MORNING STAR MINE. 437 



normal northeast direction through this ground as far as explored, and 

 apparently widens out to the northwest, the limits given to it in this direc- 

 tion on the map being merely those of explored areas, and not necessarily 

 of the limits of ore deposition, as a great deal of ground is still unexamined. 

 This body, which in the Evening Star ground had already commenced to 

 shallow toward the boundary line, becomes very sensibly thinner through- 

 out the Morning Star ground. From four to eight feet may be taken as 

 the average thickness, though in places it deepens for a short distance to 20 

 or 30 feet. As a rule the ore runs much higher in lead than in the Evening 

 Star, but is poorer in silver. It also contains more silica and less iron and 

 manganese. Very white carbonate sands, consisting of almost pure cerus- 

 site, are found, especially along the contact. Here, as elsewhere, these seem 

 to contain less silver than the more stained and impure carbonate ores. It 

 may be that the latter have more silver in the form of sulphuret. As gangue 

 the porous granular quartz is very prevalent, and often constitutes a good 

 hard carbonate ore. Below the ore the ocherous yellow basic sulphate was 

 frequently observed. 1 



The mine is principally worked through the Main shaft, from the bot- 

 tom of which an incline follows the dip of the formation eastward, and 

 levels are run southward to the Evening Star line and westward to connect 

 with the old workings from the Lower shaft. From the incline levels are run 

 at somewhat irregular distances, following the ore development, which has 

 been mainly to the south in the upper part and in the lower to the north. 

 A second shaft, known as the Upper shaft, has also been sunk to contact 

 higher up on the hill, on the Waterloo ground, from which a level connects 

 with the incline. 



In this area the greatest east- and- west extent of the ore bodies has 

 been along the Evening Star line, and its greatest thickness along the mid- 

 dle of the body, between the second and third levels. As far as could be 

 ascertained, in one point only has unreplaced limestone been reached below 

 the ore. This was at the southern extremity of the fourth level south, and it 



1 According to Mr. L. D. Ricketts, who made a careful and detailed study of the Morning Star 

 and Evening Star mines during the summer of 1882, this basic sulphate forms a distinct and practically 

 continuous sheet under the ore body in the Morning Star ground. 



