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The company’s workings were first conducted from an open cut near 
the centre of the lease. Here it was found that the gold shoot pitched 
northward, and to meet the downward continuation of it, a main shaft 
7 feet x 4 feet was sunk to a depth of 30 feet. As sinking was somewhat 
impeded by water, a tunnel about 70 feet in length was driven from about 
river level to drain the workings. Subsequently a pump was installed 
underground, and the shaft continued to 80 feet from the surface. 
The main workings of the mine are on quartz bodies associated, and 
probably genetically connected, with a decomposed dyke which strikes 
about N.W., making a small angle with the strike (N. 25 deg. W. to N. 
40 deg. W.) of the'enclosing rocks, and dips south-westerly at an angle 
of about 78 deg. The so-called main reef is an irregular quartz body 
18 inches to 5 feet wide, striking N. 20 deg. W. to N. 40 deg. W., and 
dipping across the strata to the south-west. This formation has been stoped 
from the surface to the 50-ft. level for a length of about 70 feet or 80 feet. 
'Northward the limit of the payable shoot appears to be a cross-course 
striking approximately east and west at a point about 28 feet north of 
the shaft. Here there has been fracture, but very little movement. 
Northward from this cross-course, southward from a point 50 feet south of 
the shaft, and below the 50-ft. level, the quartz decreases in size, and, 
though auriferous, is barely payable. On the surface gold has been traced 
over a length of 300 feet—from 200 feet south to too feet north of the 
main shaft. Between 50 feet and 80 feet in the shaft massive quartz 
spurs are exposed, and at 69 feet a floor pitching 23 deg. N. was met with 
in the western side of the shaft. Immediately above this floor the quartz, 
for a width of 4 feet, is said to be of higher value (about 4 dwt. per ton, 
which is not payable) than the surrounding quartz. With the intention 
of testing this, a cross-cut from the bottom of the shaft was driven west¬ 
ward for about 40 feet, but, as was to be expected from the pitch of the 
floor, the quartz was not met with. A level was then started from the shaft 
at 73 feet below the surface, and driven about 10 feet southward. At the 
time of my visit a commencement had been made to cross-cut west from the 
end of this drive, but as it is obvious that this cross-cut if driven would 
be no nearer the shoot than the lower one is, and, moreover, that the 
country is unfavorable (being a dense micaceous sandstone), work was 
stopped at this point and a level will be driven northward from the bottom 
of the shaft until the floor is intersected. If this floor is then followed 
until favorable country (slate) is met with, payable quartz may be struck. 
Statistics of the ore crushed and gold obtained from the stopes were 
not obtainable at the mine, but the manager informs me that the average 
yield has been about 14 dwt. per ton, which is just payable. 
The quartz is iron-stained, greyish-white in colour, and here and there 
shows gold, galena, and iron, copper, and arsenical pyrites. Judging from 
the appearance of the quartz, the sulphides mentioned will probably be 
found in fairly large quantities below the line where oxidation ceases. 
The ore apparently occurs in irregular shoots, formed on floors or fractures 
pitching to the northward at angles between 23 deg. and 40 deg. Sufficient 
work has not been done to throw much light on the question of the position 
of the shoots in relation to the associated rocks, but it would appear that 
the disturbing influence of the dyke has been the cause of the quartz 
deposits; and that there is some relation between the richness of the shoots 
and the nature of the country rock. For instance, where the quartz crosses 
a soft greenish slate, it has given higher yields than where it has passed 
through sandstone. 
