W. H. BARKER & Co.'s
 
 MOUNT LYELL MINES, 
 
 TASMANIA. 
 
 NOTE. THIS BOOK CONTAINS A FEW UP - TO - DATE 
 PARTICULARS OF THE ABOVE MINES, AND FORMS AN 
 APPENDIX TO THE WRITER'S BOOK " MOUNT LYELL 
 MINES," PUBLISHED IN OCTOBER, 1896. 
 
 EDITED AND COMPILED BY 
 
 MACNAMARA RUSSELL, M.Inst.C.E. 
 
 (WITH SMALL LOCALITY MAP SHOWING THE PRINCIPAL MINES.) 
 
 PRICK RIVE SHIIvLINQS. 
 
 EFFLNGHAM WILSON, EOYAL EXCHANGE. 
 
 COPYRIGHT.] [ENTERED AT STATIONERS' HALL.
 
 LONDON : 
 
 WATKRLOW AND SONS LIMITED, PRINTERS, 
 LONDON WALL, E.G.
 
 INDEX. 
 
 I'AGB 
 
 LOCALITY MAP (Facing Introductory) 
 
 INTRODUCTORY .1 
 
 MOUNT LYELL MINING & RAILWAY Co. LIMITED .... 6 
 
 "AMOUNT OF ORK IN SIGHT" AT THE ' BIG ' MINE (WITH DIAGRAMS) . 10 
 WHY LYELLS HAVE DROOPED LATELY ....... 15 
 
 THE ADJACENT MINES viz. : 
 
 QUEEN LYELL 21 
 
 CROWN LYELL MINING Co. N.L 24 
 
 TASMAN LYELL PROSPECTING ASSOCIATION 25 
 
 NORTH MOUNT LYELL LIMITED 26 
 
 MOUNT LYELL BLOCKS MINING Co. N. L. . . . .30 
 
 LYELL THARSIS MINING Co. N.L 32 
 
 MOUNT LYELL CONSOLS M. Co. N.L. 34 
 
 MOUNT LYELL EXTENDED M. Co. N.L. . . . . . .35 
 
 WEST MOUNT LYELL CONSOLS N.L - 
 
 WEST LYELL EXTENDED MINING Co. N.L. . . . . 
 
 " ROYAL MINING ASSOCIATION " N.L. - 
 
 PRINCE LYELL M. Co. N.L 35 
 
 LYELL PIONEERS N.L. - 
 
 LYELL PIONEERS CONSOLIDATED N.L. - 
 
 NORTH KING LYELL G. M. Co. LD. ....... 
 
 EAST MOUNT LYELL M. Co. N.L - 
 
 KAISER LYELL MINING ASSOCIATION N.L. . . . . - 
 CENTRAL MOUNT LYELL MINING Co. N.L. . . . .39 
 
 GLEN LYELL M. Co. N.L. - 
 
 KING LYELL G. M. Co. N.L . .42 
 
 MOUNT LYELL PROPRIETARY Co. LD. (LATE "MINERALS" 
 
 BLOCK, 40 ACRES) . . . . . . . .43 
 LINDA LYELL MINING Co. N.L. . . _ . . . . - 
 MOUNT LYELL MINING & RY. Co. LD. PRINCIPAL BLOCKS 
 
 (" CROTTV'S IRON BLOW ") AND MAIN LODE WORKINGS . 6 
 THE COPPER MINES OF MOUNT LYELL WEST LIMITED . . 50 
 SOUTH MOUNT LYELL MINING Co. LD. . . . .55 
 
 MOUNT LYELL PROPRIETARY Co. LD. (SOUTH BLOCKS) . .43 
 
 GREAT SOUTH LYELL MINING Co. N.L 56 
 
 SOUTH MOUNT LYELL CONSOLS LD 56 
 
 GREAT SOUTHERN MOUNT LYELL SYNDICATE N.L. . . .56 
 
 THE " SILENT " MINES &c . .59 
 
 THE GEOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LYELL FIELD ... .60 
 
 1317635
 
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 MOUNT LYELL MINES, 
 
 TASMANIA. 
 
 INTRODUCTORY. 
 
 MY BOOK, "Mount Lyell Mines," Tasmania, was so 
 
 liberally bought by the Public and has been so uniformly 
 praised both by the Press and by a very large number of 
 voluntary and impartial testifiers to the substantial advantages 
 which have accrued to themselves and clients, <fec., by their 
 having followed the information data and advice contained in 
 that work that I am encouraged to believe the present sma,U 
 " Supplement " or Appendix thereto will receive its proportionate 
 degree of support and approval, and that it will also serve the 
 other purposes I have in view : (i.) the strengthening and con- 
 solidating the high opinion which the " Big " Lyells have 
 evidently so abundantly obtained amongst a large section of our 
 shrewdest and wealthiest financial and other men ; and (ii.) that 
 my previous readers may now find in the pages of this present 
 small Supplementary publication the admission and assurance 
 that owing to the very many rapid developments which have 
 taken place in connection with several of the surrounding and 
 adjoining mines (and notably so in the " North Lyell "), my con- 
 servative statements in the Preface to my Book as to my not 
 then venturing to believe that the "outside Mines" had a rival 
 amongst them to the Big Mine itself now require to be con- 
 siderably modified in view of the almost phenomenally rich and 
 extensive discoveries which have been made in " The North
 
 2 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 
 
 Mount Lyell Mine " , and in view also of the numerous new 
 " shows " and " iron outcrops " &c. which are being vigorously 
 prospected and opened up by quite a host of more or less well 
 capitalised Companies in the Lyell field. 
 
 Many other very important changes and conditions of affairs 
 and all of them as I consider highly favourable in their bearing 
 upon the future success of this field, have occurred during the 
 past eighteen months or so ; and therefore in the few following 
 pages I have endeavoured to crystallize into crispest form possible 
 an outline of the present (and probable future) condition and 
 prospects of these Mines. 
 
 Very many of these Lyell Mountain ranges, spurs and valleys, 
 and probably a considerable portion of the very extensive area 
 forming the slopes of " Mount Owen " &c. will in my opinion be 
 found to contain payable bodies of ore amongst the vast beds of 
 cemented " conglomerates " which form hereabouts so conspicuous 
 and promising a matrix. I myself found gold in minute parti- 
 cles in these " conglomerate " rocks taken at hazard from the 
 disintegrated fragments thereof forming the bed of " Conglomerate 
 Creek," and as it is now known that quite a large number of 
 " iron outcrops " have been recently discovered located and pros- 
 pected in the immediate vicinity of the Big Mine I cannot refuse 
 to believe or to admit that " Lyell " may now be fairly regarded 
 as no longer merely a " one-mine " field, such as Mount Morgan, 
 Mount Bischoff, or Rio Tinto and Tharsis, <fec., but that it bids 
 very fair indeed to produce quite a large number of mines having 
 large and rich Copper ore deposits ; and whether these are " lodes" 
 proper or merely isolated " deposits," and whether of aqueous or 
 of plutonic origin matters very little if there be payable ore in 
 sufficient abundance ; for instance, as in the case of the doubly- 
 lucky " North Mount Lyell," with its two large and rich " East " 
 and " West " Iron outcrops and " lodes " or deposits and also a 
 centre ore body of large size and value. 
 
 Whilst then freely admitting that practically a new order of 
 things in many respects has grown up at Lyell since I first 
 ventured to place my " interested " views before my readers some
 
 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 6 
 
 eighteen months since I still adhere in stubborn conservative 
 fashion to the opinion I then expressed in my Book, viz. : 
 that even yet no absolute " rival " to the Big Mine has been 
 proved to exist; but I am "liberal" enough to qualify this 
 expression of opinion to the extent indicated in the preceding 
 paragraphs. 
 
 " Au reste " . . . well, it is already "plain as a pikestaff" (to 
 the initiated at any rate) that two very potent factors have been in 
 active operation (i.) a " Bear" attack on the Big Lyells themselves ; 
 (ii.) a fairly numerous crop of flotations of properties more or less 
 dependent as their only claim for existing even on paper to the 
 now magical name of " Lyell," and that for some time to come 
 there will be produced for the delectation of the generous and 
 short-memoried B.P. the usual percentage of Wild-Cat Mines 
 " goes without saying." 
 
 I also however now feel certain that not even the brilliantly 
 fortunate North Lyell Mine is to be the only other successful or 
 possible rival which the ' Big " Mine is to have amongst its 
 neighbours ; and that whilst the " Big fish " such as " Mount 
 Lyells " " North Lyells " &c. will soon be looked upon as " rich 
 men's " stock, and as partaking more of the nature of " Investment " 
 Stocks than of " Speculative Shares,'' there will be at least a few 
 fairly safe " gambles," and some of them of really very promising 
 and even important character, amongst the more immediately 
 adjacent and surrounding mines ; and of these Lyell Mining Stars 
 of lesser magnitude (so far as is yet known) I have in the following 
 few pages given as full -yet concise and impartial particulars as 
 are procurable by me at the moment of going to press. 
 
 And I have no hesitation in recommending my apparently 
 fairly numerous mining and Exchange friends to remember that 
 not even a few years' success in market operations in such shares 
 as those of the " Big " Lyell, par exemple will ever yield to the 
 "operators" or "short-profits" and " quick -returns " market-men, 
 the solid and substantial fortune-making profits which the operator 
 for " long-view " results can generally safely reckon upon. Of 
 course, the latter class of operator in addition to being a " long- 
 
 B2
 
 4 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 
 
 view " individual must be able to " finance " his views ; but as an 
 instance of what I mean let me say that scarce a day or week 
 passes but I am told by one or another of my Exchange and 
 other speculative friends . . . . " what a fool I was not to 
 " buy Lyells (in 1894) when you told me to do so at 27s. or there- 
 " abouts, and quietly locked them up in my safe and kept them 
 " there, instead of dabbling in and out for a quick turn or two, 
 " and at last getting afraid to touch them when they are at 
 " high figures." 
 
 Or yet another sorrowing like Job " Just think of it, ... 
 " say I had bought 1,000 Lyells in 1894 at 30s. and kept them 
 " my 1,500 of invested capital would yield me a profit of, say, 
 "15,000 or at the rate of 1,000 per cent. ... or, if 
 " reckoned as an ' income ' producer, would in dividends yield 
 " me at least 1,500 per annum (or cent, per cent, per 
 "annum)." 
 
 As a now many-years member of and operator on Stock 
 Exchanges, of course I am familiar with this sort of " lamenta- 
 tion " which, whilst being common enough, is after all but a 
 species of " jobbing backwards," and as futile as fretting about 
 spilt milk, &c. ; but the " moral " which it is in my mind to 
 draw from these " opportunities missed " may be summed up by 
 pointing out to some of my Exchange friends that it is some- 
 times pure wisdom in mining speculations as in other of our 
 worldly affairs " to despise not the day of small things or 
 }>eginnings," and that very frequently indeed solid fortune- 
 making is achieved by "him who waits," and who allows time 
 for a mine to be developed, or the seedling to become a tree. 
 
 The natural-born' Bears ' of the Market, who are "in" every- 
 thing to-day and "in" nothing long, or not longer than they 
 can cut a loss or score a small turn of profit, will not I know take 
 the risks of " long-views " or " mine-views " ; and certainly a life 
 spent on 'Change is well calculated to undermine any man's l>elief 
 in men, mines and mundane matters generally. Yet, even to 
 such pessimists " of little faith," I venture to commend the Big 
 Lyells as being still " good buying."
 
 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 5 
 
 In my Book in October 1896 I pronounced them to be at 
 their then see-saw prices of say round about 9 " The 
 Greatest Potentials of the Mining Market ; "and I 
 consider them now still more justly entitled to be 
 thus regarded. 
 
 At the present time I again unreservedly admit I am a 
 less "disinterested" adviser however than ever, seeing that 
 practically my own chief Mining ventures either as Mine owner 
 or speculator are those at Mount Lyell. 
 
 But in the past this " interested " condition of my position 
 has not proved very disastrous, I may safely claim, to those who 
 have admittedly paid me the compliment of having acted upon 
 the information which I have placed before them, and I there- 
 fore reiterate the head-lines which heralded my first pamphlet 
 (by an " Interested " Party). 
 
 .... "To be taken, then, 'cum grano salis' ? .... 
 By all means ; but also ' without prejudice.' " 
 
 M. R. 
 
 3 GREAT WINCHESTER STREET, E.G.
 
 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 
 
 THE 
 
 MOUNT LYELL MINING & RAILWAY CO. 
 
 LIMITED. 
 
 "THE BIG MINE." 
 
 WHY ITS SHARES ARE STILL "GOOD BUYING.' 
 
 Nearly as regularly as " clock-work " the Smelters have been 
 familiarising the lucky Shareholders, and the Public, with 
 four-weekly returns of Copper Gold and Silver from ore of 
 " average " yet of unprecedented high grade, and of the most perfect 
 quality for cheapness and facility of Smelting hitherto known to 
 Copper Mining and Copper Smelting professional men ; in fact, 
 in both these very important respects, the Big Mine's average 
 ores are vastly more than fulfilling Dr. Peters' best expectations 
 and predictions, and have established or " broken " the record 
 in such matters. 
 
 Other big and world-known historic Copper Mines have, we 
 know, had vaster deposits than those as yet developed at Lyell ; 
 but not one of these many gigantic and in many cases most 
 magnificently "payable" Mines of great and deserved repute 
 can " hold a candle " to the Big Lyell Mine in these matters of 
 " high grade " in Copper, in Gold, and in Silver combined ; and all 
 these wombed in a matrix unique in respect to the complete 
 absence therein of one particle or element of a " refractory "
 
 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 7 
 
 character ; " an ideal ore," in fact, as it has been aptly and justly, 
 as well as unanimously, proclaimed to be by the many competent 
 judges who have examined and tested it ; and now, foremost 
 amongst such men must of course be prominently placed Mr. 
 R. Sticht, the Company's Chief Manager, upon whose well-merited 
 promotion to which position the Shareholders should indeed 
 hugely congratulate themselves. 
 
 Under almost unparalleled difficulties of one sort and another, 
 Mr. Sticht has already " done wonders " in bringing the present 
 " half-plant " of five Smelters progressively into blast, and in 
 keeping them " going " with comparatively only trivial breaks or 
 shut-down intervals. 
 
 And Shareholders would do well to bear in mind 
 that even under all the disadvantages referred to, 
 these Smelters have been already earning "profits" or 
 "dividends" largely in excess of Dr. Peters' estimate. 
 And that when (during A.D. 1898, as we are informed 
 by the Directors in their Report will almost certainly 
 be the case) the whole ten Smelter Plant is in full 
 blast, there should be a ' dividend producing,' or net profit 
 over and above all working expenses whatsoever, suffi- 
 cient to admit of from 2 to 3 per Share per annum 
 being paid upon this Company's 3 Shares. 
 
 Dr. Peters asserted in 1893 that at any rate a net profit 
 of 1 per ton of ore treated could be safely depended upon ; 
 and on the assumption that 1,000 tons of ore would be treated 
 per diem for say 300 days in the year, we find that 300,000 
 would even under Dr. Peters' modest computation be available 
 for distribution on the 250,000 Shares of 3 each which have 
 been issued to the Shareholders (out of the 300,000 Shares of 
 3 each forming its Capital). 
 
 At the present moment this Company's fortunate Share- 
 holders are confronted with the following unchallenged and 
 unchallengeable and highly pleasing prospects : 
 
 (i.) That the result of the past half-year's operations has 
 given a 'net profit' of 66,724, notwithstanding the fact
 
 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 
 
 that the whole five Furnaces were not all " in blast "- 
 or running until the end of the half-year. 
 
 (ii.) That the cost of producing Blister Copper during 
 this period has been reduced to 1 3s. 3d. per ton of ore 
 (as against Dr. Peters' estimate of 1 16s. Od. per ton 
 of ore. 
 
 (iii.) That the ore was estimated by Dr. Peters to contain 
 copper 4' 5 per ton of ore ; silver 3 ozs. ; gold 2 '5. The 
 actual average grade of the ore smelted up to the present 
 date (January 1898) has been proved to be as nearly as 
 possible of the above estimated values as regards their 
 respective percentages ; and their average money values are 
 
 as follows : 
 
 Per Ton of Ore. 
 
 Copper 4-5 ; valued at 50 per ton ... 250 
 
 Silver 3 ozs., 2s. 3d. per oz. ... 069 
 Gold, 2 dwts. (about), at 4 per oz. ... 080 
 
 2 19 9 
 
 which is at present slightly against Shareholders as com- 
 pared with Dr. Peters' estimate in 1893. 
 
 (iv.) A strong " Reserve Fund " has been inaugurated. 
 
 (v.) The surplus of liquid assets over liabilities 
 is 177,812 at date of November Meeting 1897. 
 
 (vi.) The Shareholders have been officially in- 
 formed by their Directors that no further issue of 
 Shares or Debentures will be required, there being 
 sufficient money in hand to pay for the completion 
 of the full "10-Smelter Plant," &c. ; so that there 
 will be actually only 250,000 Shares " issued " (in 
 lieu of 300,000 as contemplated originally). 
 
 (vii.) That, on the principle of " two strings to a bow " 
 being generally considered better than one ; the policy of 
 the North Lyell Company in providing an additional 
 railway line to Port Macquarie, and the deepening of the
 
 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 
 
 entrance to its waters &c. is essentially a wise one ; and 
 at the same time there cannot I consider reasonably be any 
 objection on the part of Shareholders in the Big Company 
 to their Directors either individually or in a representative 
 capacity promoting or encouraging another and distinct 
 " Northern " outlet to the Emu Bay waters. 
 
 Rumour has had it that this " Emu Bay " part of the 
 Big Company's policy includes the providing presently of a 
 sufficiently abundant means for the treatment of 5,000 tons 
 of ore per diem at Emu Bay, in addition to the local smelting 
 of 1,000 tons per day at the Penghana (Lyell) Works ; but 
 the Chairman repudiated all such "wild talk" about 40, 
 50, 60 Smelters <tc. &c. ; so there is apparently no official 
 authority for the statement. But, all the same, there are 
 plenty of advocates who are in favour of treating Lyell's 
 " life " as one to be ' shortened ' to the utmost, by erecting 
 even 50 or 60 Smelters seeing that there is ore enough 
 " in sight " to then require 5 years to work it out at rate of 
 5,000 tons per day. 
 
 There will also to all present appearances be an enormous 
 output of ore from some of the surrounding and as yet "silent" 
 Mines such as " The Copper Mines of Mount Lyell West," 
 " Central," " South Mount Lyell," " Mount Lyell Consols," 
 " Mount Lyell Extended," " Lyell Tharsis," " King Lyell, 1 ' 
 " Mount Lyell Proprietary," and probably from many others 
 both north and south of these Mines ; and therefore the 
 more railways and "outlets" for the vast requirements of 
 such properties the better for them.* 
 
 (viii.) So gigantic a forecast as is here indicated could 
 only be justified by the certainty that so huge a quantity of 
 ore as say 2,000,000 (two millions) tons per annum will be 
 forthcoming ; and as various " Bear " estimates have recently 
 
 * On December 15 1897 The Mount Lyell Standard published the following par. : "The 
 surveyors for the Emu Bay Railway Company have examined the country from the junction 
 of the existing line to Zeehan and Lyell, and have reported favourably upon available routes 
 to both places. Arrangements have been made for the location of further survey parties, 
 who will work out from Zeehan and Lyell towards the other parties. The Compan}' mean 
 business." M.K.
 
 10 MOUNT LYELL MIXES. 
 
 been passed round " the House " and elsewhere fixing the 
 visible quantity of ore now in sight at the Big Mine (down 
 to its present deepest level of 500 ft. below Crotty's " Iron 
 Blow ") as being far less than the real developments appear 
 to justify, whilst certain other " Bullish " estimates of such 
 " ore in sight " have overstated this " visible " quantity, it 
 will be worth my reader's while to work out and prove or 
 disprove this quite simple arithmetical question for them- 
 selves ; and the following data and sectional sketch diagrams 
 are furnished herewith to enable such calculation to be made 
 and verified. 
 
 THE AMOUNT OF ORE "IN SIGHT" 
 IN THE BIG MINE. 
 
 Like unto nearly all other arithmetical problems, this question 
 of the visible amount of ore supply in the Big Mine entirely 
 depends upon the accuracy of your premises, or of your postulates 
 constants &c., <fec. ; otherwise of course " figures " are capable of 
 producing the most misleading and yet apparently perfectly correct 
 results. 
 
 As a ' constant " then whereupon to base our estimate I 
 invite my readers to believe that the conservative Dr. Peters in 
 his earliest full report upon this Mine (see page 66 of my lx>ok 
 Lyell Mines), in fixing the " constant " at about 8 cubic feet of 
 ore to the ton of 2,240 Ibs. fixed it too high ; my own numerous 
 experiments for ascertaining its specific gravity having afforded 
 as a fair " mean " constant some 7-0 cubic feet of ore per ton.* 
 
 * I would regard 6*5 cubic feet as being still nearer the true constant. M.R.
 
 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 
 
 11
 
 12 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 
 
 The following " vertical plane " section through this " deposit " 
 or lode on about line A, B, affords further data for our 
 calculations and estimate of the measurements of the ore body 
 already exposed down to the No. 5 Tunnel Level (1,000 ft. above 
 sea level). 
 
 Average length of ore body disclosed to date say 1,200 lineal 
 feet.* 
 Average width of ore body between its 
 
 hanging and foot- walls ... ... say 250 lineal feet. 
 
 Average depth of ore body from surface 
 
 down to No. 5 Tunnel Level ... say 450 lineal feet. 
 
 Constant for weight .-= say 7'0 cubic feet per ton of ore, 
 and thus 
 
 1,200 ft. x 250 ft. x 450 ft. = 135 millions of cubic feet of ore, 
 
 Cubic feet, 
 and 135,000,000 
 
 Constant 7*0 =19 millions of tons of ore in sight. 
 
 This ' visible supply ' of ore would be sufficient to meet the 
 ever-craving demands of Smelters " in blast " as follows : 
 
 Term of 
 Year's supply. 
 IO Smelters at 1,000 tons per day for 300 days 
 
 per annum 63 years. 
 
 20 Smelters at 2,OOO do. do. 31 
 
 40 Smelters at 4,OOO do. do. 15 
 
 6O Smelters at 6,OOO do. do. 7\ 
 
 But magnificent as is this "prospective " life or endurance 
 of the Big Mine as disclosed by this bit of simple arithmetic, it 
 fjills far short in various ways of its probable potentialities, 
 since these really comprise many other ascertained and further 
 " prospects," viz. : 
 
 (a) There are known "zones" of rich ore bodies in the 
 various levels of the main-lode deposit which must add 
 immensely to and raise the average of the lower grade 
 
 NOTE : Dr. Peters in his Report of 15th May 1893 estimated the then known length of 
 the " lode " at 800 feet ; litit some hundred* of feet of additional north and south " Drives " 
 &c. have been put in during the past four years and these justify apparently our now 
 estimating the total length of exploited "ore in sight " at about 1,200 feet. M.R.
 
 14 MOUXT LYKLL MIXES. 
 
 (6) The Mine can be worked as a " dry " Mine for probably 
 150 ft., or 200 ft. below the present 500 level, and 
 the "19 millions" of tons would be thereby increased 
 by one-half = say 27 millions of tons before the 
 question of " Pumping " would even require to be 
 thought of. 
 (c) And each additional 100 ft. of depth should pro rata 
 
 give a further 4 or 5 million tons of ore. 
 
 The question then of " supply and demand," or " life " of this 
 Mine, does not admit apparently of a moment's doubt ; and it is 
 quite clear that whether that excellent expert Mr. Sticht did or 
 did not " calculate " that there were " twenty-two millions of tons 
 of ore in sight," the Mine itself is seemingly its own best and 
 irrefutable " authority " on the point. What matters it to us 
 whether Mr. Sticht's reputed post-prandial estimate of " 22. 1 , 
 millions in sight " was made or not 1 . The figures used by me in 
 my calculations above given can be " discounted " to almost any 
 extent which may make the most pessimistic unbeliever happy 
 and still leave " Big Lyell :> in the unquestionable position of 
 having the biggest visible supply of ore yet seen in any Mine at 
 its nativity. 
 
 Cut down discount my Estimate by one half and 
 the "10 smelter " plant can still safely rely upon being: 
 supplied with its daily 1,000 tons of ore per day for 
 say 30 years. Whilst 60 smelters with their daily 
 wants of 60,000 tons of ore could be kept going for 
 3-| years. 
 
 Is not this " good enough " to satisfy even the most exact- 
 ing of pessimists 1 ; I think so.
 
 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 15 
 
 WHY BIG LYELLS HAVE DROOPED LATELY? 
 
 (Query: "Ursa Major" versus "Southern Cross"?) 
 
 "Why?" indeed: 
 
 Certainly not for any just or reasonable cause' whatsoever, so 
 far as the Mine itself is concerned, or so far as the Smelting 
 Returns are concerned, for both these " vitals " are as full of 
 " vitality " of the most satisfactory character as is well possible. 
 
 Many of my readers must have noticed (as I have) how it 
 happens pretty frequently now in these days of thirty-five days' 
 trips to Antipodean shores, that there is quite a swarm of 
 visitors from Capel Court to the " down under " regions of " Crux 
 Australis." Lately certain of these visitors have been unmistak- 
 ably of the " Ursa Major " order of beings and have favoured 
 " Lyells " especially with their very best forms of " squeeze ". 
 RCSllIt ! timid holders in Melbourne and London have enabled 
 Messrs. Ursa Major and Minor to knock off a couple of " points " 
 or so from the premier "Lyell " stock as a sort of " first blood." 
 
 Poor timid sellers! Shrewd clever "Bears." 
 
 POTENTIALITIES OF " LYELLS.' 
 
 Not quite, as yet, have the " Big Lyell " shares become 
 firmly established in financial men's confidence as being un- 
 doubtedly the very soundest and safest gilt-edged investment 
 Mining Stock on the World's lists of such goods. But before 
 this present year of Orace upon which we have just entered is 
 ended, I venture to assert that Lyells will have attained that 
 position, and that they will also have advanced many 
 "points" in market value.
 
 16 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 
 
 " Why should they do so 1 " 
 
 Answer : Let these figures speak for themselves : 
 
 With only the present 5 Smelters running for fairly "full 
 time," their net earnings for dividend purposes during the ensuing 
 half-year should be at least IOO,OOO ; and by the end of 
 that half-year 3 additional Smelters should be " running," and 
 should add, pro rata, 50 per cent, to the June-December's (1898) 
 Profits; or say a grand total of 250,000 at least available 
 for dividends on 250,000 shares during the next 12 months. 
 
 From January 1899 to December 1899 this ''full" plant of 
 10 Smelters with their treatment of 1,000 tons of ore smelted per 
 day at 2 per ton " profit " should earn at least 600,000 net 
 "profit" for dividends or at the rate of 48 shillings per 
 share per annum or SO per cent, on each 3 share. 
 
 With such an undoubted length of " life " as has been already 
 practically " guaranteed " by the Mine itself surely then it is not 
 predicting or expecting too much that " Lyells " should steadily 
 and soon start again on their up grade. If we assume that 
 10 per cent, is a fair enough minimum return to be looked for 
 from a Mining Stock then it is as " clear as daylight " (Australian 
 daylight not of course London "fog" daylight) that a 3 share 
 earning say 48 shillings dividends annually, is SL gilt-CdgCd 
 
 security of the most distinguished order; 
 and that on this IO per cent, basis it 
 would be still a very excellent invest- 
 ment at a market price of 24 per Share. 
 
 Romantically large or absurd as such figures may now seem to 
 conservatively careful investment experts or to those who will 
 not fairly and squarely "work out" the correct dimensions and 
 " constants " &c. of the Big Lyell lode deposit they still fall 
 absurdly short of the true potentialities of this veritably mar- 
 vellous Mine. For instance : 
 
 A gradual increase of Smelting Plant and Smelters will 
 assuredly form a " constant " part of Big Lyell's progressive 
 policy; and even a 5,000 tons per day Smelting programme 
 should not be regarded as either a chimerical or an impossible goal.
 
 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 17 
 
 If then my views as above faithfully carefully and analyti- 
 cally put forward are correct, or even largely and substantially so, 
 what other " listed " or " unlisted " stock is there which can 
 compare for an instant with " Lyells " 1 . 
 
 Serious political complications (" Mail-ed fists " made in Ger- 
 many &c. &c.) might of course give even " Lyells " a bad time ; 
 but this contingency is happily one not requiring serious present 
 consideration. 
 
 THE ADJACENT MINES. 
 
 THE NORTH MOUNT LYELL MINE." 
 
 AT this moment I am face to face with the fact that I can no 
 longer justify even to myself the non-rendering unto Cfesar the 
 things which are Cyesar's ; and with such an undeniably very 
 ' Csesar ' of a Mine indeed as this North Mount Lyell property 
 has in its as yet almost incipient or adolescent days demonstrated 
 itself indubitably to be, I will hasten to purge myself of the 
 imputation which I find has sometimes found voice amongst the 
 readers of my Book that I did not at the time it was published 
 (October 1896 ) believe in the existence of a possible or 
 probable Rival to the " Big " Mine itself amongst its numerous 
 neighbouring Mining Confreres. 
 
 As far back however as that memorable August of 1891 when 
 Lyell was visited by myself as a member of Mr. Bowes Kelly's 
 Syadicate party I find by reference to my Field-book containing
 
 18 MOUNT LTELL MINES. 
 
 the notes of the Surveys I then made of the Big Mine itself as 
 well as of the more important surrounding blocks that I also 
 made notes and sketches of the position <fec. of the immense iron 
 outcrops visible in these " North Lyell " blocks ; and that an 
 entry was also made at the same time by me in that field-book 
 
 to the effect that it was the next " biggest " 
 show to "Crotty's Iron Blow." 
 
 So I can honestly claim that I am not a mere prophet ' after 
 the event ' but that I was even in those now almost remote 
 historical " Lyell " days duly impressed with the rugged moun- 
 tainous assertive and powerful looking iron outcrops which 
 towered up so conspicuously though they were then deeply 
 embosomed in the dense ' Bush ' or forest which made it so 
 difficult a task even to such a Herculean mining pioneer as 
 my friend Mr. James Grotty himself to reach this precipitous 
 spur of some 2,000 feet above sea level of Mount Lyell's 
 main Peak. 
 
 To a more modified extent I was also impressed by the lesser 
 Iron outcrops (and Copper pyrites deposits) which I found to 
 exist on certain other " forfeited " Gold leases (seven in number 
 of 10 acres each), and which my then partner and myself 
 decided forthwith to re-peg and apply for; they having been 
 originally pegged out and held by Mr. James Grotty and some 
 of his party. And these 7 blocks now form with another 10 
 acre block more recently acquired the property of my recently 
 re constructed " West Mount Lyell Company " and now known 
 as " The Copper Mines of Mount Lyell West Limited." 
 
 It is we know quite usual for a parent or for parents to 
 consider his or their own family or some of its individual mem- 
 bersas almost unquestionably far and away the superiors of 
 'other people's' broods. And as every Mining Man, or Mine 
 Owner, almost invariably pronounces ( and sometimes possibly 
 even believes) his own particular mine to be " THE very best 
 one of them all " . . . . it would surely have been merely 
 natural and quite de rigueur according to the ethics of the game 
 if in my Book aforesaid I had sought to place my own " West
 
 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 19 
 
 Lyell " bantling as the most probable " Under-study " of or Rival 
 to the " Big " Mine itself. But this I have never as yet 
 dreamed of doing ; although naturally perhaps now that I find 
 my own Mine amply provided with Working Capital for fully and 
 properly exploring and developing it I am secretly not without 
 hope of yet seeing it announce itself in similar "undeniable" 
 fashion to its " North Lyell " neighbour and as fully worthy to 
 even rank as the real " No. 2 " Mine of the " Lyell " group ; a 
 position which on paper at any rate it assuredly holds as regards 
 its being ' Big ' LyelPs nearest neighbour. 
 
 But ' CHE SARA SARA ' is assuredly about the fittest of 
 mottoes for a Mine or Mine Owner ; although that other still more 
 familiarly known ' couplet ' fits the case almost like a glove also : 
 
 " For if ' she ' will ' she ' will, 
 
 You may depend on't 
 And if 'she' won't 'she' won't 
 And there's an end on't ' 
 
 These Mining " She's " are built just like that and there's 
 no denying it. 
 
 Meantime let us return to ' ' Caesar " North Lyell and his 
 evidently most abundant Imperial purples blues and greens and 
 gold and iridescent glories of " Peacock " ore of the very finest 
 quality, and in almost fabulous abundance as to quantity. 
 
 As though to make up to Mr. James Grotty for his many very 
 weary and at times heart-breaking as well as back-breaking 
 years of loneliness, semi-starvation and deprivation of almost 
 every comfort material and intellectual and as a sort of ' Con- 
 solation-stakes ' to him for the loss involved in his almost 
 compulsory (certainly never his voluntary) surrender of his 
 " Big " Crotty's Blow " Mine under the exigencies of evil Fortunes, 
 the- Good Genii of the Mines of Lyell decided that as Mr. Grotty 
 was practically principal owner and "Lord and Master " of several 
 of the Northern Group of Mines as well as of the big South 
 Mount Lyell Mine it would only be ' a dacent thing ' to at last 
 reward this Lion-hearted patient Lyell pioneer and modestly 
 heroic-devout believer in Lyell Mines and in the virtue of 
 patience. 
 
 c2
 
 20 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 
 
 And thus almost like the gorgeous transformation scene of a 
 Drury Lane Pantomime the erstwhile frowning, discouraging, toil- 
 some heart and back-breaking " North Lyell " Mine has suddenly 
 thrown off its armoured opposition to this invading plodding 
 and determined Mining Man ("Caesar" aforesaid) and disclosed 
 to him in one brilliant flash of the Mine-Genii's most dazzling 
 light the incalculable Treasures of one of his very choicest of 
 Mine-wealth secrets. 
 
 I am glad to say that I am amongst those who have known 
 Mr. Grotty for some years past and no one who is really 
 cognisant of his career on the Lyell field can fail to offer him as 
 I do the warmest congratulations upon his Phoenix -like 
 emergence from the toilsome past into the brilliant present with 
 all its almost dazzling possibilities for himself and for those also 
 who are wise enough to pin their faith to him and to his advice 
 and counsels as to this Lyell field generally. 
 
 For most unquestionably he is justly entitled as an authority 
 to quite the ' first-place ' in respect to all that there is to be 
 known about these Mines at this time ; and in his other as yet 
 less favorably known properties (such as the " Lyell Extended " 
 and " Lyell Consols " Mines) I am now perfectly convinced he 
 holds " potentials " of such high promise as will presently entitle 
 them to rank if not quite on an equality with the Ctesar-like 
 " North Lyell " still as very ' considerable personages ' in Mine 
 circles of quite high degree. 
 
 Thanks to the Press mainly and to some few persistent 
 individual " Lyell " enthusiasts much is now generally known to 
 the English Public about Mr. Crotty's various Lyell properties 
 and especially at the present moment about his " North " Mine 
 and about his admirably conceived and admirably carried out 
 projected " Railway Bill " with its now-attendant immediate 
 " construction " of the line itself &c. that it would be a mere 
 waste of my readers' time for me to invite them to read any more 
 of my mere personal views and opinions ; and having with every 
 good-will endeavoured to adequately express my own perfect 
 faith both in Mr. James Grotty himself in his Mines and
 
 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 21 
 
 his views and opinions, I will proceed to such work as is 
 
 before me in referring to other of the less known and less 
 developed Mines and shows of this Field.* 
 
 THE QUEEN LYELL MINING COMPANY, N.L." 
 
 This Mine is situated on the northern descent of the " Lyell 
 West Peak ; " i.e. an altitude of rugged mountain range with the 
 culminating West Lyell Peak (say 4,500 feet above sea level) has 
 to be surmounted as it ' intervenes ' between the " North Mount 
 Lyell" Mine and the Queen Lyell property which latter is 
 probably therefore some 3,000 feet above sea level and about two 
 miles north of the North Lyell Mine. I have no personal know- 
 ledge to impart about this property never having visited its 
 particularly ' difficult ' neighbourhood. 
 
 So far as its present mining developments are concerned then 
 I must be content to quote the following extracts from Mr. 
 Lawson's excellent little booklet upon these Mines (published in 
 Melbourne recently). 
 
 9 That well-known Civil Engineer, Napier Bell, of New Zealand, has just paid the 
 Lyell Mines a visit, and he is stated by The Lyell Mining Standard to have replied as 
 follows to the questions asked by his interviewers as to the proposed works for deepening 
 and permanently improving the bar and entrance to Macquarie Harbour. ..." During 
 his stay, which extended over Monday, he was interviewed by a Standard representative. 
 Asked if there would be any great engineering difficulty to surmount in undertaking- the 
 deepening of the bar, he replied that everything was so simple that the work would not 
 interest engineers. He was convinced that the harbour could be improved permanently, 
 so that vessels of deep draft could steam right up to the wharf at Strahan without the 
 slightest danger. The work that had been accomplished at Greymouth, in New Zealand, 
 in the face of the angry southern ocean, was very much more difficult than the deepening 
 of the Macquarie Harbour."
 
 22 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 
 
 " EXTRACTS FROM MR. G. A. LAWSON'S BOOK 
 
 OF THE 
 
 MINERAL INDUSTRY OF TASMANIA." 
 
 "THE QUEEN LYELL," N.L. 
 
 Capital 100,000 in 100,000 shares of 1 each ; 50,000 paid 
 up and 50,000 contributing; (12,500 paid up and 12,500 
 contributing are held in reserve for the Company. 
 
 Legal Manager : G. A. LAWSON, 90 Queen Street, Melbourne 
 
 " This property consists of 72 acres held under lease from the 
 Tasmanian Government. The lode is about 130 feet wide. Its 
 composition closely resembles other lodes in the near vicinity, and 
 is located upon what is now known as the Western Lode, which 
 traverses the West Mount Lyell, the Prince Lyell Company's 
 sections, and others intervening and not named. It appears to be 
 of a massive and permanent character. The assays by A. E. 
 Glover, of 397 Little Collins Street, are very satisfactory, viz. : 
 Gold, 8 dwts. 14 grs. ; silver, 42 ozs. 9 dwts. ; copper, 36 per cent, 
 per ton. This is a very encouraging result, because the destruction 
 of its metalliferous ingredients must have been enormous in ages 
 gone by." 
 
 " The workings comprise adit and some three or four surface 
 cuttings across the outcrop. The same facilities exist here for 
 developing these mines as on others likewise located on the almost 
 precipitous eastern ranges from the Queen River, which permits, 
 after once the adits are driven, of expeditious and economic 
 mining operations. The work already done demonstrates the 
 present and prospective great value of this lode. So far, at 
 present, only the south portion of this mine is being developed. 
 
 " Ores appear to occur in large bands or laminations, and they 
 consist of hematites, iron and copper pyrites, and some galenites. 
 Of these, the copper pyrites are associated with a large quartz
 
 MOUNT LYELL MIXES. 23 
 
 formation. The ores have a close resemblance, and are identical 
 with those so generally prevailing in this district, and also those 
 raised by the parent and other companies. The quantity of ore 
 is large, so far as can be seen at present, and will be materially 
 increased at deeper levels. It is a property that can be opened 
 up quickly and operated on at moderate expense." 
 
 Having started with about the most northerly of the 
 "Registered " Mining Company's blocks i.e. " ThC Queen " 
 (vide the small locality plan facing title page of this booklet of 
 mine) I propose to work down ' Southerly ' therefrom and to deal 
 with the various properties seriatim. 
 
 Starting then (in imagination only I am thankful to say for 
 as a pedestrian excursion the ' climb up ' Lyell West Peak and the 
 ' climb down ' therefrom is a very creditable bit of mountaineer- 
 ing) from Queen Lyell's ' distant ' mine and Regal charms and 
 descending Lyell West Peak's main Spur or " Divide of the King 
 and Queen River Watersheds " southerly, we begin to get into 
 the ' thick ' of the Mines : and in about the following order : 
 
 1. Queen Lyell. 
 
 2. Crown Lyell Mining Co. N.L. 
 
 3. Tasman Lyell Prospecting Association. 
 
 4. North Mount Lyell Limited. 
 
 5. Mount Lyell Blocks Mining Co. N.L. 
 
 6. Lyell Tharsis Mining Co. N.L. 
 
 7. Mount Lyell Consols M. Co. N.L. 
 
 7 A. Mount Lyell Extended Mining Co. N.L. 
 
 8. West Mount Lyell Consols N.L. 
 
 9. West Lyell Extended Mining Co. N.L. 
 
 10. " Royal Mining Association " N.L. 
 
 11. Prince Lyell M. Co. N.L. 
 
 12. Lyell Pioneers N.L. 
 
 13. Lyell Pioneers Consolidated N.L. 
 
 14. North King Lyell G. M. Co. Ld. 
 
 15. East Mount Lyell M. Co. N.L.
 
 24 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 
 
 16. Kaiser Lyell Mining Association N.L. 
 
 17. Central Mount Lyell Mining Co. N.L. 
 
 18. Glen Lyell M. Co. N.L. 
 
 19. King Lyell G. M. Co. N.L. 
 
 20. Mount Lyell Proprietary Co. Ld. (late " Minerals" 
 
 Block, 40 Acres). 
 
 21. Linda Lyell Mining Co. N.L. 
 
 22. Mount Lyell Mining & Ry. Co. Ld. Principal 
 
 Blocks (" Crotty's Iron Blow") and Main 
 Lode Workings. 
 i>3. The Copper Mines of Mount Lyell West Limited. 
 
 24. South Mount Lyell Mining Co. Ld. 
 
 25. Mount Lyell Proprietary Co. Ld. (South Blocks). 
 
 26. Great South Lyell Mining Co. N.L. 
 
 27. South Mount Lyell Consols Ld. 
 
 28. Great Southern Mount Lyell Syndicate N.L. 
 
 CROWN LYELL MINING COMPANY. 
 
 No LIABILITY, TASMANIA. 
 Capital 125,000 in 125,000 shares of 1 each ; 62,500 of which 
 
 are fully paid up ; 62,500 are contributing. 
 
 Legal Manager : G. A. LAWSON, 90 Queen Street, Melbourne. 
 
 " This block of metalliferous land, 30 acres in extent, is situated 
 north and north-west of the North Mount Lyell Company's lease, 
 and forms an oblong parallelogram, thus commanding a greater 
 length of the lode opened than would otherwise have been the 
 case, and is directly north of Tharsis Company's, also west of the 
 Tasmania-Lyell Company, from the former of which the lode has 
 been traced right into this ground, which is now being opened up 
 with satisfactory results. Occupying the position it does, this 
 mine is very centrally situated among the other numerous lease- 
 holds on the field, being situated on the north-western slope of the 
 range which forms the watershed, as between the creeks emptying 
 south into the Linda Valley on the north falling into the upper 
 tributaries of the Queen River. Besides the main lode there are 
 indications of the occurrence of other metalliferous formations."
 
 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 25 
 
 " The lode worked by the North Mount Lyell Company 
 adjoining has been traced by means of massive outcrops of 
 manganiferous iron into this property. The ores comprise the 
 usual sulphurets of the Mount Lyell mineral field, a combination 
 of iron, copper and silver lead, and as characteristic of this 
 locality become richer on greater depth being reached. The 
 property can be economically worked by means of adits. The 
 north-western strike of the-lode exhibits a western underlay, which 
 has been traced through this lease by means of " iron blows." 
 The angle of strike is such as will add considerably to the contents 
 of the ore-bearing formation on this property. Assays have been 
 made, returning very satisfactory results." 
 
 (Above Article is extracted from Mr. Laicson's Book.) M. R. 
 
 THE TASMAN LYELL PROSPECTING ASSOCIATION, 
 
 No LIABILITY. 
 
 Capital 15,000 in 30,000 shares of 10s. each; 2^,600 shares 
 
 are issued as paid up to 5s. 
 Legal Manager: JOHN POTTS, 31 Queen Street, Melbourne. 
 
 " Operations on this property have been mostly on the surface 
 for the past six months. A low grade pyrites body of 150 ft. in 
 width has been met with giving assays of copper from 1 to 2 per 
 cent., and gold from 1 to 2 dwts. The western side of this forma- 
 tion seems to carry the most copper." 
 
 " Another discovery is also being operated on a pyrites 
 formation about 3 ft. wide, and increasing in width as it goes 
 down, exposing a fair-looking show, about same as other formation. 
 A shaft has been sunk 16 ft, about 6 ft. in nice-looking iron, 
 from which colours of gold can be obtained." 
 
 " This property is well worth further consideration, for it has 
 splendid facilities for tunnelling, &c., and the prospects of the 
 association are very encouraging, being in good hands." 
 
 (Above Article is extracted from Mr. Lawson's Book). M. R.
 
 26 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 
 
 THE NORTH MOUNT LYELL COPPER COMPANY, 
 
 LIMITED. 
 
 CAPITAL .... 500,000 
 
 Divided into 500,000 Shares of 1 each. 
 
 Of these 395,000 Shares will be taken by the Vendors in full payment of the purchase 
 
 money, leaving 105,000 Shares available for the Working Capital of the Company. < >f 
 
 these, 45,000 Shares have been applied for by the Directors and their friends and will 
 
 be allotted in full, 35,000 Shares are reserved for future issue, and the remaining 
 
 25,OOO Shares are available for allotment to the public, 
 
 Payable 5 /- on Application, 5 /- on Allotment, 5 - two months after Allotment, 
 
 and 5 /- four months after Allotment. 
 The Shares, when fully paid, may be converted into Share Warrants to Bearer. 
 
 Directors. 
 
 JAMES GROTTY, 138, Leadenhall Street, B.C., and Melbourne. 
 WILLIAM JACKS, D.L., J.P., Glasgow, & 23, Leadenhall Street, E.G. 
 LEONARD K. H1GGINS, 9, Drapers' Gardens, E.C. 
 JOHN S. MACARTHUR, Glasgow, and 56, New Broad Street, E.G. 
 D. J. MACKAY, 138, Leadenhall Street, E.G. 
 
 Melbourne Board. 
 
 ALFRED CLAYTON; C.E. 
 JAMES P. LONERGAN. 
 
 GEORGE MOORE, M.D. 
 CHARLES E. PACKER. 
 
 Bankers. 
 
 LONDON -THE COMMERCIAL BANK OF SCOTLAND, LTD. 
 
 62, Lombard Street, E.G. 
 AUSTRALIA BANK OF AUSTRALASIA, 4, Threadneedle Street, E.G. 
 
 Brokers. 
 
 DERENBURG & CO., 9, Drapers' Gardens, E.G. 
 
 Solicitors. 
 
 RENSHAW, KEKEWICH & SMITH, 2, Suffolk Lane, E.G. 
 LYNCH & MACDONALD, Oxford Chambers, Bourke Street, Melbourne. 
 
 Auditors. 
 
 SINGLETON, FABIAN & CO., Chartered Accountants, 34, Nicholas Lane, B.C. 
 
 Secretary (pro tern.) and Offices. 
 
 D. G. LUMSDEN, 138, LEADENHALL STREET, E.G.
 
 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 27 
 
 It will probably interest and repay my readers to glance at 
 the following extract (from Mr. Lawson's book) respecting this 
 property before proceeding to my own further remarks on this 
 phenomenally rich Mine : 
 
 NORTH MOUNT LYELL MINING COMPANY, 
 
 LIMITED. 
 
 Capital 150,000 in 150,000 shares of 1 each, 60,000 being 
 paid up and 60,000 paid to 15.*. ; 30,000 shares held in reserve. 
 
 " The area consists of 30 acres held under gold lease (which 
 embraces all other minerals), and is situated on the southern slope 
 of Mount Lyell and the eastern slope of the ridge between 
 Mounts Lyell and Owen. The general fall of the ground being 
 from the west to the east, it will be seen that the property is 
 adapted for working by adit levels, which is of great importance 
 for economical mining. At about the centre of this property is a 
 formation of barztic hematite and quartzite which marks the 
 course of the metalliferous ore belt underlying to the west. This 
 hematite and quartzite outcrop usually lies on a conglomerate 
 deposit which forms the footwall of the ore bodies. The rock 
 outcrop to the west of this hematite lode is an ironstained schist, 
 and is the locale where pyrites ore veins will be found. Therefore 
 the whole of this property is so positioned that the lode is con- 
 tained well within it. On section 29/90 an outcrop of dense 
 copper pyrites (contained in schist) has been trenched on in various 
 places, and to prospect this a tunnel was started on section 23/90 
 to intersect the ore body. At '00 feet in from opening an ore- 
 body, "erubescite" of high grade, corresponding with that on 
 surface, was passed through, its strike being east of north. This 
 important development occurring in soft ground has not been 
 further explored. A south drive off western crosscut commencing 
 82 feet from end of main tunnel, has been following a body of 
 copper pyrites and erubescite. This drive follows the footwall of 
 the ore formation for about 70 feet and is most likely a portion 
 of the main ore body marked on surface by the hematite.
 
 28 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 
 
 " A winze being put down in the ore body near the footwall 
 is opening up well, showing a marked improvement in every foot 
 of sinking, some veins being very rich. The value and appear- 
 ance of the ore to-day at this level is highly satisfactory, being 
 only 120 feet beneath the natural surface." 
 
 " As this mine is situated so that fairly deep prospecting can 
 be got by adit, it may be expected that large bodies of payable 
 ore will be met with as the mine is opened up. The underground 
 workings already prove existence of payable ore at greater depth. 
 From evidence of immediate surroundings and workings of other 
 mines it suggests considerable improvement in size and quality." 
 
 " The latest assays made 62 per cent, copper, 30 ozs. 15 dwts. 
 silver, 15 dwts. gold per ton." 
 
 " The Mining Manager has just reported a new find, a lode 
 having been cut, consisting of galena, in the tunnel. It looks 
 strong. There is no footwall visible yet." 
 
 Mr. Crotty's Railway Bill is thus described in the columns of 
 the " Lyell Standard" on December llth 1897 and should prove 
 of interest to many of my readers : 
 
 THE NORTH MOUNT LYELL RAILWAY. 
 
 " The second reading of the Mount Lyell and Macquarie 
 Harbour Railway Bill was moved in the House of Assembly on 
 Wednesday by the Hon. D. C. Urquhart, and was agreed to." 
 
 " The total estimated cost of the railway is 92,486 10s. ; the 
 length, 30 miles 41 chains ; the average cost per mile therefore 
 will be 3,031." 
 
 " The surveyors of the trial line were Messrs. W. F. Egan and 
 W. M'Eachern, who submitted the following general report to 
 the Parliamentary Select Committee " : 
 
 "LOCATION. For 3A miles from the North Lyell Mine the line 
 passes down the northern side of the Linda Valley along the 
 foot-hills of Mount Lyell. At 3| miles it crosses the Linda
 
 MOUNT LYELL MIXES. 29 
 
 River and the overland track from Hobart to Strahan. This, 
 which is the only road crossed on the entire route, it is proposed 
 to cross by an overhead bridge. From 4 miles to 17 miles the 
 route is through level button-grass plains, devoid of timber, the 
 only works of any consequence necessary being bridges across the 
 King and Governor Rivers. After leaving the plains the line 
 curves round the head waters of the Andrew River, ascending 
 to a low gap in the divide between the Andrew and Bird Rivers. 
 From this gap it descends along the Nora and Bird Rivers to 
 Kelly's Basin, and after skirting the shore of the basin for a mile 
 crosses the Fysh River, and terminates at the proposed wharfage 
 casements on the northern shore of Kelly's Basin. The total 
 length of line is 30 miles 41 chains." 
 
 " RULING GRADIENT. With the exception of the first 3| miles, 
 where there is a gradient of 1 in 30, there will be no grade 
 steeper than 1 in 40. This 3^ miles may be regarded as a sepa- 
 rate section, as it is a down gradient from the Mine, and all the 
 heavy loading will be down hill to the Smelters. The 1 in 40 
 grades are not compensated on the sharp curves, but there is a 
 sufficient margin of level and easier grades to permit of this being 
 done on a permanent survey." 
 
 "CURVES. The sharpest curves on the line are of three chains 
 radius. There are many places where the deeper cuttings could 
 lie reduced 50 per cent, by substituting curves of two chains 
 radius for these, and sufficient information has been obtained to 
 enable us to take out an estimate on this basis should it be 
 required." 
 
 "GENERAL FEATURES, <fec. With the exception of four miles 
 at the Lyell end, the formation is mostly schist and freestone on 
 -the hills, and peat resting on gravel beds on the button-grass 
 plains. The rock will be easily excavated, and the cuttings will 
 stand with nearly vertical sides. On the plains it will be merely 
 necessary to strip the overlying peat to an average depth of about 
 fifteen inches, when the gravel substratum will afford a very suit- 
 able formation. The slopes on the sidelong country run from 
 10 to 45 deg., averaging about 25 deg. In the conglomerate
 
 30 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 
 
 country the surface is very hard, but the local experience of this 
 rock shows that it is usually a surface covering or boulder, under- 
 laid by schist or soft shales. Abundance of the best quartz 
 gravel for ballast is obtainable through the plain country in the 
 direct course of the line, and also at Kelly's Basin and Lyell. 
 Timber suitable for construction purposes will also be obtained in 
 sufficient quantities in the course of clearing the formation 
 widths." 
 
 " INTERFERENCE WITH PROPERTY, &c. With the exception of 
 a few mineral leases near Lyell, the route is entirely through 
 unoccupied and unalienated Crown Lands barren and unsuitable 
 for settlement." 
 
 " Owing to the dense scrub in the hill country, we were unable 
 to get the best results on a mere trial survey, and feel confident 
 that a much improved section could be obtained on a permanent 
 survey." 
 
 MOUNT LYELL BLOCKS MINING CO. N.L. 
 
 This property adjoins the Eastern boundary of the North 
 Mount Lyell Leases ; it consists of seven blocks of 10 acres each 
 (see locality map at title page). 
 
 Up to time of going to Press I regret having been able to 
 procure any particulars regarding this property, and am therefore 
 reluctantly compelled to give it this mere passing notice in my 
 
 I am aware however that it is extremely well situated on one 
 of the main big spurs leading (from the Southern side) of Lyell's 
 Main Peak and that there are some good ' Shows ' upon it 
 such as to make it quite worthy of being vigorously prospected 
 and opened up. 
 
 In the Mount Lyell Standard of October 23rd 1897 the 
 following notice or report was published concerning this property :
 
 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 31 
 
 LYELL BLOCKS. 
 
 " Since my last visit to the Blocks property, the prospects 
 have changed for the l>etter. After 650 ft. of driving, the 
 decomposed schist country gave way to quartzite, carrying a 
 little copper and iron pyrites, which has continued for the last 
 30 ft. driven. The tunnel is now being extended towards the 
 shaft sunk on the eastern Ixmndary of the property, and close to 
 the North Lyell ore-body. This will be continued until the shaft 
 is reached, which will be in about 150 ft., and crosscuts will also 
 be driven in order to prove the formation now being passed 
 through. At the point where the shaft will be reached, the 
 tunnel will be 180 ft. from the surface, so that it will test the 
 property at a fair depth." 
 
 And in the same Journal's columns the following additional 
 information about this property was published on December 8th 
 1897 : 
 
 THE LYELL BLOCKS. 
 
 " The tunnel has been driven 740 ft., and after passing 
 through some 30 ft. of quartzite, the face is now in soft schist, 
 with indications of the quartzite making again. The drive will 
 reach the eastern boundary of the North Lyell property in 
 another 70 ft. The manager hopes to encounter something good 
 before reaching that point." 
 
 This is practically all the information I am in the position at 
 the moment to contribute about this property.
 
 32 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 
 
 THE LYELL THARSIS MINING COMPANY. 
 
 Capital 12,000 in 24,000 shares of Ws. each; 20,000 shares 
 paid up to 5s. ; 4,000 shares held in reserve. 
 
 Secretary : JOHN POTTS, 39 Queen Street, Melbourne. 
 
 Area of property 21 acres. 
 
 This may now be considered as one of the " Grotty Group " of 
 Mines that gentleman having quite recently entirely reorganised 
 its Board and practically taken over the future development and 
 control of this extremely promising Mine into his own personal 
 supervision. 
 
 The following is an Extract from Mr. Lawson's Book before 
 mentioned. (August, 1896). 
 
 THE LYELL THARSIS MINING COMPANY. 
 
 No LIABILITY. 
 
 Capital 12,000 in 24,000 shares of 10*. each ; 20,000 shares 
 issued paid up to 5.. ; 4,000 shares held in reserve. 
 
 Legal Manager : JOHN POTTS, 39 Queen Street, Melbourne. 
 
 " Area of 21 acres, adjoining the North Mount Lyell. The latest 
 work done at this mine consists of a tunnel which has been driven 
 125 ft., meeting, in its first course of 59 ft., schist, intermixed with 
 erubescite veins, the remaining 66 ft. being in lode formation 
 carrying copper and iron pyrites, with a little gold and silver." 
 
 " Men are at the present time engaged in cutting a chamber at 
 a point nearly in the centre of the lode formation, with a view to 
 sinking a winze in order to test its value at a depth."
 
 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 33 
 
 The following paragraph was published in The Li/ell Standard 
 on December 15th last : 
 
 " The Lyell Tharsis Mining Company (no liability) has teen 
 registered in Melbourne. The number of shares in the Company, 
 which has been refloated for the purpose of raising capital, is 
 150,000, of 1 each. The number of shares subscribed for is 
 120,000. The original number of shares was 24,000, of 10s. each, 
 4>000 of which were held in reserve." 
 
 The following Article also appeared in The Mount Lyell 
 Standard of October 23rd 1897 : 
 
 THE LYELL THARSIS. 
 
 " This property continues to open up in a satisfactory manner. 
 The Nos. 1 and 2 tunnels have been driven 60 ft. through payable 
 ore, and they are to be continued as long as the ore body main- 
 tains a bulk value of not less than 4 per cent, of copper." 
 
 " In order to further prove the length of the formation, a 
 trench has been started a considerable distance south of and 
 parallel with the tunnel workings, and operations have disclosed 
 the existence of the ore body identical in character with that 
 through which the tunnels are being driven." 
 
 " It is intended to prove the length of the ore-body by trenching 
 still further south and towards the huge outcrop which occurs 
 above the present workings. At a depth of 110ft. below the 
 upper tunnels an ore-body 86 ft. in width has been passed 
 through, which, though of a low-grade character, may pay if 
 worked on a large scale." 
 
 " The winze which is being sunk in No. 2 tunnel is down 24 ft. 
 Right from the start the ore has slightly improved. The bottom 
 of the winze now shows a large amount of copper pyrites." 
 
 "Should the part of the ore-body being sunk through in the 
 winze maintain its present average value, the Lyell Tharsis will 
 have a deposit of ore of a proved extent of 166 ft. in length 
 and 110 ft. in depth, while as to its width, that has been deter- 
 mined to be GO ft."
 
 34 MOUNT LYELL MIXES. 
 
 MOUNT LYELL CONSOLS MINING COMPANY N.L. 
 
 This Mine is another of Mr. James Crotty's Northern 
 ' Group ' of Mines, and probably one of the best of them since 
 he is ' nursing ' it so patiently and I expect to see it take a 
 prominent place in the market at no remote date. 
 
 It is not only splendidly situated (on the south boundary of 
 the " North Lyell " Mine) but it has been most successfully 
 exploited to an extent indeed unknown to any but a very few 
 of the " inner ring " of Lyell Mining men. 
 
 In Lieut.-Colonel Boddam's, R.E., admirable plans (issued and 
 published under Mr. James Crotty's personal directions and now 
 to be seen in scores of City Mining Offices) the position of the 
 large and valuable lode and hematite outcrops surmounting same 
 in this property are most clearly shown and I strongly commend 
 these plans to my reader's attention. 
 
 It will be seen that one at least of the " North Lyell " lodes 
 almost certainly traverses the whole length of this property (and 
 also almost the whole length of Mr. J. Crotty's adjoining property 
 at its south boundary " The Mount Lyell Extended.") 
 
 The following notice of this Mine appeared in The Mimt 
 Lyell Standard on November 13th 1897 : 
 
 LYELL CONSOLS. 
 
 " Useful work of a preliminary nature is being done on this 
 property, which has excellent prospects. As soon as the necessary 
 initial operations have been completed, the Mine will lie vigor- 
 ously developed, and the extent of the ore-body determined. It 
 is fairly certain that the same class of rich ore as that 
 which the North Lyell has in such immense quantities will be 
 met with. The process of opening up these Copper Mines in 
 rugged country is unavoidably slow and tedious ; but when they 
 have l>een opened up they are worth all the trouble."
 
 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 35 
 
 MOUNT LYELL EXTENDED MINING COMPANY N.L. 
 
 Capital 150,000; in 1 shares; 60,000 paid up to 20s.; 
 60,000 paid up to 15s. ; and 30,000 shares held in Reserve. 
 
 This Mine is also one of Mr. Crotty's Northern Group and is 
 situated at and adjoins (on its south boundary) the north 
 boundary of the most northerly Mount Lyell Mining and Rail- 
 way Company's block of 10 acres ; and on its northern boundary 
 this "Extended" Mine adjoins the south boundary of "The 
 Mount Lyell Consols Company's " southern block. 
 
 In Colonel Boddam's plan it is shown that the chain of 
 hemati be iron outcrops which so markedly act as ' Beacons ' to 
 either the ' adjoining ' or the ' underlying ' copper Pyrites deposits 
 and lode (or as in the " North " Mine with Erubiscite or pea- 
 cock ore &c. &c.) are numerous throughout the entire length of 
 this " Extended " property ; and thereby stamps it as being of 
 very great value indeed. 
 
 This Mine is being opened up by an Eastern tunnel and 
 drives <fec. and the ore exposed in these workings is stated to be 
 both abundant in quantity and of high grade ; and the fact that 
 Mr. Grotty regards this property as quite one of his best ' Shows ' 
 in this northen part of the field, entitles it to be considered as a 
 Mine which will when opened up justify the high estimation 
 in which he holds it. 
 
 THE PRINCE LYELL MINING COMPANY N.L. 
 
 Capital 100,000 in 100,000 shares of 1 each ; of which 
 50,000 are fully paid up. 
 
 Legal Manager : Gr. A. LAWSON, MELBOURNE. 
 
 The following Extracts are from Mr. Lawson's Book before 
 referred to : (August 1896) : 
 
 D2
 
 36 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 
 
 This property consists of 25 acres, situated west of West 
 Mount Lyell Company, and about half-a-mile north-west of 
 Crotty's Celebrated Iron Blow. The ground is being opened up 
 by a tunnel and shaft, both along the strike of the lode, from 7 
 to 8 chains apart, by means of which the lode is being tested in 
 two different places, and there is little doubt that if in the course 
 of time the present shaft and tunnel be connected by means of 
 the 100 feet level, the mining of good ore will be proportionately 
 increased. 
 
 The Tunnel is now in about 350 feet, giving 150 feet of 
 backs ; 500 feet of backs will be available by going deeper. 
 Latest assays from the face gave : Gold, 5 dwts. ; silver, 
 36 ozs. ; lead, 1 per cent. ; copper, 47 per cent, per ton. 
 
 The following extract is taken from a special report on the 
 Prince Lyell Mine made by Mr. G. Thureau, F.G.S. (late Govern- 
 ment Geologist and Chief Inspector of Mines, Tasmania) : 
 
 " I have not found it difficult to place this property in the 
 front rank of Mines located on the Mount Lyell Mineral Field, 
 for the following reasons, viz. : There appears to be an almost 
 unlimited supply of ore, which improves in depth ; there exists 
 unusual facilities for working these mines for many years to come 
 by means of inexpensive adits, as no shafts are at all requisite, 
 the construction of the road recommended is only a trivial matter 
 of expense, in which the adjoining companies north might be 
 invited to join. And as to permanency of the formations at 
 Mount Lyell generally, that has been proved beyond a doubt by 
 the very extensive and deep workings of the parent Company, 
 and the diamond drill bore at the Central Company's lease, 
 which intersected the lode or cap at 615 feet and has since gone 
 through solid lode matter. Now if it is borne in mind that taking 
 your Company's lode at say 165 feet wide, a stope 6 feet high 
 and one foot ' in ' along its strike would at least produce from 50 
 to 60 tons of marketable ore, if worked by stoping or open cut, 
 and as your Company holds over twenty chains of that lode, the 
 calculations as to the necessary working expenses and profits is a 
 very easy matter to compute.
 
 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 37 
 
 " The Mining Manager has just reported an important dis- 
 covery made on the property. The lode has been struck in 
 trenching, showing a splendid body of copper pyrites with erubis- 
 cite copper going strongly under foot. Assays give 32 per cent, 
 copper. The discovery is of great significance, showing that large 
 and valuable ore deposits exist outside the Lyell Mine. 
 
 " Having had many years' experience in mining of all descrip- 
 tion, I can recommend this property with every confidence' as to 
 its eventual success to capitalists as a safe, enduring, and lucrative 
 investment." 
 
 Recently the want of a sufficiently large working Capital 
 necessitated a suspension of the prospecting and development 
 work at this promising little Mine, but the following extract from 
 The Mount Lyell Standard of October 23rd 1897 shows that 
 work had been Resumed at this mine : 
 
 PRINCE LYELL. 
 
 The management of this Company have wisely decided to 
 continue prospecting their property, and operations were resumed 
 this week by starting a further extension of the tunnel. Six men 
 have been put on, working three shifts, and the tunnel has been 
 extended a total distance of about 250 feet. The pyrites which I 
 mentioned in last week's notes as being met with is still present, 
 and is showing in a band of ore from 3 to 6 inches thick across 
 the face, about three feet above the floor of the drive. This is 
 where the principal bulk of the stuff occurs, but both above and 
 below this band of ore the pyrites is freely distributed through 
 the formation. This band of ore is not nearly so valuable as was 
 at first expected. Where the solid pyrites occurs it is chiefly 
 associated with clean white quartz, but the main portion of the 
 face of the drive is in silicious schist, and assays from this stuff 
 have returned 2 per cent, of copper. The tunnel will be con- 
 tinued for a considerable distance further in fact, as far as it is 
 possible to do so. It will be decidedly advisable to cross-cut in 
 both directions from the drive.
 
 38 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 
 
 Extract from The Lyell Mining Standard October 16th 1897 : 
 
 THE PRINCE LYELL, CROWN LYELL AND 
 QUEEN LYELL. 
 
 PROPOSED ABSORPTION. 
 
 The proposal of a London syndicate to take over the Prince 
 Lyell, Crown Lyell and Queen Lyell properties is rather a strange 
 one, seeing that the leases are not adjoining one another, but are 
 some distance apart in very rugged country, the intervening 
 spaces being held by other companies or individuals. Can it be 
 that the London syndicate do not know the respective positions 
 of the properties? The Standard has no desire to throw cold 
 water on the project, but it must be said that the reason for one 
 company acquiring these three properties is hard to find. No 
 doubt they are all good prospecting shows, and deserve to be 
 vigorously and intelligently exploited, and if they were contiguous 
 it would be a reasonable proposition to bring them under one 
 management for the purpose of systematically developing them. 
 It is to be hoped that the London syndicate are aware of all the 
 facts, for it is undesirable in the best interests of West Coast 
 mining, that English capital should be invested here under any 
 misapprehension. Money is urgently needed just now to carry- 
 on prospecting work on the three properties, and it is believed 
 that it can be spent on any one of them with very fair prospects 
 of success. The capital that has hitherto been sunk in the Prince 
 has, as recent developments prove, certainly not been expended to 
 very good advantage ; but the tunnel might have been driven at 
 a lower level with better success. At the Crown, owing to lack 
 of sufficient means, the management have only been tinkering for 
 some time past. 
 
 If the London syndicate are aware of the locations of the 
 properties, well and good ; but why not acquire the Prince and 
 amalgamate with the North Prince and the West Lyell Extruded,
 
 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 39 
 
 which adjoin one another and could be worked very well under 
 one management 1 The Crown should be absorbed by the North 
 Lyell or the Tasman Lyell, both of which are progressive com- 
 panies : and the Queen would also be better in the hands of the 
 Tasman shareholders. 
 
 It is proposed, if the London syndicate do take over the 
 properties, to have a working capital of 150,000. That should 
 be ample to thoroughly test the value of each property, and it is 
 to be hoped that, if the deal eventuate, the mdney will be 
 judiciously spent. It is folly to attempt the exploration of Lyell 
 mines on small capital. 
 
 THE CENTRAL MOUNT LYELL MINING COMPANY. 
 
 No LIABILITY. 
 
 Capital 30,000 in 100,000 shares of 6s. each. (See tabulated 
 list on map.) 
 
 Area of block : ten acres. 
 
 Situation : adjoining west boundary of Mount Lyell Mining 
 and Railway Company's Block No. 14, and also adjoining 
 south boundary of West Lyell Company's Southern Block, 
 No. 166. 
 
 In my Book (August 1896) I referred to the fact that the 
 " Diamond Drill " was being used in this Mine for the purpose 
 of ascertaining at what depth the underlay and hanging wall of 
 the " Big " Mine's ore deposit or lode would be found. It is 
 .probably at the present date known to most of my readers that 
 in two out of the three Drill holes the pyrites body was struck at 
 depths averaging about 650 ft. from the surface, and that the 
 drill was then driven some 150 to 170 ft. into the solid pyrites 
 before work was discontinued. The pyrites ore found in the 
 ' cores ' did not assay high in either copper, gold or silver, but of 
 course it is easy enough to conceive that a small 2-in. Drill hole
 
 40 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 
 
 could (and certainly would) find plenty of " poor " or low grade 
 " two inch " places even in the wonderfully ' uniform ' pyrites in 
 the ' Big ' Mine itself. 
 
 And it should certainly be borne in mind in esti- 
 mating the probable value of the "Central" Mine that 
 this western or hanging wall part of the Lode has been 
 found to contain quite as high grade ore as the average 
 ore of the eastern or centre portions of the deposit ; and 
 that extremely rich ore was not long since reported as 
 having been struck on this western part of the Lode in 
 the Big Mine itself (vide Mr. Powell's official reports &c.) 
 
 This property will probably be ' amalgamated ' with one or 
 other of its neighbours ; and with sufficient capital at command 
 may quite well yield its quota of payable ore at a depth. 
 
 The following reprinted matter is extracted from my Book 
 as a " refresher " to such of my readers who may not have recol- 
 lected same : 
 
 MINE MANAGER'S REPORT. 
 
 To THE CHAIUMAN AND DIKECTOKS OF 
 
 THE CENTRAL MOUNT LYELL MINING COMPANY 
 
 (No LIABILITY). 
 GENTLEMEN, 
 
 Herewith I beg to submit my Half-yearly Report for your 
 consideration. 
 
 The following works have been carried out, viz. : Building two 
 huts for the accommodation of the men when sinking the shaft 
 takes place ; also manager's dwelling-house, 24 feet by 12 feet, the 
 latter being built of iron. Also erection of diamond drill over the 
 No. 1 shaft, which had been sunk to a depth of 73 feet during the 
 previous half-year. A further depth of 717 feet was bored, 
 making a total of 790 feet. The object of the bore was to prove 
 the underlay of the Mount Lyell lode into our property, which is 
 now an established fact. The hanging wall was reached at a 
 depth of 568 feet from the surface, and at 4G feet from the
 
 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 41 
 
 hanging wall the pyrites became solid, continuing so for a depth 
 of 101 feet. At this point the bore passed into schist, which I 
 believe to be an intrusion into the lode. This continued without 
 change for a distance of 68 feet, when the footwall was reached, 
 consisting of a band of ironstone 10 feet wide, and then we passed 
 into conglomerate. I may here mention that a few assays were 
 made from the first few feet of pyrites after it became solid. The 
 results of these have been forwarded to the office. Further assays 
 will be made from the lower portions of the lode, which will give 
 a better idea as to its value. I will endeavour to have these com- 
 pleted in time for your meeting.* 
 
 We have now proved beyond all doubt ,that this extensive ore 
 body penetrates our property, and although we have not succeeded 
 in striking rich ore, it must be remembered that, on account of 
 the extremely small diameter of the bore as compared with that 
 of a shaft, the chances were greatly against our doing so, as we 
 may have passed by a rich deposit, missing it by perhaps a few 
 inches. We must not lose sight of the fact that rich and poor ore 
 exists in the Mount Lyell lode, and as that body maintains the 
 same general character throughout its entire extent, there seems 
 no reason to doubt that rich portions will also be found in our 
 property. 
 
 As the Directors have decided to further test the value of the 
 mine by means of the drill, I have now shifted the plant three 
 chains farther north. Here I anticipate reaching the lode at 
 a much less depth. 
 
 Recently rich ore has been discovered going south in the 
 Mount Lyell Mine. It will be advisable for us to test this portion 
 of our property with the drill to ascertain at what depth the ore 
 will be met with in this part of our mine, and as the pyrites rises 
 with the hill, it should be met with at a reasonable depth, and 
 you would be better able to determine which would be the best 
 place to put down a main shaft. 
 
 I am, Gentlemen, yours respectfully, 
 
 P. M. BALSTRUP, Mine Manager. 
 16th January, 1896.
 
 42 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 
 
 P.S. The second diamond-drill hole is stated to have struck 
 the lode at 646 feet ; and third diamond-drill hole is noV down 
 some 400 feet at a point near the S.E. corner of the block, t 
 
 * ASSAYS OF THREE SAMPLES FOR CENTRAL MOUNT LYELL 
 MINING COMPANY. 
 
 Gold. Silver. Copper. 
 
 No. 1. Pyrites and Schist from footwall 1 dwt. 3 oz. dwt. 1-14 per cent. 
 
 2. Pyrites and Fahl Ore, 660 feet i 3 13 3'38 
 3. Pyrites, 678 feet - - - 2 3 2'73 
 
 F. R. POWELL, Assayer. 
 
 KING LYELL Q. M. Co. N.L. 
 
 I regret having to class this property for the moment 
 amongst the " Silent Mines " for the same reasons I have before 
 referred to i.e. I have been unable to procure authentic late 
 data in time to include same in this Booklet ; I am however 
 aware that in addition to the usual "alluvial" deposits which 
 this Company has been in a somewhat desultory fashion, 
 ' working ' for their contents in native copper pyrites gold <fcc. 
 a defined and apparently valuable ' lode ' has been exploited in 
 this ground and is now being opened up. As to its extent <fec. 
 I am not now able to speak, but I have seen the reports thereon 
 and have every reason to l>elieve them, and also that this new 
 discovery will prove to be an important and valuable find for the 
 King Lyell's southern and adjoining neighbour " The Mount 
 Lyell Proprietary Limited " northern blocks (late Minerals Block 
 of 40 acres). 
 
 Apart altogether however from even this most promising new 
 " find " in the " King " and " Proprietary " properties I regard 
 
 NOTB.-tLode afterwards struck at 600 feet and was driven into a further depth of 
 136 fet.-M. R.
 
 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 43 
 
 the existence of the known large area of its as yet unworked 
 Alluvial deposits as being quite well worth systematic " hydrau- 
 licing " with a sufficiently powerful plant of " Giant " Nozzles &c. : 
 and I also believe that this Alluvial deposit extends south of the 
 " King " over quite a large part of the 40 acres of the " northern 
 blocks " of " The Proprietary's " Mines. 
 
 THE MOUNT LYELL PROPRIETARY COMPANY, 
 LIMITED. 
 
 By reference to my small locality map (facing title page) 
 it will be seen that in addition to having become the owners of 
 the 40 acres of Mineral Lease lands lately purchased by the 
 Melbourne " Minerals Company " from myself and my late 
 partner (Mr. A. Kelly), The Proprietary Company also possess 
 the largest consolidated area of mining lands on the Lyell field ; 
 and that included therein are the principal " conglomerate " and 
 Alluvial deposits of Mount Owen's giant slopes and shoulders. 
 
 Within some of these very promising " conglomerate " areas 
 it is reported by well known local experts that a number of 
 hematite-iron outcrops have l>een discovered and more or less 
 prospected ; and that there are immense possibilities before 
 " The Mount Lyell Proprietary Company " both in consequence 
 thereof, and also in view of their owning a sufficient area of 
 mining ground to permit of " splitting " into several mining 
 " Pups " or subsidiary companies if justifiable ' finds ' are 
 developed therein. 
 
 In respect to their 40 acres (northern blocks) which are the 
 "Big" Mines nearest eastern neighbour I may say that at the 
 time my then partner and myself " pegged out " and took up this 
 mining lease in August 1891 I was influenced to do so mainly 
 because I found in about the centre of the block and following 
 and forming the ' bed ' of a small creek (or tributary of the 
 Linda Creek) an iron outcrop of a lode of " hematite " and
 
 44 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 
 
 to all appearances of precisely similar character to the " Blow ;) 
 and other " outcrops " in the vicinity thereof. 
 
 It would now appear in view of the Experts' reports re- 
 ferred to that it was a decidedly fortunate and good stroke of 
 mining business that we did take up this ground ; and I am 
 naturally well pleased to find that it has now been acquired 
 by so well capitalised and powerful a Company as "The 
 Proprietary." 
 
 The following Extracts from this Company's Prospectus 
 will probably suffice to afford my readers all the most essential 
 and salient particulars as to this Company's property and 
 prospects : 
 
 Extracts from the Prospectus of 
 
 THE MOUNT LYELL PROPRIETARY MINES, LIMITED. 
 
 (Incorjwrated under the Companies' Acts, 1&S2 to l.yjJ.) 
 
 CAPITAL =.-.- 500,000 
 
 In Shares of 1 each. 
 
 ISSUE OF 400,000 SHARES AT PAR. 
 
 Payable 5/- on Application, 5'- on Allotment, 5 - February '2")th next, and 
 /> - March 25th next, or the whole amount can be paid up in full on 
 Allotment. 
 
 Of this Issue 100000 in Cash or Shares is for Working Capital. Leaving 100,000 
 Shares in Reserve for Additional Working Capital. 
 
 Directors. 
 
 SINCLAIR MACLEAY (Director THE IVANHOK GOLD COKPOKATION, 
 
 LIMITED), 157 Winchester House, E.G. 
 I). E. CARDINALL (Director and Trustee for the Debenture Holders ..!' tin 
 
 Manchester Brewery Company Limited), 18 Cromwell Road, Brighton. 
 EDMOND KASTOR, 7 Rue Meyerbeer, Paris. 
 GERARD WELMAN, late Government Secretary, Selangor, Straits 
 
 Settlements. 
 AU'.KKT T. WRIGHT (Messrs. WKIOHT, BUCKET & Co.), Witter Street. 
 
 Liverpool. 
 The Vendors have the right to nominate another Director after Allotment. 
 
 I .iMn.mi.in Advisory Board. 
 The HONBLE. NICHOLAS J. BROWN, Member House Assembly. Member 
 
 Executive Council, and late Minister of Mines and Public Works for 
 
 the Colony of Tasmania, Hobart. 
 The HONBLE. N. E. LEWIS, Member Executive Council, and late Attorney 
 
 General for the Colony of Tasmania, Hobart. 
 A. G. D. BERNACCHI, J.P., Hobart.
 
 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 45 
 
 Consulting: Engineer. 
 
 MACNAMARA RUSSELL, Member Institute of Civil Engineers, 5?A Park 
 Street, Grosvenor Square, W. 
 
 Bankers. 
 
 THE LONDON AND MIDLAND BANK, LIMITED, 52 Cornhill, B.C., 
 
 and Branches. 
 Ix AUSTRALIA BANK OF AUSTRALASIA 
 
 Brokers. 
 
 G. H. & A. M. JAY, 17 Old Broad Street, and Stock Exchange, London. 
 PIXTON & COPPOCK, 12 Half Moon Street, Manchester. 
 JAMES KIRKWOOD & SON, 62 Buchanan Street, Glasgow. 
 R. G. LAWS, 12 Mount Steuart Square, Cardiff. 
 Solicitors to the Company. 
 ASHURST, MORRIS, CRISP & Co., 17 Throgmorton Avenue, E.C. 
 
 Solicitors to the Vendors. 
 
 BLYTH, DUTTON, HARTLEY & BLYTH, 112 Gresham Houso, 
 Old Broad Street, E.C. 
 
 Auditors. 
 
 CRAIG, GARDNER & Co., 41 Moorgate Street, E.C., and at Dublin 
 and Belfast. 
 
 Secretary (pro tern.) and Offices. 
 E. A. HORNE, 8 Princes Street, Bank, E.C. 
 
 I reprint the following Extracts from the Reports published 
 in this Company's Prospectus for the information of my 
 
 The 40 acre block. 
 
 Mr. G. THUREAU, F.G.S., late Government Geologist and Chief 
 Inspector of Mines, Tasmania, has made an exhaustive report 011 
 this block, which, as already stated, immediately adjoins the 
 Parent Mine, from which the following extracts are taken : 
 
 " Reports on five blocks of mineral land* containing about 
 " thirty-nine (39) acres, more or less, situate in the county of 
 " Montagu Mount Lyell, West Coast of Tasmania. The three 
 " principal sections, viz., No. 8/93/M., 75/92/M. and 76/92/M., 
 " immediately adjoin the Eastern boundaries of the famous Mount 
 " Lyell Mining and Railway Company's Reward Claims, and that 
 "boundary is about one chain only east of the celebrated 
 
 NOTE : Mr. Thureau here refers to these 40 acres of " Mineral leased land " as " 5 blocks,"- 
 these latter being in reality the 5 {fold -lease blocks which merelv over-ride this Mineral 
 Lease and which were applied for by and granted to the " Big" Mine's proprietors.- M. R.
 
 46 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 
 
 " ' Iron Blow ' (Crotty's) thereby occupying a most prominent 
 "position on the Mount Lyell Mineral Field. The other sections, 
 " numbered 31/93/M and 32/93/M. respectively, are located further 
 " east, but adjoin the former. 
 
 " In the year 1886 the Tasmanian Government instructed me, 
 " their then Government Geologist, to proceed to and examine for 
 "an exhaustive report the 'Linda *Goldfield,' its auriferous 
 " resources, &c., <fec. That report was presented to both Houses 
 " of Parliament by his Excellency the Governor's command, in 
 " Octolier of that year ; and on page 8 I reported as follows : 
 " ' Besides gold, copper, chiefly found in its pure metallic state, 
 "'occurs along a zone about nine (9) chains east of the original 
 " ' ' Iron Blow ' (Crotty's). One Vein measures twelve inches and 
 " ' two others 2-3 inches wide. It occurs in quartzite, eml^edded 
 " 'in a kind of hard clay of brown colour, and appears to account 
 '"for the lumps of pure copper found in Messrs. Watson's Chiim, 
 "'North Mount Lyell, weighing from li Ibs. to 6 ll>s. i-a.-h. 
 " 'Sometimes from 1| Ibs. to 2 Ibs. of pure native copper can be 
 " ' washed in a dish.' " 
 
 " There cannot be the slightest doubt that very 
 " valuable copper deposits traverse right across the 
 'first three of your sections as mentioned above in 
 "this report . . . Subsequently other lodes and cupriferous 
 "deposits have been found, still further east, some of which trend 
 " in the direction of your leases. I also discovered in the same 
 " line of country, north (blocks), this copper to be associated with 
 " ' Fahl Ore,' exhibiting a high value in silver, so that I have no 
 "doubt of your property being traversed by these valuable 
 " metalliferous deposits, as a glance at the chart will show. . . . 
 
 " Conclusion. It is well known that the report to Govern- 
 " ment, referred to above, has been, during a period of nearly 
 " ten (10) years of energetic mining and prospecting on this 
 "valuable Mineral Field, proved correct, in every particular. 
 " . . . . As to the position of your sections, I have in a 
 " concise manner described same in portions of this report. I can
 
 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 47 
 
 "only say in addition, from my intimate acquaintance 
 "of the same, that it can scarcely be surpassed. 
 
 "I have, therefore, no hesitation in recommending your 
 "property to investors as a safe mining venture; with careful 
 "management based on experience and worked on economical 
 "lines, the final outcome will be, I am certain, lucrative and 
 " profitable for years to come." 
 
 Mr. RUSSELL states as follows respecting this portion of the 
 Property :- 
 
 " Mr. A. Kelly and myself decided to ' peg out ' and 
 " make application for this 40 acre Mineral Lease at the time of 
 " our visit to Lyell . . . and in addition to the fact that our 
 " Western boundary adjoined the Eastern boundary of the ' Big ' 
 " Mine's main Blocks, No. 13, 14, and 15, and were, therefore, in 
 " the closest proximity to ' Crotty's Iron Blow." I observe that 
 " in the bed of a small creek, running through about the 
 " centre portion of our block, there was exposed for some 
 " chains in length a very promising-looking hematite 
 " and gossany iron outcrop, bearing approximately about 
 " N. 10 W., and trending, therefore, into the ' King Lyell ' 
 " Block, in which latter a portion of the Linda Creek Alluvial 
 " Gold Workings was still yielding native copper, pyrites, etc., in 
 
 " conjunction with more or less ' payable ' gold From 
 
 " what I have recently heard through trustworthy sources, this 
 " 40 acre Mineral block of ours must almost certainly prove to 
 "be of much greater value than, personally, I ventured to assign 
 
 "to it in 1891 when we took it up It is known to 
 
 " your Company, I believe, that I still hold a fairly large interest 
 "as a Shareholder in 'The Minerals Company,' from whom your 
 " Company has acquired your title to this 40 acre Mineral Lease." 
 
 Subsequently to the 40 acres block being pegged out as a mineral 
 lease by Messrs. Russell and Kelly in 1891, it was re-pegged by 
 the Mount Lyell Mining and Railway Company as Gold Leases in 
 four blocks of 10 acres each ; but, under the laws of the colony, no
 
 48 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 
 
 gold leaseholders are entitled to mine for gold upon any portion 
 of the said blocks upon which this Company shall be bond-fide 
 conducting mining operations. The grant of the Gold Mining 
 Leases to the Mount Lyell Mining and Railway Company will 
 not, therefore, in any way interfere with this Company in 
 carrying on their mining operations on the 40 acres block under 
 the mineral leases. 
 The 527 acres. 
 
 Mr. GEORGE D. GIBSON, M.A., INSTITUTE, M.E., has made 
 exhaustive reports upon the Company's territory comprised in 
 the above-mentioned 527 acres, and which is almost the immediate 
 extension south-easterly from the Great Mount Lyell Mine. In 
 the course of these reports Mr. Gibson states that there are 
 three distinct lodes traversing the property without 
 regard to the great lode of the Mount Lyell Mine, but 
 that in his opinion the latter lode also in its natural 
 course south-easterly runs directly through the Com- 
 pany's property. Upon this point the following is an extract 
 from his report: 
 
 " As already stated I am decidedly of opinion that the track 
 "of the Mount Lyell lode will be found to cross the north- 
 " eastern angle of the property. . . . My opinion is arrived 
 "at from a study of the surface indications. On the eastern, or 
 " footwall, side of the great lode there occurs a remarkable l>elt, 
 " or dyke of red jasparised sandstone totally unlike the prevail- 
 
 " ing rocks of the district To the south-east after 
 
 "leaving the Lyell Hill it becomes covered with alluvial soil, but 
 " re-appears on the rising ground in the Rio Tinto. . . . The 
 " same unmistakeable formation can be followed climbing 
 " diagonally up the slope of Mount Owen and just below one of 
 " the highest peaks again makes an immense outcrop. Even at 
 " this great elevation over 2,000 feet higher than the site of the 
 township and about 3,200 feet above sea level hematite iron 
 "outcrops strongly and pyrites occurs sparingly, the mineral 
 " following closely the strike of the red sandstone. The appearance 
 " of hematite and never so little pyrites at such a height is a
 
 MOUNT LYELL MIXES. 49 
 
 " matter of vast importance and the occurrence helps greatly to 
 " remove any doubts that might hitherto have existed as to the 
 "continuance of the Mount Lyell fissure, and I fully share 
 "the opinion held by Dr. Peters that the red belt of 
 " rock referred to undoubtedly marks the track of the 
 " Mount Lyell lode. If, therefore, the footwall backing of 
 " the lode can be traced right from the Mount Lyell Mine to the 
 " north-east angle of this section, it must naturally follow that 
 " the body of the fissure lies within your Company's area : it 
 " also appears that the pyritic body underlying the ironstone 
 " capping pitches from the Mount Lyell Mine to the south-east, 
 " but again rises on the slopes of Mount Owen." 
 
 The following is also extracted from this prospectus : 
 "On November 24th, 1897, a cable was received stating that 
 " a very valuable ore body had been struck on the King Lyell 
 " Mine, near the boundary of the 40 acre block owned by the 
 " Mount Lyell Proprietary Mines, Limited. A cable was sub- 
 " sequently sent to the Legal Manager of the Great Southern 
 " Mount Lyell Mining Syndicate, at Melbourne, asking for 
 " further particulars regarding this important discovery of 
 " valuable ore, and whether it extended into this Company's 
 " property. To this a reply was received on the 12th instant, as 
 " follows: 'The lode runs north and south through our 
 "property. Width not yet determined. Have driven 
 " in 5 feet. An assay of this sample gave 37 per cent. 
 " of copper solid underfoot.' "
 
 50 MOUNT LYELL MIXES. 
 
 THE COPPER MINES OF MOUNT LYELL WEST 
 LIMITED. 
 
 CAPITAL .... 400,000 
 
 In 400,000 Shares of l each. 
 
 Viz.: 195,000 fully paid up Shares of 1 each to Vendors and a "First Issue" of 35,000 
 
 Shares of 1 each to Public (also now fully "paid up" for Working Capital &c.): and 
 
 170,000 Shares are held in Reserve for future issue for producing further Working Capital 
 
 when required. 
 
 Directors. 
 CHARLES McCULLOCH (Chairman African Gold Recovery Company, 
 
 Limited), 7 India Buildings, Liverpool. 
 CHARLES J. BUCKLAND, F.G.S. (Director Associated Australasian 
 
 Miners, Limited), Suffolk House, Cannon Street, E.C. 
 HERBERT PALMER (Director Colenbranders' Matabeleland Development 
 
 Company, Limited), 4 Drapers' Gardens, E.C. 
 A. E. FERNS, Kirby House, Heaton Chapel, Stockport, 
 MACNAMARA RUSSELL, M.Inst.C.E., 3 Great Winchester Street, London. 
 
 Bankers. 
 THE MANCHESTER AND LIVERPOOL DISTRICT BANKING 
 
 COMPANY, LIMITED, 75 Cornhill, London, E.C. 
 MANCHESTER, LIVERPOOL AND BRANCHES. 
 
 Brokers. 
 
 MKSSKS. CUTCLIFFE, LEY & McCULLOCH, 7 Adam's Court, and stock 
 
 Exchange, London, E.C. 
 MESSRS. MARSLAND & CHEW, Leinster Chambers, 4 St. Ann's Square, 
 
 and Stock Exchange, Manchester. 
 
 MESSRS. OUTRAM & HAMILTON, 82 West Nil.' Street, and Stuck 
 Exchange, Glasgow. 
 
 Solicitors. 
 
 MESSRS. HEPBURN, SON & CUTCLIFFE, Bird-in-Hand Court, 
 Cheapside, E.C. 
 
 Auditors. 
 
 MF.SSRS. F. J. SEARLE, SMITH & CO., Chartered Accountants, 4 Sun 
 
 Court, Cornhill, E.C. 
 
 Secretary and Offices. 
 
 H. A. H. RUSSELL, 3 Great Winchester Street, E.C. 
 
 Agent in Tasmania. 
 J. B. HICKSON, Elizabeth Street, Hobart.
 
 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 51 
 
 This valuable property is at last becoming pretty well known 
 to the Public thanks to the successful flotation of the present 
 Company in London a few weeks since; and the opinions I 
 expressed so freely and confidently about it (in my Book in 
 August, 1896), will during the next twelve months and possibly 
 even much sooner lie within ' test ' point. 
 
 With a present subscribed Capital of 30,000 (less what has 
 been lately expended in sending to the Mine a first instalment of 
 Machinery sufficient to enable the new Manager who has been 
 appointed- to push on vigorously with the three principal 
 'prospecting' workings &c.) I have every confidence that this 
 property will amply justify and reward both those who have 
 supplied the present Capital and also the more numerous Ixwly of 
 general speculators who have lately made so strong and satisfactory 
 a ' market ' for its shares. 
 
 And I shall venture to take this opportunity of reminding my 
 co-Shareholders that in the 'prospecting' works which have been 
 conducted (in more or less precarious fashion for want of sufficient 
 Capital to provide plant and machinery tc.) at this Mine for the 
 past four years or so some most important and encouraging 
 discoveries and developments were made. 
 
 In the " Kelly " Shaft, for instance, which is situated within 
 " an arm's length," so to speak, of the " Big " Mines most northerlv 
 (and north-westerly) tunnel and other workings, and which are 
 but some 200 feet from our Eastern boundary, highly important 
 and promising lode matter was met with. This Shaft is 156 feet 
 in depth ; and at the 150-ft. level a southerly drive was put in 
 for a total distance of about 375 feet. In this Shaft massive 
 blocks of Hematite iron, and iron and copper pyrites in 
 big lumps and boulders were struck at a depth of about 
 35 feet from surface; and this class of lode matter con- 
 tinued right down to the i35-ft. level, at which point 
 the conglomerate footwall or usual eastern wall of the 
 lode was struck. 
 
 The Shaft was sunk into this conglomerate down to the 
 156-ft. level; and at the 150-ft. level a southerly drive was then 
 
 E2
 
 52 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 
 
 put in. The first few feet were driven in conglomerate ; then 
 came some 20 feet of " schists " ; and then followed the con - 
 glomerate footwall of lode ; this was penetrated for some 
 30 feet, and a solid body of hematite iron of the very 
 finest and densest character was then met and driven 
 through. The drive was then extended into the schist hanging 
 wall (rather uselessly as is now evident) for some 200 feet 
 or so. 
 
 Instructions have now been given to resume work in this 
 " Kelly " shaft, and Steam drills and other items of a preliminary 
 prospecting plant have been shipped to the Mine. It is intended 
 to open out upon the hematite iron lode formation met with in this 
 Shaft and to follow same down, &c. ; and personally I have the 
 greatest possible confidence that we shall strike the solid pyrites 
 ore body itself in our proposed new Western drives winzes and 
 cross-cuts. Expectations which may be considered strengthened 
 and rendered almost a certainty in my opinion by the fact 
 that although the lode was said to be considerably " disturbed " 
 in the No. 4 northern level of the Big Mine's workings it was 
 there unquestionably " trending " direct into our ground vide 
 Mr. R. Powell's reports &c. Whilst in the No. 2 Bench, or 
 " open-cut," the outcrop of the " Big " Mine's pyrites lode is 
 actually seen on the surface at a distance of only 100 feet from 
 the S.W. corner peg of our most Southern block (vide Mr. Muir's 
 report &c.). 
 
 It should be distinctly remembered by my readers or those 
 of them who are " interested " as shareholders in this property 
 that the "Kelly" shaft is situated so close to the Big Mine's 
 Main Workings and to the developed pyrites lode as to make it 
 almost an impossibility that the lode itself is not in our ground 
 at this point ; whether however it will prove to extend and 
 continue as " one and the same lode " say to our next nearest 
 proved " lode formation " distant some 600 feet northerly in the 
 now well known " Razorback " Spur of course we have no 
 sufficient evidence yet before us. 
 
 In theory however this to my thinking will most probably
 
 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 53 
 
 prove to be the case and in fact I believe it is almost certain that 
 it will be found to be so. 
 
 In our " Razorback " Tunnel driven beneath a huge mass of con- 
 glomerate " outcrop " and which forms it is now generally believed 
 the exposed Eastern footwall of the Lode ; and with 30 to 40 ft. of 
 solid ' Chert ' already met with in the Tunnel in its usual and most 
 characteristic juxtaposition with the " Conglomerate," I feel the 
 utmost confidence that when we have extended this Tunnel right 
 through the " Chert " mass we shall be rewarded by meeting with 
 the main copper pyrites ore body itself in its customary contact 
 with these " Cherts " and " Conglomerates " thus forming its usual 
 " footwall." 
 
 Our new Company is quite alive to the immense significance 
 and importance of the indications I have referred to and are 
 losing no time in giving practical effect to their views. 
 
 For myself having been originally induced to ' peg-out ' and 
 apply for in August 1891 (in conjunction with my then partner) 
 these then " forfeited " gold lease blocks which to-day form the 
 new Company's property in consequence of my finding both 
 hematite iron and copper pyrites in the two shallow surface 
 prospecting Shafts at the " Razorback " and in the northern block 
 at " Russell's " lode as it has since been christened it cannot l>e 
 surprising to my readers that I have such exceeding faith now in 
 the future of this Mine of ours. 
 
 The " Russell " lode situated some 1,900 ft. northerly of the 
 " Razorback " Tunnel bids fair to be also a very satisfactory and 
 additional " feather in my cap " or witness to the correctness of 
 the estimate I formed of its possible value so far back as August 
 1891 when as I have said I first made its acquaintance. 
 
 During the past year or two quite a large number of competent 
 experts local as well as from Tharsis Tinto &c. &c., have 
 examined this ' Show ' and have pronounced the lode and out- 
 crop kc. to be of immense prospective importance ; and assuredly it 
 is so ; for from the surface down to the 75 ft. level of the " Russell " 
 underlay ' Eastern,' or foot-wall, Shaft solid hematite iron of 
 finest quality has been sank through and splendid bodies solid of
 
 54 MOUNT LYELL MIXES. 
 
 copper pyrites have also been met with assaying from 3 per cent, to 
 14 per cent, of copper; Sulphides of Copper and at the 60-75 
 ft. levels native copper extending right across the whole width 
 of the Shaft have been passed through. 
 
 No time is now being lost in resuming work at this lode 
 its potential possibilities being quite well appreciated by my 
 colleagues as well as by myself. 
 
 Whether or not Mr. J. Grotty 's theory (as referred to by him 
 in the report published in our Prospectus) will prove to be correct 
 is premature to say ; certainly a glance at Lieutenant-Colonel 
 Boddam's excellent plans of the Northern Group of "Grotty 
 Mines " indicates almost conclusively that our " Kelly Shaft " 
 and " Razorback " lode will be found to be the con- 
 tinuation of the " North," " Consols," and " Extended," 
 "Main Lode"; in which case this powerful and well-defined 
 " Russell " lode with its N.N.W. strike and 40 feet of width at 
 the surface &c. &c. must either be a ' loop ' lode to the " main 
 lode " aforesaid, or it must be a distinct " Western lode " or ore 
 body or " deposit "; as to which Time and Mine developements 
 alone will disclose to us the real facts. 
 
 In conclusion I shall only point out to my readers that not in 
 one of the many of the other mining properties at Lyell is there 
 a Mine which occupies or can possibly occupy the " priority of 
 situation or place " such as our property enjoys ; whilst its 
 indications, proved prospects, and mining advantages are of very 
 great magnitude, and especially when the large area and the size 
 arid great length of its lode formations are duly considered. 
 
 And assuredly my co-shareholders are not called upon to exer- 
 cise any very great stretch of imagination or faith when they are 
 invited to believe (as I strongly and earnestly here ' invite ' them 
 to do) that we have unquestionably got the continuation of the 
 "Big "Mine's Main ore deposit itself in our southern block; 
 besides various other "good things" in each of our. more 
 northerly sections.
 
 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 55 
 
 THE SOUTH MOUNT LYELL MINING CO. 
 LIMITED. 
 
 Capital 600,000 in 300,000 shares of 2 each. 
 London Offices of the Company 138 Leadenhall Street, E.G. 
 
 Managing Director D. J. MACKAY, Esq. 
 Area : nine and a-half blocks = ninety -five acres. 
 
 Situation : adjoining in part the Central Mount Company's 
 south boundary and Mount Lyell Mining and Railway 
 Company's blocks (vide map). 
 
 This immense property is also one of the " Grotty Group " of 
 Mines it being the most southern one thereof. So much is now 
 known to the Public generally about this Mine thanks to Mr. 
 J. Crotty's connection with it and to the satisfactory practice 
 which the various administrators of his Companies adopt of keep- 
 ing the Shareholders and Public advised almost day by day of all 
 matters pertaining to the progress of mining developments &c. 
 that I deem it superfluous for me to express either my opinions 
 or to give " data " about this property. 
 
 In my Book (August 1896) I published very full " Reports " 
 &c. from the various local experts and other scientific men who 
 bore testimony to its great prospective value. 
 
 What this latter will actually prove to be is now fairly well 
 on its way to being disclosed at no very remote date seeing that 
 a vigorous working policy characterises all Mr. J. Crotty's various 
 undertakings. But even he cannot hurry on such matters as 
 necessarily involve " making haste slowly " such as erection of 
 heavy machinery sinking shafts &c. &c. 
 
 That it is however a " potential " property of the first class 
 amongst the Lyell Group there can be no question ; and as a 
 " Grotty " favourite should I venture to consider command 
 public confidence.
 
 56 MOUNT LYELL MIKES. 
 
 THE GREAT SOUTH LYELL MINING Co. Ld. 
 
 This is a recently formed "Consolidation" Company which 
 has acquired a very large area of Mineral-lease property situ- 
 ated at the southern end of the Lyell field ; vide my small 
 locality Map. 
 
 I have however no information whatever about this property 
 I regret to say at time of going to Press. 
 
 THE SOUTH MOUNT LYELL CONSOLS LIMITED. 
 
 This is the title I am informed of another new Company 
 in embryo which has acquired the large area of mineral lands 
 situated at and adjoining the western boundary of Mr. J. 
 Crotty's South Mount Lyell property. 
 
 At time of going to Press no particulars or details of this 
 new Company or its prospects are available to me. 
 
 The following is extracted from Mr. Lawson's book : 
 
 GREAT SOUTHERN MOUNT LYELL MINING 
 SYNDICATE. 
 
 No LIABILITY. 
 
 Capital 4,000 in 4,000 shares of 1 each. 
 Legal Manager : ALFRED PFAFF, 409 Collins Street, Melbourne. 
 
 Area of 60 acres, situated in the southern portion of the 
 Mount Lyell mineral field, on the south-western slope of one of 
 the spurs of Mount Owen, and lies in a south-easterly direction 
 from the principal workings of the famous Mount Lyell Mine,
 
 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 57 
 
 which are about three-quarters of a mile distant, although 
 the north-west angle of the section abuts with the southern 
 extremity of that Company's extensive property. It also adjoins 
 the Rio Tinto Company's ground on the south, and the South 
 Mount Lyell Extended on the east. Mr. Geo. D. Gibson, M.A. 
 Inst. M.E., in his report, states, the property is traversed by 
 three distinct lodes, apart from any reference to the Great 
 Mount Lyell lode, the track of which in his opinion crosses 
 the north-east angle of the block, and if this is the case the 
 property would command the advantage of its western underlie to 
 the very fullest extent. No. 1 lode has not as yet been traced 
 through the section, but is seen outcropping just beyond the 
 boundary, near the south-eastern angle, at the head of a gully 
 which cuts across the southern portion of the block. It is 
 impossible to say much about the nature of the lode at present, 
 beyond that the gossan, which forms the capping, is of a most 
 promising character, and from its appearance indicates the 
 existence of copper at a depth. This proposition is further 
 confirmed by the existence of native copper in the stream beds, 
 and the manager informs me that 011 washing even the surface 
 gravel both gold and copper can be obtained. No. 2 lode. Nearly 
 all the work done in the past has been confined to exposing this 
 lode in a series of openings and trenches along the line of strike, 
 and at present preparations are being made for driving a tunnel 
 from a point in the south-east portion of the claim in a northerly 
 direction, bearing 20 degrees to the eastward, to intersect the 
 same at a depth of 225 feet, which he estimates should be attained 
 in a distance of about 160 feet. Ascending the hill northwards, 
 on the line of the tunnel, an opening has been made in which the 
 capping of the lode is first exposed, consisting of silicious ironstone 
 of promising appearance. 
 
 Following along westward, I inspected the several trenches, in 
 almost all of which there is to be found hematite iron, in associa- 
 tion with schist and more silicious ironstone. 
 
 In none, however, is the width of the lode shown until a point 
 is reached some 200 or 250 yards westward from the line of tunnel,
 
 58 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 
 
 where a costean, commencing at the bottom of the valley, has 
 been run up the hill in a northerly direction for a distance of 
 about 250 yards. 
 
 This long trench reveals a wide extent of lode material fully 
 300 feet across, and composed, as in the other openings, of 
 mineralised schist and silicious ironstone, with veins and patches 
 of hematite iron throughout. No. 3 Lode is seen cropping out 
 strongly in the north-eastern portion of the section, striking 
 north-westerly, and running in the direction of the South Mount 
 Lyell Mine, from which it may be assumed that it corresponds 
 with the lode cut in that company's No. 1 Tunnel. Mr. Gibson 
 is also decidedly of opinion that the track of the Mount Lyell 
 lode will be found to cross the north-eastern angle of the property, 
 and considers the property is one of great prospective value. 
 
 The following item from the Mount Lyell Standard of December 
 19th may also interest some of my readers : 
 
 " The property of the Great Southern Mount Lyell Mining 
 Syndicate, No Liability, has been successfully floated in London 
 into a Company of 500,000 shares of 1 each, on terms which are 
 very favourable to this Company, whose shareholders will receive 
 125,000 shares of 1 each, fully paid up, less a commission of ten 
 per cent. A further 175,000 will be held in reserve for future 
 issue if required, and the balance allowed to the London promoters, 
 on their placing 25,000 to the credit of the Company for working 
 capital. Signor A. D. G. Bernacchi, who left Melbourne a few 
 months ago, has carried the flotation through very successfully. 
 The English Company will (says the Mining Standard) be styled 
 " The Mount Lyell Proprietary Company Limited."
 
 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 59 
 
 THE "SILENT MINES" OF THE MOUNT 
 LYELL FIELD. 
 
 It will be probably noticed that whilst on pages No. 23 and 24 I 
 gave a list of some 29 mines which are held by various Registered 
 Companies (mostly, be it noted, Melbourne " No Liability " 
 companies having very nominal amounts of " Working Capital ") 
 that I have only given particulars or details of quite a select few 
 companies or properties. 
 
 That this is so is due entirely to the fact of my having been 
 unable to ' collate ' data from any reliable source whatever (up to 
 the time of this booklet going to Press) as to their position finan- 
 cially or as to their " workings " if any of what I will term these 
 " Silent mines." And it must not therefore be supposed that 
 because I have nothing to say about them that I either ignore 
 them, or believe them to be valueless ; as regards some of them I 
 feel sure they will not remain " silent " much longer, for they 
 undoubtedly possess prospects such as will warrant Capitalists 
 in taking up the properties and providing sufficiently large 
 " Working Capital " &c.
 
 60 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 
 
 THE GEOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS 
 OF THE LYELL FIELD. 
 
 Every mining field, and every isolated ' Great Mine ' has its 
 own characteristic or individuality no matter however appar- 
 ently close is its analogy in one or more general features to some 
 other near or distant mining celebrity, or ' mining field.' 
 
 I have bsen frequently asked by many readers of my ' Book,' 
 and by others to explain what is the maaning in plain non- 
 technical language, of Dr. Peter's and other professional men's 
 references in their reports (upon the Lyell Mine itself and the 
 field generally) to " Aqueous deposits " of " lode " or metalliferous 
 ores in pyritic and other forms. 
 
 I lay no claim to being either a geological authority or 
 qualified to teach even the rudiments of the vast and most 
 interesting science of Geology or of its twin sister Mineralogy ; 
 both however have formed pretty constantly during many years 
 past a very favorite study with myself as a ' mining man ' ; and 
 I now therefore venture to include in these closing pages a couple 
 of rough sketches indicating graphically if not very accurately 
 or scientifically the theoretical principles which these presumed 
 Aqueous-deposits "seem to warrant us in thinking were the
 
 ,r<c<)
 
 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 65 
 
 probable principal factors in their original formation as infiltrated 
 and eroded gravels and metalliferous fine-sands of varying grades 
 or degrees of richness according as their deriving matrix-rocks 
 held rich or poor metalliferous veins pockets lodes etc. 
 
 In Sketch No. 1 I have assumed that at the pre-eruptive epoch 
 of this Lyell Field, with its now huge " Lyell " and " Owen " 
 Peaks and Mountains of 5,000, to 6,000 feet and their 
 precipitous valleys and gorges there existed an elevated Lake 
 district (similar indeed to that which at some ten or twelve miles 
 north of our Lyell Peaks of to-day is to be seen with its Lakes 
 " Spicer," "Dora," "Beatrice," " Rollason," &c.) ; and we may 
 suppose that in the course of many centuries the " beds " of these 
 mountain-fed Lakes were by the aid of scores of creeks or rivers, 
 and some possibly hidden or subterranean springs, also gradually 
 ' fed ' with these sub-aqueous deposits of varying thicknesses, and 
 of still more varied metalliferous contents ; some of which such 
 as the particles of various forms of iron ores, and the copper- 
 yielding ' combinations,' with their more or less closely allied and 
 precious associates of Gold and Silver, were subjected to some 
 of the infinitely numerous, and in some cases quite inexplicable 
 chemical ' actions ' and ' re-actions ' in Nature's own marvellous 
 Laboratory. 
 
 And whilst this ' deposit ' and these natural chemical processes 
 and ' actions ' went silently and placidly along throughout the 
 long centuries, doubtless there were many periods of disturbance 
 of the Earth's crust of more or less violence ; and doubtless also 
 these Lacustrine Deposits, or accumulations of miles-wide and 
 of possibly even also miles-deep Lake-Beds, suffered 'distortion,' 
 both lateral and vertical, by such volcanic outbursts and their 
 effect upon the Earth's crust within the area affected thereby. 
 
 And on " one fine day " (a " fine day " indeed for Lyell's 
 Shareholders per exemple who were not however even to be 
 born for many centuries later) there ' came along ' one of those 
 terrible terrestrial convulsions whereof this Earth of ours is so 
 full of over-abundant evidences and which in its all over-
 
 66 MOUNT LYKI.I, MINKS. 
 
 powering and resistless force tore through such child-like impedi- 
 menta as a few miles more or less of the Earth's crust " and thereby 
 paying off", possibly, some old grudge or family quarrel with that 
 placid Lacustrine elevated plateau, with its mile-long chains of 
 Lakes and Swamps and with their hundreds of miles of rivers and 
 creeks running more or less rapidly through the ' Matrix ' 
 metalliferous rocks ; and by their ' aqueous ' eroding " action " 
 l>earing off the metalliferous particles thus released ; and which 
 were then persistently and perpetually " deposited " (through- 
 out those long centuries of Time) into these lake " beds " and 
 Swamps of various lengths depths and breadths. 
 
 And behold it: on that "fine day'' aforesaid, the peaceful 
 Lacustrine panoramic scene has suddenlv vanished: gone for 
 ever and ever ; its placid Lake Waters and miles of Ancient 
 Rivers sent tearing away in mad fear and wild career to find 
 new 'beds' whereon to repose, and wherein haply to found 
 new and still newer " deposits " ! . 
 
 And as to those old those hundreds of centuries old 
 Lacustrine deposits trace their fate and future as depicted in 
 my Sketch No. 2 ; and we perceive that they are no longer 
 reposing in their ' beds ' of pristine Lacustrine bed-making, but 
 have been " tilted " bodily either bolt upright or at more or less 
 sharp vertical angles of ' dip ' and ' underlay,' and with more or less 
 distorted and twisted " trends " or " bearings " ; and that hence- 
 forward and for ever they shall know no more their erstwhile 
 peaceful ' beds ' and Lacustrine bed-fellows .... but shall 
 lie in abject subjection at the feet of their all-conquering 
 disturbers of the peace those Earth-crust burglarious Intruders 
 from below and who now rear their proud " Lyell " and 
 "Owen" heads, shoulders, and broad backs, thousands of feet 
 into the Heavens and look down in Supremest indifference 
 upon those poor Lacustrine beds or ' deposits ' now here and there 
 showing in their mangled, tip-tilted imprisonment amongst their 
 rocky .enclosing ' foot ' and ' hanging ' walls here an ' outcrop",' 
 and there a stretch of 'exposed' gravels or "conglomerates,"
 
 MOUNT LYELL MINES. 67 
 
 or of metalliferous "deposits" which have gone through those 
 mysteries and ' Actions ' of Nature's Laboratory aforesaid and 
 are changed now magically into 
 
 Well ; say into ore deposits, iron outcrops, and ' cherts ' 
 and cemented gravels and sands, and " conglomerates " of every 
 degree of size and colour and form, but everywhere still 
 sticking closely as such long centuries old friends should do 
 to their very oldest of friends, and in fact most intimate " blood- 
 relations " those metalliferous " deposits " aforesaid. 
 
 To my readers let me now say vale vale valete. 
 
 FINIS.