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Where ore occurs it is generally but a few inches thick, and consists of 
quartz, with sulphides of antimony, zinc, lead, iron, and copper, more or 
less thickly disseminated through it. Some free gold occurs, but more 
often it is combined with the complex sulphides. Spurs from the reefs 
branch off into the walls, and .these are commonly even richer in gold than 
the ordinary lode material. In most cases one wall of the lode is well 
marked and smooth ; the other is not defined, the ore being firmly attached 
to it and not separated by a joint. 
There are two classes of lodes in this neighbourhood, locally dis¬ 
tinguished as the brown ” and “ blue ” lodes. Most of the work so 
far done has been on the “ brown ” lodes. Quite a feature of the reefs 
on this field is the manner in which they branch off. Their general aspect 
suggests that the rocks have been fractured in different directions, and 
certainly at different times. 
Three main lines of reefs occur, known as the Antiope or Moran, the 
United Brothers or Democrat, and the Gentle Annie or Samaritan. On 
each line a considerable amount of work has been done, principally by 
means of tunnels, and with very profitable results ; for although the quartz 
reefs are, as a rule,, small, they are usually rich, returning in some cases 
several ounces of gold per ton. Most of the reefs are but 3 inches to 9 
inches thick. At the United Brothers mine a thickness of 3 feet of mixed 
11 mullock ” and quartz was sent to the mill, and in some places mixed 
material 7 to 8 feet in width was also sent there. From the surface the 
reefs have been worked to depths ranging up to 300 feet. Advantage has 
been taken of the mountainous nature of the ground, and tunnels have in 
most cases been used to work the reefs, but most of the ground available 
for this system of mining has now been worked out, and either shaft sink¬ 
ing or a deep level tunnel will have to be resorted to. 
On the three lines of reefs the following mines are situate: — 
Antiope Line. 
Mt. Moran Mine. —This mine is worked by tunnels from the second 
tunnel up to the surface, for a length of over 400 feet along the reef. The 
quartz is about 3 inches thick. At the N. end of bottom level the reef dips 
W. at an angle of 70 deg. About 7 inches of quartz and commingled 
“ country rock ” are crushed. 
Antiope Mine. —Two shafts have been sunk on this lease. The S. shaft 
is 140 feet deep to tunnel level, and 173 feet to bottom of shaft. The reef 
has been stoped to surface for 150 feet in length below, and 40 feet at. the 
surface. The lode worked was a “brown lode. The northern shaft has 
been sunk 90 feet to the tunnel level and 100 feet below it. but payable 
ore has not been cut. x 
United Brothers Line. 
Democrat Mine. —This is situate on the S. end of the same line as the 
United’ Brothers mine. It has been worked so far by tunnels, and over 
400 feet of the lode stoped out above No. 2 tunnel to the surface. 
Golden Fleece Mine. —This is also on the same line of reef, and by 
means of tunnels a considerable length of the lode has been stoped out. 
Melbourne Democrat Mine. —This is on the same line. It is also worked 
by tunnels, and stoped out, in part, near the surface. 
United Brothers Mine. —This is the principal mine on the field. . It has 
the best crushing mill and appliances for treating the quartz; also air com¬ 
pressing plant for hauling winch and for rock-drills, and the mine has been 
worked more extensively than any other on the field. 
