19 
There is considerable doubt as to the course taken by the lead between this 
and the Avoca River, and some boring might be done with a hand-drill to 
settle the point. It is quite possible, and even probable, that there is an 
absence of any well-defined channel in this locality, and if such is the case a 
few bores should prove it. 
[23.1.11.] 
WOLFRAM AT LINTONS. 
By W. Baragwanath, Senior Field Geologist. 
The existence of wolfram in the locality of Lintons is recorded as far back 
as 1869, when a prospector—Smith Tibbett—'formed a co-operative party 
and secured a lease of 100 acres. Samples of ore submitted by him to the 
Mining Department in June, 1869 —(Ballarat Star , 29.6.69)—gave quartz, 
brown tourmaline, wolfram, iron and copper pyrites, manganese, molybdenite, 
carbonate and oxide of copper, carbonate and sulphide of bismuth, native 
bismuth, gold and silver. These samples came from the three reefs at present 
being exploited. 
In 1891 Tibbett, junior, returned to the locality and reopened a shaft sunk 
by the earlier party, and again disclosed the wolfram, which had by this time 
increased in value from £6 to £30 per ton. Endeavours to induce a Melbourne 
company to develop the ground proving futile, work was stopped and nothing 
further was attempted till a couple of months ago, when, on being shown some 
samples of wolfram-bearing quartz, I suggested to the prospectors the desir¬ 
ability of further search for wolfram and other minerals. 
The locality lies about midway between Lintons and Skipton, and north 
of the connecting road, at a point formerly known as Spring Yale. The reefs 
outcrop on the summit of a range of metamorphic rocks with granite occupy¬ 
ing the flat country to the south, and probably also underlying newer gravels 
at no great distance to the north. For metamorphic rocks the strata are 
remarkably soft, and consist chiefly of slaty beds. Quartz reefs in the meta¬ 
morphic zone are common, and two of these are proved to contain the above- 
mentioned minerlals. Considering the number of reefs and the length of time 
which has elapsed since the little prospecting was done, it was remarkable 
that the area should have been neglected, but probably the fact that the 
land has been alienated has had its effect. 
At the date of this examination, work was being, or had been, carried on 
at two points about 50 chains apart. The most easterly outcrop, Quinn's 
Lease, showed a large lode formation striking east of north and underlying 
east. Wolfram occurs on the eastern or hanging wall. Two samples were 
submitted from this spot in June and July, 1912, and gave the following 
results :— 
\ 
Assay Xo. 
Tungstic Acid (W0 3 ). 
per cent. 
368 
2-53 
386 
2-54 
For about 100 yards north of the main outcrop samples .of wolfram bearing 
quartz occur on the surface. A northern cut of about 8 feet deep shows a 
vein of wolfram-bearing quartz up to 9 inches in width. From this cut and 
