This field requires a great deal of prospecting and would probably 
be revived if the necessary work were carried out. The Magdala shaft 
is sunk to a depth of 2,409 feet, and for some years this mine held the 
record for the deepest shaft in the State. The Sloanes’ and Scotchman’s 
shaft is 1,030 feet deep (the Scotchman’s shaft is 1,100 feet deep), and most 
favorably situated for prospecting purposes, and it is a great loss that the 
machinery was removed. From it the north-east leg of the Scotchman’s reef 
could have been explored, and from it boring could have been done in centre 
country to determine what reefs occur below the Magdala reef. This field 
is one where boring might be tried with advantage, and until a great deal 
of prospecting is done it will not be possible to* form an idea of its value 
as a mining field. One feature that would be rather unfavorable to 
boring is that, although the reefs worked for the most part have been with 
the country and along channels conforming to the bedding planes, the 
quartz is not continuous along the channels, and in boring these blanks 
might be struck. The step needed is that a proper surface geological 
survey and corresponding underground surveys should be made so as to 
connect the several “ legs ” and to show their relations to one another, 
and also the probable positions of the north-east legs that would correspond 
to the south-west legs that have been so extensively worked. 
Besides the regular reefs or “ legs • ” there appear to have been irregular 
reefs which were worked diagonally across the regular reefs as well as 
spurry country which has already been referred to and which was worked 
on a large scale. 
So far as can be judged from the work already done, and having in 
view the structural features of this field, it appears highlv probable that 
well directed prospecting operations would be the means of re-establishing 
mining on a large scale at Stawell. 
Sim’s Reef. 
About 2 \ miles in a N.W. direction from Stawell, Sim’s party is at 
work on a reef that dips E. and strikes about N.W. The shaft is sunk 
100 feet and a cross-cut runs out E. 25 deg. N. for 200 feet. At 163 feet 
from the shaft' a winze is sunk 90 feet on the track of the lode. Southerlv 
from the winze the level is extended 25 feet and northerly the level runs 
for 35 feet. The width of auriferous stone at the winze is about 4 feet. 
There are about 200 tons of ore ready to be carted away as there is no 
crushing plant on the ground. This ore is expected to yield 4 or 5 dwts. 
of gold per ton. The gold is very fine and is worth ^3 17s. 6d. per oz. 
A felspathic dyke resembling the dykes of Wood’s Point occurs at this 
mine and is traceable to the Three Jacks mine, where it is many feet thick 
and close to the reef, and from the Three Jacks mine past the Newington 
mine and the Cross reef mines and out eastward as far as the Wonga gold 
workings. There is no hornblende visible. Dykes of this character appear 
to be a feature around Stawell and their relation to the gold occurrences 
requires to be worked out. 
The presence of alluvial gold in the gullies near Sim’s reef indicates 
that this tract deserves to be prospected for reefs. 
The Darlington Mine. 
About 3g- miles north of Stawell is the old Darlington mine which was 
worked till sixteen years ago. The country rock consists of highly 
crumpled and much altered schist. The strike of the reef is W. 30 deg. N., 
