Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-07-09
SOUTH AFRICAN GOLD FIELDS.
Mr.. Bates Dorsey Tells of Their Extent
and Where They Are Located.

LONDON, July S.-Mr. Bates Dorsey,
whose opinions of the South African gold
fields were recently alluded to in this cor
respondence, writes as follows of the
Johannesburg gold district in the Trans
vaal:
1.-The rocks of this district have evidently
been deposited from water. On the north
ern and eastern rim or edge the formation
has been tilted up to an angle of As to %
degrees from the horizontal by the eruption
of igneous rocks. The same formation
will probably be found on the south and
west, thus forming basin that will prob
ably measure over eighty miles east and
west and forty miles north'and south. In
this basin are found numerous strata of
conglomerate, locally called banket reefs,
which are in reality nothing but contact
veins of conglomarate carrying gold IN
varying quantities in different reefs,
though each individually is fairly uniform
in quality ahk thickness, with the excep-
ton of the main and blacd reefs,
These reefs have been little worked and
have different names in different localities
or mines. They vary much in their yield,
from a half ounce of gold on the main reef
to SIX ounces per ton on the middle reef
The other reefs have been comparatively
little worked. The average monthly yield
on the black reef is fifteen pennyweights
and on the Zourbuit one ounce per ton.
Many Of the other veins have been opened
and essay well. In no part of
the world have veins been found
giving such a continuous and uni
form yield of gold. The main reef has
been worked for distance of thirty miles
continuously and with but few breaks. 1t
has been tested and worked twenty miles
farther. The lowest yield has been seven
pennyweights per ton, which will pay
good working profit when the work is
thoroughly organized on a large scale.
The deepest workings at present In this
district are about go feet down on the dip
of the vein. The ore found there is equal
in quantity aud quality to that found
in the upper workings As the
yield of the vein is SO constant and
uniform in length there is no reason why
1t should not be equally SO in depth. With
well organized work on large scale the
total average cost of mining and milling
ore from most of the veins here should not
exceed 81 per ton. In many cases it should
be done for less There is an abundance
OF good, cheap, unskilled labor. Good
coal Is found near the mines, in some
cases less than quarter OF a mile
distant, and food for man and beast
VIII ultimately be cheap. as there is
an abundance of land that can be irrigated
and that can raise more than will be re-
auired for home consumption The scar
city OF timber and skilled labor are the
only drawbacks TO cheap mining. The
present cost of these Will, however, be
largely reduced by the construction Of
railways, which will probably take place
in the near future. These estimates Of
cost of mining aud milling are based on
my experience and observations in the gold
producing districts Of the United States
Big reports and very rich specimens
come here from the corthern districts, bat
as pave not seen the miners there | can
say nothing about them from personal
knowledge. This district promises TO be
the most constant in pay and most pro-
ductive gold region ever discovered, aud
investments made with judgment 81 mod
crate prices viii yield large returpsr