Geology and mining

The earliest SA geologist was Johannes Menge (1788-1852), who arrived in 1837 on the Coromandel.  

See  PROFESSOR JOHN MENGE. (1916, August 9). The Register (Adelaide, SA : 1901 - 1929), p. 8. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article60608744 

H.J. Driscoll observes:

... Johannes Menge, the father of South Australian mineralogy. This remarkable man had studied geology, mineralogy, and botany in Germany, Italy, France, the British Isles, Scandinavia, Iceland, Russia, Siberia, and other parts of Asia and North America. He was also a most distinguished linguist, being ac quainted with more than 20 languages, all of which, except the dead ones, he had acquired while living in the lands in which they were spoken. He was a native of the Hartz Mountains, and after the completion of his mineralogical journeys he settled down in the East End of London, where he taught Hebrew and other Oriental tongues. In 1835 he declined the chair of Hebrew and Greek at Oxford at a salary of £1,000 a year, and shortly afterwards, for the sake of being able to pursue his mineralogical sutdies in Australia, he accepted the position of "mine and quarry agent and geologist" to the South Australian Co. at a salary of £150 per annum with a free passage to the colony. Menge was a non-conforming Lutheran, and when the persecution arose in Prussia in 1830 his sympathy with religious freedom was shown both by voice and pen. 

At Kingscote he lived in a "dug-out," the roof of which was just above the level of the ground. He rambled about the island as far as he could with safety, and made exhaustive reports to the company on the result of his investigations. He described the geology, mineralogy, and the various soils on the island, pointing out the different treatment such soils demanded in order to obtain the best results from them. He was always urging upon the manager of the company the vital importance of irrigation; indeed, he went so far as to say that the land was of no value whatever without it. In one of his reports he elaborates a scheme for conserving all the flood waters which flow into the sea from Western Cove to Emu Bay. The project included a fresh water canal navigable for 30 miles. Under a proper system of irrigation he computed that Kangaroo Island would carry a population of a million. 

In one of his reports, speaking of the capabilities of the soil, he says:— "You know already that I made the nature of the soil here my study, and I found out that an acre of land will yearly provide for £200 worth of vegetables or fruits if cultivated on chemical principles.'' Although he describes iron as being the "domineering" metal on Kangaroo Island, he was successful in finding traces of copper, small portions of tourmaline, and all the necessary materials from which to manufacture earthenware and china of all degrees of quality. Precious gems have of late years been discovered, and the china clay mine near Cuttlefish Bay, which is now being developed, bears testimony to the accuracy of his statements.

Professor Menge, as he was generally called, was a most eccentric man. His eccentricity was so nearly allied to madness that at times under the stress of undue excitement the partition which divided them was very thin indeed. He was good-natured and child-like in his innocence and regardless of self. His general appearance was more that of a professional tramp than a Christian gentleman as he was at heart. "Cold water, soap, and clean linen were evidently regarded by him as unnecessary luxuries for a new colonist to indulge in." Another who knew him said that he lived on tobacco smoke and pancakes. Wild bursts of passionate vituperation afforded a strange contrast to his, at other times, guileless merriment. After the arrival of Mr. D. McLaren, the second colonial manager of the company, he was instructed to endeavour to find water, that necessary fluid having still to be brought from Port [Point] Marsden and retailed at from ½d. to 1d. a bucket. His efforts to locate any springs or indicate where water could be obtained by sinking were futile. A violent quarrel with the manager resulted in his leaving the company's service, and very shortly afterwards fresh water was discovered within a few yards of the front of his dug-out at Reeves Point. This well is still in use, the quality and the supply both being excellent. ,,,

Menge wrote reports, published in the press:

GENTLEMEN— The season for resuming my geological ramblings being at hand, I intend, through the medium of your valuable journal, to inform the public of the results of my researches, in a series of letters addressed to you. But as I shall have often to refer to the lists of minerals contained in the South Australian Almanack for 1841, I think it necessary to indicate previously their geological occurrence, and acquaint you with those parts of South Australia I have visited hitherto. I began my wanderings in Kangaroo Island, which I considered to have been connected with the main-land at Cape Jervis, and cut off by the working of the sea, leaving the Pages remaining. The formation of mica slate, from Mount Lofty south-eastward, continues, indeed, all along the southern coast ot Kangaroo Island, which confirms my opinion. There had been two inlands joined together by an accumulation of sand and lime in the line of what is called the American river (Lagoon Bay). Along the south-east coast are nothing but heaps of sand from the shore, blown up by southerly gales. Limestone is continually forming around the coasts by the sea, and rests upon the primitive slates, which are cut off by the American river. It contains the shells, petrified, thrown out by the sea; but what I never observed before, was the petrifaction of the indigenous wood, of which I observed whole stumps with all their roots. In some places the lime-stone appears in tables, like that used for litho-graphic purposes, which is free from shells. The sub-strata of the mica slate formation are chiefly talc slate and chlorite slate; the latter contains rutite (oxyde of titanium). Within the quartzy veins, which are as frequent as in our ranges. appear traces of copper ore, and sometimes of tourmaline. The quartzy mica slate falls into sand, on which the grass-tree grows much larger than on the main-land. The quantity of lime which the sea continually deposits on the shores of South Australia seems to originate from the sea animals, as the waters are every where salt in the lime soil. Fresh water is found in sandy trucks, flooded, from dissolved mica slate.

Besides the formation of mica slate, we have in Kangaroo Island a chain of transition rock, belonging to a formation of dibuse or greenstone, but which is literally a grey-stone, and contains extensive stocks of brown iron ore, running in a north-westerly direction through the middle of the island, in the shape of table-land, in which some patches of excellent soil occur, particularly in the valleys. The construction of the grey-stone, as well as of the iron ore, is everywhere globular without any stratification. Even upon this formation the tertiary limestone is found in several places; in other places a siliceous breccia is formed instead of lime. Along the northern coast of Kangaroo Island I found a great variety of sandstone in immense masses, and some beds in tables regularly stratified. These tables are excellent for pavement, and would make as good footpaths in the streets of Adelaide as are those in Edinburgh. The flags are heaped up close at the shore, as if laid in stores, and may be separated from each other without any trouble. The greatest masses are quartzy sandstone, containing occasionally a kind of pudding stone, in which [?] pebbles are red jasper. If the formation of sandstone should have been in connexion wiih Yorke's Peninsula, we might expect to find coal along the eastern shore of Spencer's Guif. 

Although Kangaroo Island is generally barren, there are some tracks of excellent soil along the table hill, and in the drainages in general. Remarkable are the lagoons in this Island, which are very numerous. There is a chain of large lagoons from the head of Seal Bay right over to Vivonne Bay; and from the Table Hill I numbered twelve large lagoons, which are mostly dried up entirely in the summer. Some valleys running out to the north coast would make excellent gardens, as there is no frost in the winter season. They are filled with high timber, but in the whole, as far as I have seen the Inland on its eastern part, till Vivonne Bay and across to Cape Cassini on the north coast, I do not think there are more than five hundred acres of real good land. The climate is very healthful on the island. It is neither so warm in summer nor so cold in winter as on the main land ; but the gales are heavier and there is less rain in general than on the main. The whole island is covered with shrubs and young trees; there is scarcely sufficient grass to nourish twelve head of cattle; the best grassy track I found between the Salt Lagoon and Cape d'Ertains, along the Table Hill. ...

 Yours, &c. JOH. MENGE.

1845  Our Kangaroo Island correspondent promises us some mineral specimens which he is about to procure from the interior of the island where he is informed copper exists in great abundance. Mineral waters are said to abound, as also precious stones and real jet (not Mr Warner's). In short, a spirit of inquiry and useful research seems to have filled up the season of comparative leisure which usually precedes the whaling season. The salt carrying trade by the small cutters has been particularly brisk, and more work is cutting out for them.

A Short History of Kangaroo Island Mining.

We extract the following interesting information from the last number of Art, Trade and Industry : — 

For a considerable time intermittent attention has been given to the mining possibilities of the Island, but only within the period of the last five years has enterprise of a practical nature been exercised. Foremost in this important work of industrial development in a commercial sense must be mentioned the names of Messrs. F. H. Winch and G. A. Nelson, closely associated with that of Mr G. Taylor, as prospector and practical mining expert. Up to the present this party of mining pioneers have expended in various ways capital amounting approximately to £3,000 in developing the mining shows with which they are connected. Mining enterprise on the Island has hitherto been considerably handicapped by the indefinite and unreliable nature of the reports circulated from time to time with respect to the prospects of different ventures. With a view to affording authentic information on what has been done in the past at the principal mines, and also to show the stage of development which has been reached at the present, our special representative interviewed Mr G. Taylor, who is manager of the Kohinoor, Perseverance, and Cygnet mines, and who is also interested with Mr Francis H. Snow, in a monazite find on the Eleanor river. 

THE KOHINOOR. 

This mine is situated 16 miles south-west from Kingscote on the route of the telegraph line at Goyder's Range. Prospecting was first commenced there between 25 and 30 years ago. As a result, a rich leader on the surface was discovered, and a vertical shaft was put down to the depth of 45 feet. At this point the leader was lost, and a sum of £2,000 was spent in trying to find it again, and subsequently operations were abandoned for a number of years. While perusing the old mining records of South Australia, Mr Taylor saw references to what had been done in this locality and was impressed with the fact that if gold could be found on the surface in the way indicated in these reports of early operations, equal, if not better, results could be obtained in the same locality. He then spent about six weeks in trying to pick up the continuation of this reef, and when convinced that he had located it he pegged out his ground, and drove 90 feet. In doing so he picked up two leaders, averaging from two to five inches wide, both carrying gold, from 36 dwts. to 2 ozs. 17 dwts. Subsequently he picked up the original, or richer reef, which averaged anything from 10 ozs. to 100 ozs. per ton. In sampling it Mr Taylor found that the gold ran back in the cleavage of the sandstone or salt country, about 3 ft. 18 ins. each side of the leader. A bulk sample treated by battery about 2½ years ago went about 2 ozs 5dwts. to the ton. Since then he has sunk shafts totalling a depth of 600 feet on the same property, the deepest being 200 ft., and another 125 it. (which is at present being worked.) Also about 1,500 feet of levels have been put in. In the 125 ft. shaft all the leaders are running into mullocky load formation about four feet wide, which was only struck last week, and which is composed of soft slate, quartz veins, etc., carrying gold of as high value as the small leaders. This mine has been sampled by Mr Jones, the Government inspector of mines, who, on assay, reported the average to be as high as 8 ozs. 4 dwts. per ton, for samples taken from this mullocky formation three feet wide at 75 feet depth. This report was made by Mr Jones a few weeks ago, and since then Mr Taylor has sunk from 75 to 105 feet, during which time the reef widened to four feet, carrying increased values. Mr Taylor reckons that at 75 feet the average was about 1½ ozs. per ton, at 125 feet 35 dwts with the reef four feet wide. 

THE CYGNET 

mine is situated 26 miles from Kingscote, in a southerly direction. Mr Taylor's attention was directed to this locality by some references he read in the old South Australian mining records, in which it was stated that the Government geologist had taken, a crushing on what was then called a tilka reef, and that a yield of 5 dwts. and some grains was obtained from one ton. Mr Taylor located the reef and found it to he one of the strongest and longest lines of fissure reefs that he had ever seen or had knowledge of. He could trace it on the surface for something like twelve miles. The results obtained by the Government geologist were from stuff taken at a depth of 45ft. On making surface tests Mr Taylor only got from a trace to 1dwt. per ton. At 45ft. he got from 5dwts. 3 grains or 5dwts. 6 grains. At 80ft. he sank without testing more than to satisfy himself that it carried gold. He then put in a crosscut, and sent 3 tons 12cwt. to the Government battery at the School of Mines, Stawell, Victoria. This gave an average of just on 7 dwts. The reef at the surface was 9 ft. wide and at 80 ft. it was 21 ft. wide. The cross cut was continued to 67 ft., and in putting it in he proved the ore channel to be 38 ft. wide, between two well defined walls. The whole extent of this reef for 12 miles is metalliferous, carrying in different directions, gold , copper and lead. Mr D. Melvin (of Hills & Melvin, mining engineers, Collins Street, Mel-bourne), took away about three months ago a bulk sample of 3 tons 15 dwts. (this was about twelve months after Mr Taylor had the Stawell test). Mr Melvin's parcel was sent to Jacques, Fischer & Co.'s battery, at Footscray, Victoria, and the results were slightly higher than those obtained by Mr Taylor, the difference being a few grains. It is worthy of note that Mr Brown, Government geologist, in a report appearing in old mining records, expressed the opinion that this mine was well worthy of the expenditure of capital in prospecting for richer shoots of gold. Mr Taylor states that other parts of the reef are now being opened up with very satisfactory results right along the line, surface tests showing from 3 to 5 dwts. to the ton. 

THE PERSEVERANCE. 

This mine is situated 2½ miles in a direct line north-west from the Cygnet, and was the first worked on this end of the Island, operations being commenced about 3½ years ago. Mr Taylor then sank on a gossan vein for about 18ft., and struck a reef 3ft. 6in. wide. This was a solid lode of zinc blend, averaging about 45 per cent. of zinc. After sinking on the reef for about 20ft., the zinc practically gave out, and he came to lead sulphide, averaging from about 20 to 70 per cent. of lead, and from 3 to 5 ounces of silver. Sinking was con-tinued down to 50 ft., when the lode was about 14ft. wide, and the values from 20 to 60 per cent, lead, 5 ozs. silver, and from 12 to 16 dwts. of gold. Operations at this stage were stopped by the influx of water. During the sinking about 3,000 gallons of water per hour had to he taken but, and at the bottom the inflow was about 5,000 gallons per hour. On this property there are three shafts— the depths being 50ft., 35ft. and 30ft. — each making about 3,000 gallons of water per hour. 

MONAZITE. 

While perusing the before-mentioned mining records Mr Taylor noticed some references to Daw's diggings at Eleanor River, about 35 miles south-west from Kingscote. He prospected the locality for alluvial gold in accordance with the opinion expressed in the report by the Government geologist that payable gold should be found there. He discovered that this ground would yield alluvial gold which would pay at the rate of 7/ or 8/ a man per day. While searching for gold in this locality he discovered monazite in an old tertiary drift asso-ciated with gold, rutile, zircon, orien-tal sapphire, oriental ruby, amethyst, etc. The whole of this property is in the hands of Mr Francis H. Snow, in conjunction with Mr Taylor, the former gentleman being now in England in conjunction with this and other important matters. 

WESTERN RIVER. 

The Western River Silver Lead Mining Company's property is situated about 50 miles north-west from Kingscote, along the north coast. This was discovered about 20 years ago. Some tons of ore procured from the surface were sent away—carbon-ate ore, lead sulphate, and sulphides. A parcel of 11 tons, sent away about nine or ten year's ago, by inexperienced men, who did not properly understand the dressing of ore yielded 5½ per cent. lead, and about 5 ozs. of silver. Mr Taylor subsequently took up the property, and, after doing a fair amount of work on it, he handed it over to a Melbourne syndicate about 12 months ago: operations in con-nection with which are now in charge of Mr Tassy O'Connor. The prospecting carried on by Mr Taylor confirmed the results men-tioned in the old mining records, from which he gained his information regarding the locality, the yields on his test being, if anything, a little higher in value than the results obtained from the parcel which was sent away, as previously stated, by inexperienced men, owing to the ore he had treated being better dressed. Since Mr O'Connor has had charge there has been about £1,050 spent in the work of developing the mine, and the deepest shaft is now at a depth of 100ft., and is at a level which is 300ft. below that where Mr Taylor got his samples, and is showing increased values as greater depth is reached. Mr Taylor calls the locality of the mine "The home of lead." The reef ranges anything from 25ft. to 200ft. wide, and he considers that as a lead producer it has all the possibilities of Broken Hill. About two months ago the syndicate was formed into a company of 100,000 shaves of 10/ each. A few weeks ago a number of miners were engaged, and are now at work driving on the lode and breaking the ore. We are informed that on all the properties mentioned in the foregoing article that there are unlimited supplies of water, timber, etc., for all mining purposes.