I (No. 69.) .18 9 9. P ARLIA ME NT OF TASMANIA. REPORT OF THE SECRETARY FOR MINES FOR 1898-9: INCLUDING REPORTS OF THE INSPECTORS OF MINES, &c. Presented to both Ho':lses of Parliament by His Excellency's Command. Cost of printing-.£41 10s. TASMA.NIA.. R E P O R T OF THE SECRETARY FOR MINES FOR 1898-9, INCLUDING THE HEPORTS OF THE INSPECTORS . OF MINES, THE COl\:IMISSIONERS OF MINES, THE 'GOVERNMENT GEOLOGIST THE MOUNT CAMERON WATER-RACE BOA.RD, &c. m:a:sma:nia: JOHN VAIL, GOVERNMENT. PRINTER, HOBAR'l'. 18 9 9. TABLE OF CONTENTS. PA<xE Annual Repoi·t of the Secretary for Mines ,. ........................................... .. 7 Diamond Drills : Statement of Work done ............................................ 13 Gold: Comparative Statement of Gold Won .... ., .................................. .. 14. ,, Quantity·obtained from Quartz ................................................. .. 14 Coal: .Quantit;v raised, Value .......... ; ................................................. .. 15 Tin: Comparative St:J.tement of Exports ............................................... 15 Silver Ore: Quantity and Vahle ........................................................ 16 Blister Copper : . ,, ................................ •.. •. •.... •.... · •• • .. • •.. 16 Copper Ore : ,, ....................................................... .. 16 Iron Ore: ,, ........... ; ................................. ,........... 17 Mine1·s Employed: Number ......................... ., ................................... 17 Leases in Force : Comparative ........................................................... 17 Number of .............................................................. 18 Comparative" Statement of Net Revenue ............................................... 18 Leases in Force, No: of, for various Minerals ............................. '. .......... .. 18 Miners Employed: Average Number of .............................................. .. ]9 Mining Companies Registered ........................................................... 19 Land Applied :for: Total Area .... ·....................................................... .. 19 Total Revenue ................................................................................ 19 Mine Managers' Examination Papers .................................................. 20 Report of the Mount Cameron Water-race Board .................................. 22 Reports of Inspectors of Mines ............................. .'., .......................... .. 23 Reports of Commissioners ................................................................. 28 Mount Lyell Mining and Railway Company, Limited : Outpnt, &e. .. ........ .. 35. Tasmanian Smelting Company, Limited, Zeehan ..................................... .. 35 Report on t~e Progress of the Magnet Silver Mine ............................. , .. 36 Geological Report on the Bell Mount and Middlesex Mineral Fields...... i-viii ,, Penguin and Dial Range Mineral Fields .. .... ix-xii ,, Discovery of Gold at Port Cygnet............... xiii-xv Supplementary Note on Limurite in Tasmania ................................. · xvii Report on Haiiyne-Trachyte and Allied Rocks in the Districts of Port ' Cygnet and Oyste1• Cove, by Messrs. Twelvetrees and Petterd .... :.. ... xix-xxvi Notes on Humeri of Tasmanian Labyrinthodonts, by Messrs. Twelvetrees and Pette1·d .......... ·......................................... .-. .. ... .. ...... ... xxvii-xxviii Notes on Felsites and Associated Rocks of Mount Read and vicinity, by Messrs. Twelvetrees and Petterd ..................... :.. ............ ...... ...... xxix-xxxii Geological Report.on the Alluvial Tin Mines ofDerby ..................... xxxiii-xxxviii Report on Mesozoic Dolerite and Diabase in 'l'asmania, by Me~srs. 'l'welvetrees and Petterd . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. xxxix-xli Supplementary Note on Limnrite in Tasmania, by Messrs. Twelvetrees and Petterd........................................................................... xliii-xli v Report on N epheline and Melilite Rocks from Shannon Tier, by Messrs. Twelvetrees and Petterd' ........... , ...... , ............. , ................. ,...... xlv (No,!69.) REPORT OF THE SECRETARY FOR· MINES. Mines Depa,·trnent, Hobart, 11th August, 1899. SrR, I HAVE the honour to submit my Report upon the Mines Department, and the progress of the Mining Industry of the Colony, for the year ending the 30th June, 1899. Appendices. · Appended will be found Reports from the Commissioners on the condition of the Mining Industry in the Divisions under their charge ; the Reports of the Inspectors of Mines ; the . Annual Report of the Mount Cameron Water-Race Board; a Report on the Tasmanian Smelt­ ing Company's Works, with a plan of the works ; the Mount Lyell Mining and Railway Company's Works ; a Report on the Magnet Silver Mine ; the Government Geologist's Reports on the Bell Mount 'and Middlesex Mineral Fields, on the Penguin and Dial Range Mineral Fields, en the discovery of Gold at Port Cygnet, and on the Alluvial Tin Mines at Derby; Papers by Messrs. Twelvetrees anc1 Petterd on Limurite in Tasmania, Hai:i.yne-Trachyte and allied rocks in the Districts of Port Cygnet and Oyster Cove ; Notes on Humeri of Tasmanian Labyrinthodonts; the Felsite and associated rocks of Mount Read and vicinity; Supplementary Note on Limurite in Tasmania, N epheline and Melilite Rocks from Shannon Tier, and on Mesozoic Dolerite and Diabase in Tasmania ; Returns showing the operations of the Diamond D1·ills ; the Examination Papers set at the Examination for Mine Managers' Certificates ; and Returns showing the yield of Gold, Coal, Tin, Silver ore, Blister Copper, Copper ore, and Iron ore; the Number of Persons engaged in Mining; the Number of Lease11 and Area of Land held under lease for mining purposes ; the Net Revenue paid to the Treasury from Mines ; the Number of Miners employed during the year ; and the Tot:,.1 Amount of Rents and Fees received. by the Department during the year. General Rernarks. It is very gratifying to note that the rapid pi•ogress of the m1111ng industry which was recorded in my last Annual Report has been fully maintained during the year just closed, and mining throughout the Colony is in a very satisfactory condition. The rise in the London market price. of tin, which has exceeded £48 lOs. per ton during the year, has given a great impetus to the tin-mining industry, and has induced prospectors to go,out in search of new gro1md, while some of the old abandoned alluvial tin-fields have been retaken up with every prospect of paying handsomely while the price of tin remains so high. In order to eucourage the industry, large areas of tin-bearing country have been allowed to be taken up under prospectors' licences, free of rent, for periods of six months, renewable upon proof being supplied that bona fide operations have been carried on during that period; and this has resul~ed, in many instances, in the discovery of payable tin deposits, and a large number of sections have been taken up under jease, Prospecting operations are still being carried -on in many places with most encouraging results, and it is only reasonable to expect that during the next year the output of tin will be very considerably increasecl. Many river claims have been applied for during the year, and this new industry is likely to prove very successful in some of our rivers. The Tasmanian Tin Dredging Company have just completed the pontoon and erected machinery thereon, and are about to start active operations on the Ringarooma River at Derby. (No. 69.) 8 I Although the dredge lms, so far, only hacl a trial to test its suction-pump ancl machinery, 1111d has a large accnnmlation of tailings to treat before re:tehing the natural bccl of the river, most encouraging results were obtained. Dredging claims have also been· applied for itlong the foreshore at St. Helen's Point and :i\fodea's Cove, George's Bay. The ground has been thoroughly tested by prospecting shafts and bores, from which good results have been obtained. · The total valne of minerals and metals raised during the year is £1,277,740, being an increase of £361,857 as compared with the previous year, nnd the amount pttid in Dividends is £282,700 15s. · The amount of revenue received by the Dcpn,rtmcnt for the year ending· 30th ,June, 1899, is £24,696 l0s. 5d. The quantity of golc~ won is 84,189½ ozs. ; of this amount, 24,823 ozs. has been obtained from the blister copper from the Mount Lyell Mining ancl Railway Company's mine. ftfount L1jell. 'I.'he Mount Lyell Mining and Railwny Company have exported during the' year 6079 tons of blister copper, an increase of 1017 tons over the previous year. The future prospects of this mine arc most encouraging. A winze put clown 25 feet from the No. 5 tunnel is in good ore, which gave a bulk assay of 14 per cent. copper, 17 ozs. silver, ancl 3 dwts. of gold per ton. The aerial trams are working satisfactorily, and about 800 tons of crude ore tue treated every 24 hours. · Further particulars will be found u1 a report from the General Manager attached. At the North Lyell Mine the principal work is opening up on the surface, so that the mine mtn be 1,·orkecl upon the open cut principle. I believe it is the intention to discontinue sending their crude ore to London for treatment. Tlrn Lyell Tharsis Company have completed their aerial tramway and are working two shifts, senclu1g about 100 tons of ore. daily to the smelters at Qucenstown. The South Tharsis Mine is looking very well. The Company are erecting