1890
19 July 1890
Hargraves, one of the oldest districts in New South Wales, in also very dull. The principal mine at present at work is the Hargraves, formerly Bond or the Eureka G. M. Company. Very rich specimens of gold were obtained from Bond's mine, but so far the present company has been unfortunate in its endeavours to obtain payable gold. A shaft 262ft. in depth has been sunk, and a level opened at 250 ft. from surface, both east and west. Favourable indications are not wanting, and I should not be surprised if something good was struck, especially in the eastern drive. A party of tributers (Evans and party) had just finished a crushing out of a lease south-easterly of Hargraves Goldmining Company's mine, which, by the appearance of the amalgam, would yield about 2oz. per ton. A few hundred yards easterly of the Hargraves Gold-mining Company's mine is Bond and party, who have sunk a shaft, about 62ft. in depth, in which they struck a quartz vein. From the latter, several tons of quartz were raised to grass, showing fine gold to the naked eye. The quartz is strongly impregnated with iron and arsenical pyrites, and by appearance should be payable and yield a good return of gold. The Big Nugget Company's crushing machine was at work crushing for the public, but their mining operations are at a stand still, and their extensive pumping and winding plant is idle. Nothing is at present doing in McGregor's Reef. The geological formations of Hargraves are certainly very favourable for the existence of payable quartz veins; and it may be looked forward to as certain that at and near Hargraves a large number of persons will find profitable employment in the quartz - mining industry. One of the greatest drawbacks of the district is that water is generally met with at shallow levels, such as about 100ft. from surface, but this can be overcome by suitable pumping machinery1
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1899
23 September 1899
MINING.
A find which is expected to prove of considerable importance has been made recently by Mr. E. Hogan, at Tucker's Hill, Hargraves, where a new line of reef has been discovered, giving most encouraging prospects, and can be traced for a considerable distance along the surface. There are several reefs working near Hargraves with varying success2
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