14 The Hodgkinson Goldfield, Northern Queensland. 



the gold is very probably in the form of minerals which the 

 mercury will not touch, such as combinations of sulphides, 

 antimony, arsenic, &c. I have suggested roasting the quartz, 

 and in some of the claims the ore would be much benefited 

 by such a process. But I admit that the kind of roasting, 

 and the amount of it, will have to be learned by experience, 

 which, no doubt, will include many failures. 



Upon the whole, I consider the Hodgkinson to be one of 

 the most important mining districts in Queensland, because 

 of its richness, its large extent, and permanent character. 

 Being so near the coast — for the actual distance is under fifty 

 miles — it possesses advantages over nearly every other field. 

 What is wanted is a good, easy road, and when this is made, 

 capital will soon take up the matter of fully developing the 

 resources of a diggings, the ultimate success of which can 

 only be a question of time. 



