Even
the mining laws which the Government has enacted, ostensibly to
promote a legitimate mining, industry, to encourage the coming of that
class which did so much to open up Australia and California, must have
a contrary effect. To take up Government lands for mining purposes,
the applicant is permitted to mark off 30 acres as a mining claim,
with ico acres as adjunct, for milling and other purposes, but on the
latter only surface rights are granted. The real difficulty is in the
quantity of labour to be employed. To retain such right the law says
the employment of 5 men per acre, or on the 30 acres 150 hands.
Alluvial
and outcrop mining, however, is hardly thought of; it is the working of
the many quartz veins all are looking forward so anxiously for
remunerative results. That there is gold here, that it is in the quartz
matrix, and that there are large outcrops of quartz on which the
leading mines are located anyone who has had the opportunity of passing
over the district can testify. Quartz, however, is very widely
distributed in the Wynaad. Gold, it is said, has been found in places
at considerable distances apart, thus encouraging the expectation that
the quartz embraced in an area of 1,000 or more square miles may prove
sufficiently auriferous to pay. But the principal mines are not widely
distributed. They may be said to be embraced in a zone of about 25
miles long and 4 miles wide, or per Fig. "1, they are bounded on the
east by the Nilgiris, on the west by the Vellery Mulla mountain range,
their relative positions sectionally and within such zone, being as
indicated in the above engraving.
There
is not much diversity in the geology of the Wynaad gold-field. The
country rock is metamorphic—a hard dense gneiss, varying slightly in
texture and composition, as may be expected. Intrusive rocks are the
exception. In two or three places, notably at Hamsluck Waterfall,
there are what appears to be trap-like rocks; but, not unfrequcntly,
the exceptional appearance is, perhaps, due to the varying conditions
at work during the original deposition of the sedimentary matter. But,
as far as has yet been observed, there are no great faults passing
through the district ; no upheavals, bringing rocks of opposite
composition in juxtaposition ; near, and even in such dislocations of
strata, the principal metaliferous mines of the United States and
England are usually found. In fact, it is questionable if the Wynaad
veins can be called true fissure veins. Certainly, they are not similar
in general character to the veins usually wrought in the two named
countries; but, because it is not like any other district one has been
accustomed to, it would be obviously unwise to infer, without trial, it
is of less value. The Wynaad district will perhaps be found peculiarly
unique.
As
shown in section, the principal mines are located on or near a hill,
which, in nearly all cases where outcrops are exposed, the country rock
is completely disintegrated; that which was te all appearance one hard
gneiss has become as soft as chalk or clay. Even in this disintegrated
rock, when drifted through, the strike and dip of the strata is plainly
discernible though at times it is more confused, and in the drift-side
concentric rings may be seen, perhaps implying a land side, and that
boulders had been imbedded in the debris. Nor must it be
inferred the whole hill has undergone disintegration. In the bed of
every stream, and protruding out at various places, the hard gneiss
rock may be observed. In the section the shaded portion is intended to
show what may probably be found to be disintegrated rock.
The
veins not unfrequently slope down with the side of the hill, indeed,
sometimes a vein is only a few feet in from the sloping surface of the
hillside, and it causes a considerable controversy with many, if the
veins will really penetrate the hard dense gneiss rock. Actual mining,
however, will prove this, and it is satisfactory to know that at least
two companies have started deep levels, which, when driven, must prove
in their cases if the veins really go to an infinite depth or not. But
should the veins fail to penetrate
