350 Transactions. — Geology. 



establishment if such existed. A central reduction works would 

 also have the advantage of not being dependent on any one mine, 

 so that if some failed, others would be coming forward. 



We know there is a great waste of gold from our quartz 

 batteries, amounting to thousands of pounds annually. If the 

 gold, etc., could be extracted at a reasonable price, or if the ore 

 had a market value of so much per cent, of the assay value, 

 mine proprietors would soon and without much expense 

 concentrate their tailings, until they contained a high per- 

 centage of bullion. This could then be treated or sold, and the 

 product would add very considerably to the returns from many 

 of the mines, and would make ground payable that is not so 

 now on account of the loss of metal. 



In the case of the Champion Copper Company, I think perhaps 

 it would have answered their purpose better to have put up their 

 smelting works at Parapara instead of at the mine, where 

 they have to carry fuel and flux up, and then the copper down. 

 Certainly, if there had been smelting works at the Parapara it 

 would have made a great difference to them ; for they could 

 then have gone on proving their mine, and getting returns by 

 sending their ore there to be smelted ; and, if there had not 

 been much profit while proving their mine, there would uot 

 have been much loss, and the proving would have been thorough. 

 Now, after spending so much on machinery, they have a very 

 promising but unproved mine ; and the value of the plant 

 depends entirely on the success of that one mine. The erection 

 of the necessary works in a position so peculiarly adapted by 

 Nature for economically treating ores would give a great impetus 

 to mining, by enabling mine proprietors to get the working 

 value of their product, and some return for their outlay while 

 the work of prospecting was proceeding. It would lead to new 

 lodes being found ; some of those now abandoned being pro- 

 spected and worked ; and prevent the rash expenditure for 

 machinery (in the expectation of early dividends) of money that 

 should be spent in the ground. Thousands of pounds every 

 year are completely thrown away in this manner, and mines 

 abandoned — not because they have been proved worthless, but 

 because all the money has been spent in machinery to treat 

 ores that they have not the money left to win. The rich veins 

 that will pay with the present wasteful treatment are few, com- 

 pared to the poorer ones that would be remunerative with a 

 proper system ; and it is these that form the bulk of our mineral 

 wealth. For instance, with quartz reefs, if we could not make less 

 than 1 oz. of gold to the ton pay, the number of mines worked 

 would be very few, we will say five; if ^ oz., perhaps twenty; 

 but if a £ oz. could be made to pay, the proportionate number 

 would be raised to 100. In minerals other than gold this is 

 still more the case, as there are a number of elements for profit 



