174 
To properly test this country a shaft of such dimensions that it could 
be taken down for a considerable depth should be sunk on the east side 
of centre country. There have been some profitable reefs worked in this 
neighbourhood, and some extensively, as in the United Kingdom mine 
about a mile to the west of the Annie Laurie mine, and the Phoenix mine 
at the north end of Taradale. When these mines were worked nothing was 
known about the saddle structure, and, in consequence, the top reef or so 
was worked out and the mine abandoned; the recurrence of one saddle 
reef below the other was not understood at the time. 
This area is one offering great inducements for mining. At the surface 
profitable alluvial gold was worked in sub-basaltic gravels and in the 
gullies. The reefs were also payable at the surface, and there is every 
ground for believing that systematic mining in the lines of reefs formerly 
worked would prove successful if sufficient capital is expended. 
The belt of auriferous country at Taradale extends from the west side 
of Back Creek to about a mile on the east side of the Coliban River ; it 
would lie to the east of the Lauriston belt. Both east and west of this 
tract the rocks are Ordovician, but they are higher in the series, for while 
the Taradale belt is apparently composed of the Castlemaine beds, the 
country rocks both east and west probably consist of Darriwill beds, and 
are barren. 
About 6 miles west of the Taradale belt of auriferous country is the 
Fryerstown belt, which also belongs to the Castlemaine beds. The rocks 
between these two productive belts, being Darriwill beds, are barren of 
gold at the surface, but below them the auriferous Castlemaine beds are 
doubtless continuous right across from the one belt to the other, though 
they may be too deep down to be profitably exploited. Below the Castle¬ 
maine beds the still more productive Bendigo beds are also probably con¬ 
tinuous. 
The following information about the yields has been supplied by Mr. 
Andrew Loughnan, the legal manager of the mine:— 
— 
Tons Crushed. 
Free Gold. 
Gold from 
Concentrates. 
Total Gold 
Yield. 
1907—November 
12 
oz. dwt. 
82 10 
oz. dwt 
5 15 
oz. dwt. 
38 5 
1908—May, June, July 
80 
22 10 
— 
22 10 
June 24 
(Odd lots.) 
55 
31 
0 
4 0 
35 
0 
July 81 
284 
41 
5 
9 15 
51 
0 
September 29 <.. 
49 
24 14 
6 0 
30 14 
[Report sent in 21.10.08.] 
O’CONNOR’S FREEHOLD MINE, DRUMMOND, NEAR 
MALMSBURY. 
By E. J. Dunn , F.G.S., Director , Geological Survey. 
O’Connor’s Freehold mine is at present not being worked except on the 
western boundary of the lease where a tunnel driven many years ago and 
abandoned, has been continued some hundreds of feet further eastward 
with satisfactory results. 
The original tunnel was driven for 633 feet from the entrance and then 
left. At the mouth, on Back Creek, it traverses barren brown sandstones, 
&c. These beds are crumpled, and lie in places at a low angle. Further 
