GOLD IN CEYLON.
"
Gold yes, there can be no doubt that it exists in Ceylon, and may yet
be found in paying quantities in quartz reefs. Mr. Blackett took
specimens from one reef on Dotel-oya estate and had them assayeu at the
School of Mines in Ballarat and they averaged 3 dwts. and 5
grains to the ton. Many of the Australian mines were made to pay their
way with less with our cheap water-power during the wet weather, 2 dwts. per ton should pay."—Cor.
[
We should welcome Australian capitalists bringing the needful
experience as well as money to open reefs in Ceylon, and they ought
certainly to send an expert to examine and report on Mr. Blackett's
reefs.—Compters.]
An
Ambagamuwa correspondent writes :—" There is gold in Ceylon in paying
quantities. There should be some steps taken to make practical use of
it, and give a filip to the island. Stones I have sent home, none of
the best, in fact they were not sent home for gold analysis at all,
gave I dwt. to drachms per ton gold and 3 to 4 drachms of silver per
ton.
"The
gentleman to whom it was sent said, most likely under the limestone we
should come across better, but would advise no expense to be taken as
it might not pay for the trouble, but that a landslip might discover
it. I know another place, not here, but lower down, which have
3 dwt., and Ramboda 3 to 4 oz. per ton, I believe. Strange, I find the
most pyritiferous stuff about my limestone reef.
. .
"
I have an idea our limestone is permian, and that the plumbago in
Ceylon is not true primary plumbago, but metamorphic coal.* I spoke to
Dixon about it and he said he thought my idea was correct, and Ceylon
was not primary metamorphic, but of a later date. Gold has been worked
in Australia when found in less quantities than I find it here.
" You may say, what do I know of geology? Practically but little; I
am very fond of it. I have read Lyell's Elements through two or three
times, and others of Lyell's the best on metamorphic rocks over and
over again. I have read all Professor Darwin's works over twice, and
everything else I have got hold of in geology. What to me appears we
must go deep in Ceylon to find anything or close on to the primary
granite. There we most likely will find the most metal; the washings at
gem diggings are not of much value, as they sift the stones and as our
gold is fine, it is all lost. 1 am a firm believer in gold in Ceylon. ......... .
'•I
have got here from pyrites visible gold with the blowpipe. Dickson said
some pyrites I sent him had at the rate of three or four ounces to the
ton in them, but he was so little to be trusted ! He said we here were
much like Ramboda. There is gold somewhere about, aud I have seen
indications of it in Lower Maskeliya, stronger than 1 have in this;
also in Lower Dikoya. I feel sure I know a place would be well worth
prospecting."
"
The lar>>e pyrites, nearly 1 owt., which Dixon saiu had some 3 or
4 oz. of gold in it,°was from a broken gneiss boulder from over the
limestone reef. Our gneiss here is extremely pyritous, and the best
tests for gold 1 have had with chloride of tin have been from gneiss. I
know of a thick band of gneiss not far from here, one mass of arsenical
pyrites, also some other stuff, copper I think, as it cats with a
knife. Arsenical pyrites is a sure accompaniment of gold in Australia.
We have every indication of gold here. The only wonder iB we do not
find it visibly. They say we have not slate; no, but we have mica
schists or rather metamorphic slate by intense plutonic action. A piece
of stuff I had sent me from the Del Rey mines in Brazil was only black
gneis3 and no gold is visible to the eye. 1 believe in highly
metamorphic rocks, more or less primary. Gold is found in the gneiss,
or rather black veins,
' * " Metamorphic coal ! " All coal is metamorphosed vegetation.—Compilers.
