THE HODGKINSON GOLDFIELD.

Otago Witness, Issue 1343, 25 August 1877, Page 4

THE HODGKINSON GOLDFIELD.

Mr Warden Hodgkinson, in a late report on this goldfield saya :— The Hodgkinson goldfield is "an imperfectly developed tract of anriferoui country," lying in a basin formed by the heads of the Hodpkinson and Walsh rivers, but bo rapidly extending that it has been impossible, with the means at his command, to define its probable future limits. The geological formation, to a non-scientific observer, closely approximates to that of some of the richest reefing districts of Victoria. Lofty granite ranges enclose belts of clay, sandstone, and slate ; through this formation reefs of all Bizes course at varying angles, the quartz differing in texture, colour, and composition, but ordinarily of a white crystalline nature, seamed with blue amorphous streaks, and, at the water-level, piercing a black slate, which Mr Hodgkinson regards as a most favourable indication of the permanency of the reefs. Oxide of iron, copper, pyritea, galena, and sulphur, are more or less associated with the lodes ; but theTe is no substance sufficiently noxious to preclude the extraction of a fair percentage of gold by the ordinary process, though the tailings and blankets will repay treatment hereafter. The machinery on the field is at present confined to stamping mills, and comprises 71 head of stamps at worl>, and others in course of erection or conveyance from Cooktown. As regards the yield of gold, it is stated that the total amount sect away by escort up to the 9th instant amounted to 21,240 oz. The charges for crushing, owing to causes common to new goldfields, are abnormally high, ranging from 275. to 303. per ton; and mining appliances of every kind are scarce and dear. The great wonder Jof the new field would appear to be the celebrated "Cotnstock" lode— if only one tithe of what is said of it is true. The characteristics of the field are — the' vast extent of its superficial area, and the size and continuity of the lodes, as well as their situation on the apex or slope of abrupt hills, admitting pierciug at a moderate cost to a considerable depth, and leaving extensive backs. After mature deliberation, Mr Hodgkinson says that this goldfield in its entirety is the most important reefing district in Queensland. . ...