202 Messrs. Chalmers ^ Hatch — Mashonaland ^ Mataheleland. 



Since the recent re-discovery of the Ayrshire Eeef, it has been 

 prospected by four or five shafts at irregular intervals along the 

 strike. The first shaft was put down through an old working and 

 into solid rock to a depth of 45 feet from the present surface, or to a 

 total depth of about 60 feet below the normal surface of the country. 

 This shaft has now fallen in, but a new one has been sunk along- 

 side of it to a depth of 55 feet. The second shaft was sunk in a 

 vein of felspar which eventually dipped out southwards, but was 

 intersected by a cross-cut at 55. On each side of the felspar vein is 

 diorite very rich in gold ; it assays from 2 to 20 ozs. and even in 

 parts 160 ozs. to the ton. This remarkable, if not unique, occurrence 

 of gold was made the subject of a communication to the Geological 

 Society by Mr. Alford last year.' He had sections cut, and states 

 that the reef was in a quartz-diorite. In another shaft, 1000 feet 

 from the first, the diorite is again exposed, but prospecting had not 

 been carried far enough when we visited the property to prove the 

 extent of the deposit. A general sample taken across the bottom of 

 the shaft assayed 11 dwts. Since then a cross-cut has been driven 

 to the felspar vein which outci'ops in the old working in which the 

 shaft was sunk, and the report is that the diorite has here again 

 proved extremely rich. The reef seems to be a dyke of diorite 

 traversing the granite or gneiss, which is the predominating country 

 rock, in an easterly and westerly'- direction. The width of the 

 diorite is nowhere proved, nor even the extent to which it is 

 auriferous. It would appear that the gold, more or less, hugs the 

 felspar vein, occurring on either side of it. The felspar vein is 

 found throughout the length of the workings : apparently one 

 persistent vein which would in this case be a valuable index to 

 the best part of the deposit. The felspar contains only traces of 

 gold. 



Alluvial Deposits. 



With regard to alluvial deposits we are permitted to quote from 

 Mr. Hammond's Eeport to the Chartered Co. that " As far as my 

 examination extends I could see no evidence of alluvial or placer 

 deposits ; in fact the topographical character of the country visited 

 by me is such as to almost preclude the possibility of the occurrence 

 of alluvial deposits of any extent or importance. This statement 

 refers to those portions of Mashonaland and Mataheleland which 

 I examined. In Manicaland the topographical conditions are 

 difieient, favouring the occurrence of auriferous alluvial deposits 

 of limited extent. I saw some of those deposits which had been 

 worked by the ancients. The probability is that such deposits as 

 have occurred have been, for the greater part, already worked out." 



Conclusions. 



Prospecting in Ehodesia is made easy for the present generation, 

 for, with the rather remarkable exception of the Victoria district, 

 practically all the known mineral areas of the country show evidence 



* Quart. Jom-ii. Geol. Soc. vol. 1, p. 8 (Proc). 



