REPORT ON COPPER LODE AT MOKE CREEK.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Volume II, Issue 54, 4 November 1863, Page 6

REPORT ON COPPER LODE AT MOKE CREEK.

Frankton, September 26,1863. Sir, —I have the honor to inform you of my visit to Moke Creek, for the purpose of reporting upon the copper lode there discovered, and to submit the following : 2. John Oxenham, junr., who claims to be the discoverer of this iode, accompanied me and pointed out the spot, where I made every inquiry respecting Butson and Robert, the former applicants, but could learn nothing of them only that they were working there, but had since left; but I have no doubt that the two applications are for the same area and vein. 3. The place lies about two miles westward of the 11 Moonlight Junction," and the lode crosses the Creek in a couise as nearly as I could ascertain from surface indications 21 ® 25' N.E. (magnetic) ; this course I adopted as the centre line of their claim, but found it quite impossible, owing to the rugged nature of the mountains, to place boundary pegs. I, however, marked off the centre line and fixed a datum peg by which the boundaries can at any time be found from the plan. 4. The dip of the lode corresponds with the laminae of the schist, which is westerly, at an inclination of about 70 ° from the horizontal; it shows itself at a considerable height on each side ot the Creek, having been cut through by the action of the water. I broke a great many pieces from the rocks in the Creek, and found them all of similar character to the specimens sent down, viz, the " yellow sulphuret" or " bell-metal ore," which appears to contain a great portion of sulphuret of iron (pyrites). The section of the lode about 100 fret above the Creek is similar in character to that in the Creek bed, except that it contains traces of black and red oxide on the overlie, the casing on the underlie being penetrated in places by a green carbonate ; the lode is about four feet in width—the vein stuff being of very hard and close quartz. I think, from its appearance, that little or no gold will be found in it, though the richness of the Creek below the crossing would lead to an opposite inference; the terraces on cither side to some distance are no doubt auriferous—that on the north is being worked by four parties within the boundaries applied for, but they have no objection to the lease provided the terraces, creeks, and surfaces are left open for gold mining ; there are races also on the north side which intersect the ground, which should be protected. 5. The area required is forty acres, viz., ten chains in width by forty chains in length along the lode, but should the occupation of the northern side be considered an objection to granting the lease, the same area might be allowed altogether on the southern side, which is not occupied by ahy one. 6. I followed up Moke Creek, passing the Lake, and leaving it on the right to follow up a branch gully, the head of which is separated from the head of the Seven Mile by a low terrace saddle—the whole distance being, I would judge, about nine mjles. There is no track whatever along the line of route, but one could readily be made either for tram, cart, or pack traffic were the results from prospecting the lode considered worth the outlay. By this means the ore could be brought down to the Lake and shipped at the Seven Mile to any other part of it I have the honor to be, Sir, Your most obedient servant, W. C. Wright, District Mining Surveyor, Wakatip. Lowther Broad, Esq., Acting Warden,

Queenstown. Memo.—To prospect this vein effectually, it will be absolutely necessary to do something towards forming a track, as the difficulty of access to the neighborhood of Moak Creek would render prospecting both difficult and expensive. I would recommend that the sidelings be reduced to admit of packing along the route mentioned, in such a manner as will render them available for a future tram or dray track.—W. C. W.