Page:Downey•Quartz·Reefs·West·Coast•1928.pdf/88

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the ground till 1901, when the New Scotia Gold-mining Company cleaned up the adit and sank a winze from it. An intermediate level driven from this winze is said to have been for a time on stone up to 16 ft. in width. No data is available as to the depth of this intermediate below the adit, nor as to the value of the reef found in it, but it is obvious that the quartz was of poor grade, for the company soon ceased operations there and turned its attention to sinking what is known as Martin’s Winze on another reef lying several hundred feet to the westward of the Gallant reef. This winze was sunk to a depth of 200 ft., and two levels were driven from it—one at 111 ft. from the surface and the other from the shaft-bottom. The lower level was driven for 70 ft. on reef averaging about 3 ft. in width, but some trial crushings showed the stone to be unpayable, and the mine was once more abandoned.

In all, from 1899 to 1894, 2,340 tons of stone were mined and crushed for a yield of 759 oz. gold, equal to 6·4 dwt. per ton. Despite the generally low values, the patch of good ore previously mentioned enabled the sum of £600 to be paid in dividends.

Scotia Mine.—The Scotia Claim adjoined the Gallant on the north, and was taken up at about the same time. Rich stone was found on the surface by Robert Robin early in 1887, and gold-bearing shoad occurred along the line for nearly the full width of the claim. A winze (prospecting shaft) was sunk on the outcrop, about 30 ft. from the southern boundary, to a depth of 84 ft., and at 170 ft. farther north a second winze was put down to a depth of 70 ft., in both of which stone of good grade was got. An adit was then driven, which at 320 ft. from daylight connected with the south winze, from which point it was extended for 67 ft. on reef averaging 2 ft. in width. The adit was subsequently driven northward a further 400 ft., and also southward for 70 ft., 50 ft. of which were in the Gallant ground, but this shoot, 67 ft. in length, was the only reef discovered. From the adit a winze was sunk on the shoot, but at 25 ft. down the stone cut out. The winze was contained to 140 ft., and several crosscuts were driven from it on the footwall side. In one of these, 45 ft. below the adit, a reef 12 in. wide was located, but in another at 75 ft. down no sign of quartz was met with. The small shoot thus disclosed was stoped up to the surface. Only 594 tons were mined from it, but they yielded 1,284 oz. gold, valued at approxinately £5,155, of which £3,000 was distributed in dividends. Much surface prospecting was carried out in the hope of locating along the line some further shoots, but, though loose auriferous stone was to be found for almost the width of the claim, no solid reef was discovered, and the company abandoned the ground in 1903.

Inkerman South Mine.—In 1890 some rich stone was found on this claim not far from the north boundary of the Scotia, 90 tons of which, taken from the surface, is said to have been crushed for a yield of 3 oz. gold per ton, but although a considerable amount of prospecting was done no solid reef was ever located.

Inkerman West Mine.—This claim was the most northerly taken up on Lee’s line. Auriferous quartz was found in it by Henry Evans in March, 1888, and a reef was traced on the surface for about 350 ft. For a time the claim promised well. A winze sunk on the reef to the depth of about 70 ft. carried good values all the way, as did also a drive put out for some distance from the bottom of it. A vertical shaft was then started, which was eventually sunk to 423 ft., four levels being opened from it. No. 1 level, 68 ft. from surface, connected with the drive from the winze, and was extended