Mines and Mineral Statistics. 
67 
Most of the principal operations in tin-mining are carried on 
in wide open creeks or gullies and flats ; hence evexy mineral 
leaseholder has to incur a rather serious expense in either erecting 
a strong dam or excavating a sufficiently large space for water 
storage. 
The extent of tin-bearing country is something enormous, and 
in many places the percentage of tin is so small that a con- 
siderable area will remain unwrought, unless a far more econo- 
mical and quicker system of extracting the tin from the sand and 
gravel can be invented. 
The necessity for economy in the use of Avatex*, and in the 
employment of manual labor has stimulxited some of the more 
enterprising and skilful miners in this district to introduce appli- 
ances which will reduce the consumption ot* water and the 
number of men employed, and at the same time increase the 
quantity of such dirt treated in a given time. 
The first system of Avashing stanniferous dirt Avas in the usual 
style of sluicing for gold, using the narrow box and sluice fork ; 
but after the rich deposits of tin were Avashed in this mannei% the 
miners found that a good deal of their mineral ground Avould not 
pay Avages unless some other means were found to Avash the dirt 
quicker and cheapeix 
The hopper plate and large sluice box wei’e then introdixced. 
These hopper plates are now in general use, and are 4 feet long 
hy 2 feet Avide, perforated with holes from i to 1 inch in diametexv 
and fitted at the head of the sluice box. This has proved to he 
a coxisidci’able impi’OA^ement on the original manner of sluicing, 
for a larger quantity of puddled dirt can be Avashed ]ier day, the 
principal i*eason being that the stones or pebbles are not alloAved 
to drop iuto the sluice box ; the fine stanniferous dirt is in con- 
sequence far more easily AV'ashcd, a s(juare mouthed shoA^el being 
used ill place of the fork to keep the tin up to the head of the box. 
Another great saAung in the cost of tin sluicing was effected by 
substituting horse poAA'er for that of manual labour in puuqxing 
AA’ater ; for vvhere it used to cost 12s. to 14s. jmr day for two- 
youths’ labour at the Californian pump, the only expense to the 
miner by the present system is the forage for one horse, reckoned 
at 4s. per day. This horse pumping gear is noAV in gcnei'al use 
in most of the mines of any note, and is found to Avork capitally, 
not only on account of economy, but because of the steady stream 
of Avater throAvn, which is most essential for sluicing purposes. 
By this present system, the cost of Avashing does not exceed 2s. 
for every load or ton of puddled dirt ; AAliereas by the former 
process the expense per load would be from 2s. Gd. to 3s. 
By the energy and pex:^everance of Mr. W. H. Wesley, 
Manager of the G-reat Britain Tin Mining Company, the horse 
pumping gear and hopper plate have been vastly improved upon. 
