"THE BULLFINCH FIELD."

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 40, 17 February 1911, Page 4

"THE BULLFINCH FIELD."

EEVIVAL IN THE MINING INDUSTRY. 1 GEOLOGICAL SURVEYS ADVOCATED. A brochure entitled "The Bullfinch Field,' ' a reprint from the Monthly Journal of the Chamber of Mines, West Australia, makes the discovery of the Bullfinch the text of an interesting discourse on the mining industry in the West. Therein is advocated the necessity for Government assistance to theindustry, chiefly in the direction of making the prospectors' paths smoother by the planning out of known auriferous areas. The Bullfinch discovery (say*the brochure) came uL a, .singularly opportune moment. The steady decline' since 1903 of the gold' output of vVest Australia, coupled with the apparent exhaustion of some of the minor fields, was giving rise to disquietude regarding the future ' prospects of the mining industry, upon which the prosperity of tho State largely depends. Something like a general pessimism was beginning to prevail about that inclusiry. But the Bullfinch gives the lie direct to pessimism ; it has revived flagging interest in the gold-mining industry of the State, and reopened the eyes, of the investors to the vast possibilities of its future, and, above all, given a much-needed impetus to prospecting work. "It is now time (adds the writer) for the Government to consider carefully how it can best turn to the interests of the State this revival of activity in tHe mining world, and how it can encourage and help forward the essential work of prospecting; for upon Government action 'at the particular time depends very largely whether the gold-mining revival will be permanent and continuous, or whether it prove merely spasmodic and unsustained. GUIDING THE PROSPECTOR. Government assistance in connection with the preliminary work ot proapecting is advocated. The average prospector is nol a wealthy man. Where he meets with no surface indication to guide him, he, as a rule, cannot afford to investigate the ore-bodies for tho most part hidden undei superimposed layers, often of wide extent, of allurium and cement. Large areas of auriferous country remain virtually unpruspected, though men may have travelled over them time and again, simply because the scientific knowledge of the prospector is insufficient to tell him at what points they had best be tested. So the Government should step in and help ; should undertake a systematic geological survey of the State. The survey should be directed, first, to an examination oi tho known auriferous areas, and, secondly, to an investigation of other areas, with a view to discovering goldiiclds yet •unknown. Such a survey would be of immense value to the prospector in the matter of enabling him to concentrate his work on likely spots. Financial backing would not then be lacking. The need for the work of a petrologist to identify the various country rock outcrops — at times misleading, being go often alike to the average prospector — is also stressed. WATER FOR THE ARID GOLD BELTS. The second phase of Government assistance, as noted by the article, to tho mining industry is local, and comes afteT a- new mine or a new field . has been found. In one place this might take the form of road-making, in another provision for water supply, in a third railway facilities, in a fourth the establishment of a State battery. In trio : case of the Bullfinch the Government acted promptly enough. A 3in water main has been laid to the field, and a larger main can easily be put down later if it be found neoessary. In regard to thfe promised for tho purpose of laying a railway track from Southern Cross to Bullfinch, the brochure expresses the opinion that if the money were expended in running out water to the arid auriferous belts north aad south of tho Southern Cross for a ' considerable distance, greater benefit would result to the mining industry in tho West at the present time.

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