An Expert on Deep Mining.

Progress, Volume IV, Issue 8, 1 June 1909, Page 271

An Expert on Deep Mining.

Complaints do not seem to have taken the optimism out of the Director of the Geological Branch of the Victorian Mines Department. This authority recently visited the Victoria reef and spoke thus cheerfully of the prospects of the mine: — "The Victoria Quartz-mine would have to go 350 ft. deeper in order to strike the reef that was now being worked at the New Chum Eailway Mine. This would mean that they could expect to cut the reef at 4870. They are only on the edge of mining development in Bendigo as yet. From the nature of the country it is apparent that the auriferous zones aie dipping deeper, and consequently mining development must tend in that direction. The prospects are very encouraging. Of course, there is a bit of a slump at present, but there is no cause for alarm. I have known the district to be depressed on seveial occasions, and do not regard the present condition of things as serious. There is nothing nowadays to prevent mining at 5000 ft. As a matter of fact, they are approaching that depth now, whereas twenty years ago it would have been thought impossible. Twenty years ago less than %oz. of gold per load was not considered payable at 2,500 ft.; now, at 4,500 ft., sdwt. of gold per load can be made to pay."