GOLD 



713 



In those two sections we have, therefore, all the conditions shown of the processes 

 of mining on the quartz-lodes and in the alluvial deposits. 



1119 



12 



1 . The town of Ballarat East. 



2. The main road. 



3. The Red -Streak lead. 



4. The creek. 



5. Old Post-office hill, -with qnartz-reef. 



6. Basalt escarpment south of Golden Point. 



7. White flat recent auriferous alluvial deposit. 



8. Yarrowee Creek. 



10. The Gravel-Pits lead. 



9 and 11 are two shafts sunk into the "ancient 

 auriferous alluvial deposit. 



12. Qnartz-reef beyond the town of Ballarat 

 "West, shown in the drawing. 



D is the remains of a lava stream, interrupted by 

 the schist and clay-slate hills. 



D-D is the gravel strata which invariably rest 

 on the side of the schist hills which sur- 

 round the Ballarat basin. 



Fig. 1120 is a section from the Boroondara and Bulleen gold mines, a few miles 

 from the capital of Victoria. It is the east and west section of the Carlton Estate 

 quartz-reef, and is mainly given to illustrate the unskilful and dangerous condition of 

 many of the workings undertaken by men who have no experience in subterrannean 

 operations. The shaft, if such it can be called, is about 40 feet deep ; and the reef 

 dips with the solid strata at an angle of about 60 degrees to the horizon. 



The wall of the shaft at A is not supported on the footwall by props and proper 

 timbering, which it should be, as indicated by E E E. The windlass at c, and the 

 framework at D, are both exceedingly insecure. This is the mode of proceeding in a 

 very important working, where almost every piece of quartz broken out contains gold, 

 and also antimony and iron. At the point F the quartz-reef was exceedingly rich, 

 and there it branches off into small strings, yielding 22 ounces of gold to the ton. 



1120 



It is not necessary here to trace the progress of gold-mining in .this colony. The 

 quantity of gold discovered and exported has been enormous. Some exceedingly 

 large ' nuggets ' have been found ; one in Forest Creek, weighing 27 Ibs. 6 oz. 15 dwts., 

 and the Welcome Nugget, weighing 2,217 oz. 16 dwts. 



The following are the returns made by the inspector to the government of Victoria 

 in the years given : 



