°, and striking about 45° east of south, in strata more nearly
vertical, and striking-about 30° east of south. It has
widths from about a foot or so to 10 feet, and there is the usual slaty
material in its bulk. The familiar dyke stuff is present,, and mixtures
of this material, slate and quartz form great tadpole-shaped widths of
ore, said to be gold-bearing. Two tunnels have been driven to its line,
and a lot of "rooting" work done—much of it for no apparent reason—in
tin1 search for the continuation of the golden stone met
with on the ridge of the range. The gold obtained was 600 ounces, and
the yields from 2 dwts. to 2 ounces, averaging 7 dwts. to the ton. A
first-class 10-head mill, away down in the gorge to the west, is
connected with the mine works by tramway.
On
the track to Harrietville the Hoskin Bros, are sampling an inverted
saddle lode, high on a range opposite the Unique mine. They have a
little 3-head mill perched on a sidling. There are many points opened
by ers in these mountains worthy of more attention. Golden situations
have been located, and the best of their ores packed to distant mills,
leaving the remainder for future attention.
Just east of the town, on the main spur trending west from Feathertopr several
situations have been opened, one of which is of the wing order of
quartz occurrence, almost saddle-shaped in its form. North of the town
a. saddle lode known as the Smoko has been worked by a company which
cried "peccavi" on meeting with a slight reverse. Mr. Gallagher
is at present working in its western wing in search of a rich
situation, such as was met with in this lode in more than one part. I
could hear nothing concerning the aggregate of yields here, but learnt
that exceedingly rich patches were met with, as I found on examination,
at points of resistance where the lenses of stone feathered out on the
foot/wall into slate. I think Mi'. Gallagher would have a better chance
of meeting with such patches by confining his works more to the quartz
of the actual saddle, than in the wing ; the fluids in the radiating
crack drain there, coming through the gold-slate layers, having met
with direct resistance in the more nearly horizontal layers of quartz.
