LAMONTE PROCESS IN N.S.W.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3596, 9 April 1886, Page 4

LAMONTE PROCESS IN N.S.W.

♦ IMPORTANT SILVER PRODUCTS. By the last mail news lira been received of considerable to many on this field, who are concerning themselves as to the profitable working of the smelting process, and as to the silver products of New South Wales. About seven months ago, Mr LaMonte examined and mado a report on a mine situated at Silverton, which adjoined tho Broken Hill mine on the north. The tesult of thiß was its purchase by a syndicato, for the sum of £20,C'00. A company was formed with. 80,000 snares of £1 each, of which 10s was paid up. 'ihey sunk two shafts ; one north, and the other south. Each were sunk to a depth of a 100 fret. 3he south shaft bottomed on the top oE tho lode, showing a total width of 52 feet between walls, and carrying 13 ounces to silver to the ton. The shafts were then sunk a further do; th of 50 feet, when they struck on very payable ore, for both lead and silver. '1 ho shares are now quoted at £1 each. The Broken ndl mino proper, was, only a few months ago, estimated at a few hundred pounds m value ; it is now selling at £4 O.iKM', There are 16,000 shares iv that mina on which £15 each has been | aid up ; the lust quotations received, vary from £24 10s to T2 ■", and they have reached £27 IPs per share. Forty-eight tons of ore treated m the LuMonte works, at Melbourne, produced £47<iO. Tho loile isli miles long, and doe 3 not vary m that distance 3uO feet out of a direct line, 'ihe "width o£ the lode m tho Broken Hill mino proper, varies from 17 to 68 feet between the walls. The assay of a 120J ton parcel taken from this level showed 292 to 327 ounces per ton. Mr Lallonte is creeling two new furnaces now at Silvevton, and the sheds and machinery aro so arranged as lo accommodate six more, each being capable of passing through 40 tons per diem. It is estimated that the eight furnaces when complete, will regularly work off 390 p-.T d iv. There is an abundance of fluxing material m the neighborhood. The carbonato of lead m situ contains from 16 to 43 per cent of leafl. The great want experienced at Silverton is that of water, but this is met by the construction of on immense dam, and by pumping from a great depth, but at best the product is brackish. At the Broken Ranges Smelting Works, where Mr LaMonte has two furnaces at work, and where the coke costs £9 10s per ton delivered on the premises, and the water to bo carted six miles, they are smelting monthly, by the manager's report, at the rate of £3 2s 6d per ton.