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of funds, seems to be borne out by such plans as are in existence. In all possibility further work on this level would have shown the antimony lode to live down to it. In view, however, of the uncertainty of the position it cannot well be said that an attempt to reopen the mine in order to better determine its possibilities would be justifiable.
In the Murray Creek Mines area, comprising the Victoria, Phoenix, and Inglewood shoots, it is known that on the first-mentioned shoot gold-bearing ore is going underfoot on the bottom level of the mine, which fact, combined with slight possibilities of getting quartz in other parts of the property, is an ever-present temptation to mining-men to try their luck again, in an effort to work it profitably. Despite the fact that a previous company took over £70,000 worth of gold out of the mine, and put besides a good deal of fresh capital into working it, only to find itself unable to meet expenses and compelled to end up in liquidation, a new company has, the writer understands, been floated to give the property another trial. The promise of success for the new venture cannot be said to be bright. There is a certain amount of stone left above the fault between Nos. 4 and 5 levels, on which prospecting is now in progress, but this stone is small, irregular, and in very limited quantity. The previous company knew of its existence, but went to little trouble to mine it. A connection was made on the shoot between Nos. 4 and 5 levels, and a small portion of the stone was stoped out, but the results could not have been satisfactory, for the company soon ceased work there, and nothing more was done in that part of the mine till Kremmer’s tribute party in 1925 drove an intermediate south on the shoot, 50 ft. below No. 4 adit. From this working and the leading stope over it the party took out 161 tons of stone, which yielded 111 oz. 6 dwt. 4 gr. gold. The run of solid stone was only about 60 ft. in length. The present company has advanced another intermediate in the same direction at 120 ft. below No. 4 adit. For the first 60 ft. to 70 ft. there was no stone underfoot, but a little was showing in the back, and it was plain that faulting had taken place.
As to the stone going underfoot on No. 7 level, there is no sufficient reason for thinking otherwise than that this will live down to another level, and possibly much deeper; but the two winzes sunk to 49 ft. and 97 ft. respectively from the level show that it will be much broken, a series of step-faults that came in just above the level evidently continuing down as far as the winzes went. The gold contents in the shoot may also be of much the same tenor as those recovered from above No. 7 level during the past two years or more that the reef was worked—namely, from 9 dwt. to 10 dwt. per ton. The point is, however, as to whether, in view of the fact that the Murray Creek Mines could not mine and treat the stone from above No. 7 level at a profit, it is possible to deal any more successfully with quartz from below that level. In the writer’s opinion the chance of doing so is remote.
AJAX GROUP.—WALSHE’S LODE-SERIES.
This line, which outcrops about 20 chains westerly of Kelly’s line, has the same general strike. Along it were discovered the various shoots known as the Ajax, Golden Fleece, Royal, and Venus. The latter shoot is somewhat to the westward of the others, but was considered by Dr. Henderson to be genetically related to them. The lode-series is otherwise known as Shiel’s line, after Richard Shiel, one of the discoverers, but Dr. Henderson
