THE KEYSTONE BORER.

Dunstan Times, Issue 2480, 10 May 1909, Page 5

THE KEYSTONE BORER.

A DISMAL FAILURE

At a meeting of the Mb Ida Deep Leads Prospecting Co, held at Naseby last week, Mr Stewart of Island Block presented his report on the failure of the borer after reaching a depth of 12U feet. From this report, which we publish below, it will be seen that the machine, with its present equipment, is incapable of reaching any greater depth in the strata in which it has been working. The information disclosed by Mr Stewart must prove very disquieting to those persons in this locality who have made application for the use of the machine to test ground which they believe to be payably auriferous in the deeper levels. On present indications the machine appears to be more or. less of a white elephant— it certainly comes a long way from doing what was expected of it and the Naseby people who have put their money into the venture must feel very disappointed at the result. Mr Stewart's report, which we quote from the Mt. Ida Chronicle, reads as follows: “In compliance with your request of of the 26th. inst. to inspect and report upon the possibilities of the Keystone driller now at work in Main Gully, I have the honor to report as follows “ The Keystone driller lately imported by the Government and secured by you to test the deep levels around Naseby, has, with the equipment in hand, already reached the limit of its capacity. The causes of this early stoppage are attributable to two sources—viz.

1 To the quality of the pipes supplied ; 2 The nature of the strata passed through. Had flush jointed pipes of equal thickness and strength been supplied, a much greater depth could have been attained before friction made itself master of the operations. From Mr Seale’s record of strata, and from my own observation, I am convinced that it is impossible to proceed to any greater depth with the appliances at hand. The only possibility of reaching a greater depth at this stage is by telescoping. Another string of tools and all other equipment, together with a set of 4in casing, is now necessary before the work can proceed. Under'favorable conditions the bore can be extended to (approximately) the 250 ft level, depending entirely upon the nature of the strata encountered At this depth (providing reef has not been struck) it will be reasonable to expect friction to again defy all efforts to sink further.

The capacity of this Keystone driller depends entirely upon the nature of the strata proposed to bore. In solid country it is capable of boring to very great depth, but to confine the plant to a six-inch bore in the strata around Naseby and expect to reach the 350 ft level is absurd and unreasonable. The limit to which these pipes can be driven in any of your clay deposits can safely be put down at 150 ft below water level. The question of recovering the tubes is one of great importance! and after having made a fair attempt I am convinced that owing to the excessive number of couplings, and to the suction of the pipe clay, that these are only recoverable at a costas great as their actual value. I might add that the most important part of the equipment for pipe drawing purposes has not been imported with the plant. “The alternatives now before you arcl To telescope ; 2 to abandon. “I would advise you if future bores are decided upon to commence with an eightinch casing, in which case no outlay with regard to tools or pumps would be necessary. On the prospects of eventually locating leads of gold Mr Stewart expressed the following opinion To enable me to reply to your wish to expross my opinion as to the possibilities of meeting with success in the deep sinking operations now in progress, I took advantage of and the time at ray command for inspection, and I regret to say that to my mind you can entertain very little hopes of meeting with success. I am of the opinion that the gold found around Naseby has been brought thither by glacier action and deposited into the then inland sea or lake. The gullies now appearing have been cut out by running streams after the sea had receded. In alt probability gold will be found to exist in certain localities under the false bottom for a limited depth, at the junction of the schist rock, but Ido not anticipate any prospect of discovering an extensive and profitable deep lead. It is a question that deep sinking alone can decide, and you have certainly chosen one of the most likely localities for meeting with success.”