and
west would be sound mining, although it is hardly likely that anything;
rich is to be met with near the vicinity of the rich position which was
fol- lowed down from the 700-feet level. One line of favoured
situations, in a great width of fractured country, has been followed
evidently to its terminal
Assuming
that the stone met with from the surface down to the 680-feet level is
in the " plum " sort of fracture, this " plum " fracture must cross the
" spur" line somewhere between the 680-feet level and the 800 feet
level, and go down to the west of the latter. Perhaps that main channel
showing so conspicuously in the chamber of the 2,000-feet level
represents continuation of it. At any rate, this lode track in the
chamber ought to be driven on. Such work, even if it fail to locate
anything good, must be classed as legitimate mining.
Thousands of tons of ore remain in the levels from 100 feet to 600 feet all
of which is to come out in due course. The old German and North German'
companies mined shallow formations of this area at one time, and the
yields to date thereof (South German included) total 184,541 ozs. of
gold. The South German shareholders furnished less than £10,000
capital, and received nearly £337,000 in dividends. The company might
as well have retained £25,000 on reserve. Even £200,000 dividends would
have been a big reward to shareholders for the £10,000 risked. Mr. J.
B. Hebbert is now in charge oh the
mine, Mr. T. Hayes, the general mine manager, being absent for a while,
owing to an accident. Mr. A. R. W. Dabb, of Maldon, is the legal
manager. There is a 30-head mill and a cyanide plant on the mine.
The
next mine is the South German Extended. Its shaft is situated about
1,100 feet south of the shaft of the South German Company, and about
260 feet south of the boundary between the two areas. The main shaft is
down 1,500 feet. Work is confined to the 1,100-feet level af present.
This company's formations belong to the same systems of fracture as
those in the South German mine. The formations of the " plum " line
have received attention in the shallow levels. The works in the
1,100-feet level are out east, and on a continuation south of the "
spur " system of quartz " makes " now being sampled in the South
German—whether or not on the same individual line of drainage, I cannot
say. It is one of the same systems of drains, however, and though
containing narrow quartz, this quartz is rich in gold. There are
several lode lines to be seen in the cross-cut at the 1,100-feet level,
and up in the 700-feet level. They belong to both systems—" plum " and
" spur "—of fracture, and contain masses of stone. Nothing much has
been done in the latter level in prospecting these " makes." The lode
channels are more nearly vertical in these German mines than away north
on the field, due to the fact that they are further away from the
centre of the disturbance responsible for the twisting and fracturing
of the country of the line. Long lines of the more nearly vertical
fractures, unimpeded for great extents, mean very rich positions at
points of obstruction below, and there is much to be done in the bottom
levels here in prospecting for them. There are great masses of
low-grade ore remaining in the shallow levels. The richest ore has
certainly been picked out of it in parts, but many " magpie " positions
of favour, and other long extents of wing veins of quartz remain. The
company is said to have raised 54,261 ozs. of gold. It has a 10-head
mill. Mr. Penrose is in charge of the works, and Mr. Dabb, of Maldon,
is the legal manager.
