Report of the Secretary for Mines for 1894-5
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(No. 42.) 189 5. P AR.LIAMENT · OF TASMANIA. REPORT OF THE SECRETARY FOR J.\'IINES FOR 1894-5 : · INCLUDING HEPORTS OF THE .INSPECTORS OF MINES, &ci' :Presented to both Houses of Parliament by His Excellency's· Command. Cost of printing-£25. TASMANIA-. R-E P- 0 RT ,OF THE SECRETARY FOR MINES FOR INCLUDING THE REPORTS OF THE COMMISSIONERS OF MINES, THE INSPECTORS OF MINES, THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEYOR, THE MOUNT CAMERON WATER-RACE BOARD, &c. fea~manin: WILLIAM GRAHAME, JUN., GOVERNMEN'l' PRIN'TER, HOBART. 18 9 5~ Q TABLE OF CONTENTS. Page Annual Report of Secretary for Mines ................................................ T Gold : Table-Compai-ative yield ..................................................... .. 11 ,, Quantity obtained from Quartz ....................................... 11 Coal : ,, Quantity raised, Value ................................................ 11 Tin: ,., Comparative Statement Quantity exported ...................... .. 12 Miners employed : Number of ......................................................... .. ]2: Area of Land leased ....................................................................... 12-13 Revenue, Statement of Mining ......................................................... 13, Dividends paid: Gold Mining Companies ........................................... .. 13. Tin ditto ..................................· ........................... 14 " Sih·er ditto ............................................................ 14 " Coal ditto .............................................................. 14- " Leases in force, Number of ........· ........................................... ,·............. 15· Miners employed ,, .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. ......................................... 15- Mining Companies registered during year: Number of ............................. 15 Reports of Commissioners ...................... , ....... , ................................. .. 16-19· . Inspectors of Mines ......•.· ............................................... .. 20-21 Report of Geological Surveyor ........................................................... 21 Diamond Drills : Strata Tasmanian Crown Mine ................................... 22· ,, ,, Sandfly Coal ................................................. .. 22-23- ,, Comparative Statement of Work done, 1882-1895 o .. , ...... .. 24 Report of Mount.Cameron Water-race Board .......... , ........................... .. 2.5, Geological Report on, )1:angana Gold-field. ,, Progress of Mineral Fields in ihe neigl1bomhood of Zeehan; viz.-Mackintosh River, Mount Black, Mount Read, Mount Dundas, Mount Zeehan, Stanley River, and Mount Heemskirk. (i'io. 42.) REPORT OF THE SECRETARY FOR M.INES. Offece of llfines, Hobart, 20th July, 1895. Srn, I HAVE the honor to submit my Report of the Mines Department for the year ending the 30th June, 1895. Appended will be found Reports from the various Commissioners of the condition of the Appendices. Mining Industry in the Divisions under their charg·e ; the Reports of the Inspectors of Mines ; the Annual Report of the Geological Surveyor ; the Annual Report of the Mount Cameron Water-race Board ; and the Geological Surveyor's Report- On some portions of the Ma1igana Gold-field ; On the progress of the Mineral Fields in the neighbourhood of Zeehan-viz., Mackintosh River, Mt. Read, Mt. Black, Mt. Dundas, Stanley River, and Mt. Heemskirk; With Returns of the operations of the Diamond Drills: together with Tables showing the yields of Gold, Silver, Tin, and Coal; the number of persons en6aged in Mining; the number of Leases and Area of Land held under Lease fo1: Mining purposes; the net Revenue paid to the Treasury fro::n ]\fines; with the amount of Dividend Tax paid by Mining Companies. It is satisfactory to _note the steady advance, which a reference to the Returns embraced in this General Report will show, that continues to be made in all branches of this industry. More actual work is in remarks. progress throughout the Colony than at any time hitherto; the number of miners employed is steadily increasing; true it is that the ~ow prices ruling for Silver and Tin seriously affect the output and the value of those ores, yet, notwithstanding this, the value of minerals and metals, including g-old, exported from the Colony during the past year has exceeded by some £7000 that for the year ] 893-4 which was the highest yet attained. Owing to alterations in the law, the area of land held under lease has diminished, and the departmental revenue has correspond2ngly decreased somewhat ; this, however, is of minor importance, as the State has gained in other ways, and the alterations referred to are of great benefit to the industry. Although nothing phenomenal is to be reported in the way of discoveries during the year, there bas been marked development in various directions ; prospecting- has been actively carried on, and in many cases with satisfactory results. The famous Mt. Lyell Mine is making very extensive · preparations for putting out the vast ~uantities of valuable ore which it is known to contain ; the railway from Macquarie Harbour to the mine is in progress, some five miles being already com pleted; reducing works are in course of construction, and already two very considerable townships have been established in the vicinity of the mine. At Zeehan and Dundas the progress and development is very, satisfactory, many of the mines are proving their ground at lower levels, and with encouraging prospects; large numbers of tribute parties are. at work, some doing very well. The output of ore from the field is increasing, facilities and appliances are improving, and there is a general air of progress and prosperity about the field. In the outlying parts, in the vicinity of North-East Dundas, several claims g·ive much promise of shortly becoming of great value: owing to the difficulties of access, but little so far has been possible to be clone in the way of development ; but the early construction of light tramways or railways, which it is expected will be undertaken, will facilitate the opening of a large extent of very rich mineral counti·y, and there is every reason for anticipating an important addition to the wealth of the district. (No. 42.) .8 The question of tributing just referred to is becoming, not only as relates to the mineral lands of Zeehan and Dundas but also in other parts of the Colony, a question which· will demand very serious comideration as to whether in the interest of the State it will not be necessary to seek for some legislative enactment to regulate the system. At present companies and_ individuals are unrestricted as to the area of land which they may take up under lease. The land is held under certain conditions (called labour covenants) as to its being· worked. Many lessees comply with these labour covenants-by themselves doing nothing·, but subletting· their lands on royalty to tributors, tlie lessees in most instances deriving a revenue from the land so sublet much -in excess of the rents paid to the State. Admittedly there is much to be said. in favour· of the tribute system, but as now carried on it doubtless has very serious disadvantages, and the question is one which will very shortly require to be carefully and seriously dealt wi~h. ' "·ara tah to A Bill is now before Parliament to authorise the construction of a railway to connect the Zcehan Town of Zeehan with Waratah, and so on to the shipping-port of Emu Bay. The proposed route Ilai!way. of this railway is wholly through mineral country,-and it is without doubt that the construction of this line will open up a large area of promising country, with gl'(~at mining possibilities. Heemskfrk. The old-established tin-bearing field Heamskirk has not revived, as was anticipated at the date of my last Report. It is still being· worked, but in a desultory way only. \Vant of water during the summer months, and bad roads during winter, are the chief retarding influences. At -Corinna. Corinna and its neighbourhood very extensive preparations have been made during· the year, and are still in progress, to bring in water and work the alluvial drifts for gold by means of hydraulic sluicing. The results so far have not been up to expectation, but a fair trial has hardly yet been made. This branch of the industry is new to this country. Great difficulties have to be overcome, but if only a few of the ventures now in progress turn out well, large numbers of men will be Monot employed, and a gTeat impetus will be given to this important auriferous district. At Mt. Balfour Balfour. tin mining in a comparatively small way is still being carried on. The famous Bischoff tin mine :i\Ionnt Bischoff. maintains its customary output. During the years of the existence of this mine, the total output has been 46,121 tons, and the dividends paid have amounted to £1,375,500. North-West Some desultory work both in gold and tin is beirig done here and there in the localities of Table Coast. Cape, the Penguin, Mount Housetop, and othei· places on the North-West Coast. The coal deposits at the Mersey and in the neighbourhood of Dulverton have been worked on a small scale during the year. Some_ work for gold, tin, and bismuth has been prosecuted with ·varying success in the localit.ies of Bell Mount, Middlesex, and the River Iris. Beaconsfield. At Beaco1,sfiel<l, the principal mine, the 'l'asmania, is opening out satisfactorily at the lower levels. A Luhrig concentrntor and other extensive additions to the machinery are nearing com pletion. This fine mine has