Dependencies.]
991
SOUTH AUSTEALIA.
South Area, R. 21.
Australia , regard being had to the vast size of thecountry, and the value which attaches to its products,is only inadequately represented in the Exhibition.The specimens presented are, however, of a very in-teresting and valuable description. The copper ores,which have been so productive of commercial pros-perity to the individuals concerned in their extraction,are shown by an interesting selection from the LyndochValley mines, near Adelaide , and the Burra Burramines. The extraordinary results of the latter under-taking are among the occasional marvels of miningspeculation. Specimens of the carbonate and oxideof copper and of native copper are exhibited. Inaddition, attention requires to be drawn to a recentattempt to introduce the cultivation of the silkworminto this colony, and specimens are exhibited. Someagricultural and geological specimens likewise deservenotice.—R. E. __
1 South Australian Company, 4 Bern Broad Street.
Specimens of copper ores from Hanmantoo mines :
Black and yellow sulphurets. Green and blue car-bonate. Red and grey oxide. Native copper. Peacock,Pyrites , &c.
2 The Barossa Range Mining Company, by Messrs.
Coode, Browne, & Co., 10 King’s Arms Yard,Moorgate Street.
Stones of copper ore, as raised from the lodes.
Sulpliuret of copper, containing 40 per cent, of purecopper,, raised in the Lyndoch Valley, about thirty milesfrom Adelaide , South Australia ,
3 Graham & Hallett, Smith Australia —Proprietors.
The following articles are from the mines at Burra
Burra:—•
1 Red oxide of copper.
2 Green carbonate of copper.
3 Green carbonate of copper.
4 Red oxide and carbonate combined.
5 Red oxide and blue carbonate.
6 Strata in which the minerals occur.
7 Native copper.
8 Malachite and red oxide of copper.
10 Cabinet specimens, arranged.
11 Views of Burra Burra mine and smelting-house,and the township.
[Tlie Burra Burra mines present one of the moststriking examples of successful mining speculation withwhich we are acquainted. From indications which wereregarded as of a most favourable character, the mine wasstarted on the 5th of September, 1845, with a capital of12,320?., subscribed by a few merchants and traders atAdelaide . The following returns of ore raised from thecommencement of the undertaking to September, 1850,wall exhibit the extraordinary success of this under-
taking:—
Tons. Cwts.
September 30, 1846 . . .
6,359 10
„ 1847. . .
10,794 17
„ 1848. .
12,791 11
„ 1849. . .
7,789 16
„ 1850. . .
18,692 9
Making a total in 5 years of
56,428 3
of copper ore, varying in quality from ore containing 30 percent, of copper to much that produces 70 per cent, of thatmetal. The money value of this is 738,108?.
This great mineral deposit exhibits some peculiarities.
Although the miners and the proprietors speak of workingon lodes, these are of a very different character from thecopper lodes of the primary rocks of this country. In agreat basin, formed in an amphitheatre of hills, an immensedeposit of clay—the result of the decomposition of theclay-slate—has taken place; this, under conditions whichwe are not enabled to determine, became also the reservoirfor the reception of copper. In all probability it was firstdeposited in the pare metallic state—a fine example of theelectrotype process of Nature. During this process, theso-called veins spread themselves through the soft clay invarious directions, in precisely the same manner as wemay, by carrying the terminal wires of a voltaic batteryinto a mass of clay saturated with sulphate of copper,form a curious arborescent mass. By the action of theoxygen contained in the water, this copper becomesoxidized by the slow process which gives rise to the verybeautiful crystals of red oxide of copper, and from thisstate it passes into the blue and green carbonates, underthe action of carbonic acid, the difference in the colour ofthe two arising from the quantity of water in combination.
The malachites, which are now very extensively em-ployed for ornamental purposes, are carbonates of copper,and large quantities of the specimens selected from theBuiTa Burra mines are sold for this purpose.
Nearly all the copper ore raised at the South Australian mines, has been hitherto sent to England, and smelted atSwansea; but there has been recently a smelting esta-blishment introduced, which promises to be of great ad-vantage to the colony.
The number of people now employed at the BurraBurra mines is 1,003.—R. II.]
4 ' Moses, II. E. & M., 87 Tower Bill.
Fine sample of Australian wheat, weighing 64 lbs. perbushel; the produce of Adelaide , South Australia , Pre-served fresh meats, prepared at the Camperdown establish-ments, Sydney , New South Wales . They are upwards ofthree years old, have undergone a voyage of 16,000 miles,are in a perfectly fresh state, and will keep so for anynumber of years.
5 Hallett, R. & Sons, Broad Street, BatcUff, London
—Importer.
Articles from South Australia :—
1, 2 Wheat.
3 Hard soap.
4 Olive oil.
5 Five cases, containing specimens of opal and otherrocks allied to precious stones.
6 Two samples of flour, and one of barley.
7 A dried bouquet of small native plants.
8 Specimens of stream gold, and gold in its matrix.
9 A case of polished stones, the produce of the colony.
6 Murray, Mrs.
Specimen of silk raised by the exhibitor, at Adelaide , in1850, the produce of 580 worms fed on white and blackmulberry leaves.
7 Grey, Earl (forwarded by).
Specimens of silk produced in South Australia , and
showing the capabilities of that country for the produc-tion of this article.