85 
-quartz reef being worked was first discovered about the year 1879, by Mr. 
David Fraser, who related to the writer the circumstances. It appears there 
was an outcrop of quartz that showed no gold on the outside, but when Mr. 
Fraser broke one of the blocks of quartz open it was studded inside with 
coarse gold. The country-rocks (Ordovician) are brown and grey sand¬ 
stones, mudstones, and slates. Some beds of black slate occur in places. 
The strike of the country is N. 15 deg. W., the dip 67 deg. S., and the 
pitch northward at 35 deg. The quartz reef outcrops on the top of a 
ridge. Its strike is N. 15 deg. E., and dip 79 deg. W. At the surface 
the quartz was about 4 inches thick where first discovered. In the workings 
it ranges from 6 inches to 5 feet in thickness. The average thickness of 
■crushing material taken out appears to be between 2 and 3 feet. There 
are three shafts, the northern shaft (that now being worked) is 6 feet by 3 
feet, and is 212 feet deep; the southern shaft, 179 feet deep; and still 
further to the south the old shaft, not now used. Altogether the reef has 
been opened for about 600 feet in length, and gold was got for most of the 
distance. The mine was worked for many years, and a great deal of 
stoping has been done. I11 the northern shaft there are two levels, one at 
130 feet from the surface and the bottom level. This shaft has been sunk 
along the reef, and is about 11 deg. from the vertical. The pitch of the 
gold shoots is northerly. The most northern portion of the gold-shoot is 
cut in the bottom level at 40 feet to the north of the shaft. At 49 feet 
southwards from the shaft the ore yields 9 dwts. 5 grs. of gold per ton for 
a width of 3 feet, so Mr. Nicholas, the manager, informed me. At 120 feet 
to the south of the shaft the crushing material is 3 feet thick. The level 
has been continued for 151 feet to the south of the shaft. Northward from 
the shaft the quartz is about 2 feet thick ; but it is of poor quality'. The 
shoots dip rapidly to the north, and the best way to prospect the mine is 
either to sink the present shaft, for by doing so any shoots further to the 
south would be cut in the shaft, or bv driving southwards towards them. I 
understand this work has been decided upon, and that the shaft is to be 
sunk too feet deeper. 
The quartz is much laminated ; it carries about 2 per cent, of mineral, 
mostly iron pyrites. In the laminae newer iron pyrites also occur, covering 
the faces of joints in the quartz. The gold is of excellent quality, and is 
worth £4 2S. 6d. per oz. The following are recent crushings : — 
Quantit}' crushed. Yield of Gold. 
Tons. 
cwts. 
ozs. 
dwts. 
grs. 
27I 
10 
42 
5 
3- 2 7 
106 
0 
2 2 
5 
4-97 
3 1 
c 
14 
5 
9-45 
408 
10 
78 
15 
17.69 
In the gully to the N.E. of the reef a little alluvial gold was found, 
but it was not sufficient to work profitably. 
From the Eliza Hill mine, ir chains southward, is another shaft 90 
feet deep, apparently on the continuation of the same quartz reef. The 
strike of the reef is N. 10 deg. E., and its dip 80 deg. W. The reef is about 
2 feet thick. Six chains still further to the south is a shaft, 105 feet 
deep. The quartz reef here is 1 ft. 6 in. thick, and it appears to be 
the Eliza Hill reef. Some of the beds of sandstone, &c., here resemble those 
met with at the western end of Elphinstone railway tunnel. Another 
shaft has been sunk on the southern side of a little gully. Some stoping 
has been done at these shafts. About i-J- miles to the south of these shafts 
