From
the plans and sections of the mine, it is obvious that, with the shafts
as they are, there is much exploratory work to be done. Without a winze
on each anticline, from the surface to the depth attained in the
shafts, the prospecting work cannot be considered to have been
accomplished. At the No. i shaft, by means of winzes and rises, the
eastern centre-country should be bored right through from the suiface
to the bottom level, and below that level, for in Bendigo winzes are
generally sunk for even hundreds of feet below the shaft, for the
purpose of prospecting centre-country. The syncline, in a similar way,
requires the same treatment, so that there may be no chance of missing
either an auriferous saddle-reef or a trough-reef. On the 487 ft. 9 in
level in the No. 1 shaft, at 435 feet to the west of the shaft, the
Energetic centre-country is cut. This should be also risen on and sunk
through from the surface to the bottom of the present shaft, or deeper.
In
the No. 2 shaft, similar work is needed on the eastern anticline, on
the syncline, and on the Energetic line of reefs. With the shafts as
they are, and without sinking them deeper, excellent work might be done
in the way of exploring the anticlinal lines for saddle-reefs and the
synclinal line for trough-reefs.
Until
these operations be carried out, the value of the property cannot be
known, but the results already obtained fully warrant systematic and
thorough prospecting, on the lines indicated.
Below
the present depths of the shafts there are thousands of feet of this
corrugated country awaiting the miner's advent, and it is now known
that for over 4,000 feet in depth of such country as this company
holds, payable reefs have been opened up and proved elsewhere.
If
the group of mines near the No. 1 shaft were amalgamated, and worked as
one mime from the No. 1 shaft, and the No. 2 shaft cut off, and another
mine worked from it, mining interests would be benefited. {Report sent in 18th November, 1905.]
Russell's Reef Amalgamated Mine.
Some
open cuts have been made about 400 feet to the west of the No. 2 shaft,
in search of centre-country, and a small quartz reef, dipping to the
west, is exposed. A little gold was obtained. This site would be a good
one for sinking to, say, 100 feet to test centre-country. The shaft
need not be larger than 6 ft. x 3 ft., unless it be determined to sink
to a greater depth.
[Report sent in 20th December, 1905.]
The No. i South Russell's Mine.
This
is a new mine, and a shaft is being sunk on the Energetic line of reef
just south of the township of Lauriston. The shaft is 180 feet deep and
is 6 feet by 3 feet. In the western cross-cut at 30 feet from the
surface, centre-country occurs at 15 feet to the west of the Shaft,
while at 38 feet to the west a dyke, a few inches thick, was cut. In
the bottom a cross-cut has been driven westerly. , At 43 feet to the
west of the shaft the dyke and centre-country are cut. In the latter at
centre-country, there are quartz spurs in slate and sandstone beds. The
spurs contain iron pyrites and a little galena. One of the spurs
contained gold also. Black slate, with pyrites, occurs also in the
bottom level. In centre-country a winze, 5 feet deep, has been sunk;
this should be continued in centre-country for at least 100 feet. The
arch of the anticline is well formed, and saddle-reefs may be met with
at any level. If the work so far done is any guide, the plane of the
axis appears to be inclined somewhat to the west, but more
