Black Hill Quartz Co.

History

Black Hill Quartz Co. began its operations in January 1862. In 1887 it was the parent company of the Sulieman and Indicator Co., Queen’s Jubilee Co., North Sulieman Co., South Sulieman Co., No. 2 Queen Co. and No. 3 Queen Co.

Mining. The Black Hill Quartz Company having lodged an application with the Warden for a lease of the unleased portions of the ground held by the company, objections to the lease were heard yesterday by the Resident Warden, when Mr McDermott appeared for Carr, Chisholm and others, holders of alluvial rights on part of the area proposed to be leased. Mr Wynne appeared on the part of the applicants, and said they did not wish to interfere with the existing rights of any of the objectors, but simply sought to change the nature of their own holding so as to be able to concentrate their workmen and conduct their operations more economically and effectively. Mr Sherard ruled that the ground came within the excepting clauses, and on that account he would have to recommend that the lease should not be granted.

The Black Hill Quartz Company's operations afford another illustration of the possibility of making a low average yield per ton pay. The company pay excellent dividends, while the yield averages from 4 to 5 dwts per ton. We have met, it is true, with even lower returns making remunerative dividends, though hardly so satisfactory of course, as those by this company, whose average yield is respectable, and whose operations are carried on in a very systematic and generally economical manner. The company possesses the largest plant at present working in Ballarat, twenty-four beads being at work, and reducing 700 tons per fortnight. There are no shaking tables, but the manager informs us that there can be no appreciable loss of gold, inasmuch as the lower blanket .gives off scarcely any gold when washed. The ripples are cleaned every week, but a general cleaning up and retorting take place only once a fortnight. Formerly the company used to clear out only once a fortnight, but a weekly clearing has been found to effect a saving, of gold by preventing a caking of the under mass and the escape of fine particles of the precious metal. A similar change was made in the practice of the Clunes Company, who estimate the saving thereby effected as equal to an addition of three grains to the yield per ton. The company calculated that about 70 per cent, of the gold is found in the boxes of the batteries, the false bottoms being laid on shingle, and having a vacancy on all sides of the bottom plate, to facilitate the deposition of the coarser particles of gold. By careful weighing it is found that a loss of 20 lbs. of mercury per eight weeks is sustained. The purity of the gold, as ascertained by assay, is over 23 carats, and the price realised £3 19s 3d to £3 19s 6d. The company find it necessary to change the stamp beads about once every three months, and the supply of new material is generally obtained from the Phoenix Foundry, of whose contracts the manager speaks approvingly.

According to Withers:

The Black Hill Quartz Company is another example of success upon small average returns. The registrar, reporting in 1870, says of that company:-

The Black Hill Company began work in January, 1862, and from that time to the end of December, 1809, embracing a period of eight years, they have obtained the quantities of quartz and gold set down hereunder:—Quartz crushed, 250,575 tons; gold got therefrom, 36,185 oz. 15 dwt. 10 gr.; average per ton, 2 dwt. 21.31 gr.; total value, £145,541 6s. 3d.; total dividends, £21,730, being 10 per cent. per annum on the capital. The last dividend was paid in 1868.

In 1880 the company altered its constitution to that of a no liability company, in 14,880 shares, dividends amounting to £4,088 being paid under the new organisation, and in all, from the beginning to the present date, £31,130. The old mine has not been very productive for the last year or two, and tribute parties have been working parts of the ground with but moderate results.

The People

C. Seal, chairman (<1887>)

G. F. Smith, manager (<1887>)

External Links

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--Beth Kicinski 14:01, 2 February 2012 (EST)