944 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN May 18, 1917. comprises a straightforward station. The buckets are fed from bunkers built round the back end on the out- side of the shunt rail. At the unloading end the buckets can be automatically stripped into the bunker from either rope, and at any desired point. The empty buckets return to the loading point automatic- ally, and without the expenditure of human labour. The third ropeway, from the washery to point E, is also shown on fig. 5. The length of this line is 420 yds. from centre to centre terminal, with a capacity of 30 tons per hour, the individual net loads being 7 cwt. Although this line is comparatively short for a dump- ing ropeway, the installation will have quite a long life, and will eventually form a dump of 500,000 cu. yds. This is due to the fact that the ropes are kept well above the ground by a series of high trestles, and that there is a considerable stretch of low-lying ground en route, which may be clearly seen from fig. 4. It has already been mentioned that this line is built on the mono-cable system, yet it has a subsidiary fixed rope slung some feet above the cable on which the load travels. This rope supports a tripping frame, which can be moved to any desired point from the ground level by means of a light traversing rope. This b! sSMt ■ ■ Fig. 4.—Dumping Ropeway on Line C—E. tipping frame performs a dual function : firstly, engag- ing the tripping gear on the buckets, whereby the load is dumped; and secondly, of minimising the natural catena of the rope; whereby the height of the dump is increased. The fact that the tripping frame can be manipulated from the ground level is a feature the importance of which should not be under-estimated in this type of dumping ropeway, as it facilitates the movement of the dumping point, thereby saving time and labour; for when this or a similar operation, such as COAL AT OXLEY CREEK, QUEENSLAND.* By J. H. Reid, Government Geologist. The coal which is the subject of this report outcrops on Oxley Creek and in a tributary called Dingo Creek. The actual outcrops occur below the junction with White Mountain Creek and above the junction with the Flinders River. This locality is situated approxi- mately as follows : 52 miles north-east of Hughenden, 42 miles west-north-west of Pentland, and 34 miles north-west of Torrens Creek. There are no roads to the area, which is at present rather inaccessible, but there is a track used by the prospectors leaving the Pentlands-Mount Emu road at about 45 miles from the former place. The distance by the track from the road is about nine miles. The coal outcrops appear to be situated in the south-eastern corner of Mount Emu Plains Station. Prospecting Work. The top of the coal seam is exposed along the bank of Dingo Creek, and a shallow shaft (No. 1) has been sunk alongside of it in the dry bed of the creek, and about 8 ft. of coal was found in this shaft. A few chains to the east, No. 2 shaft was sunk 9 ft. on the same seam of coal. During last summer No. 3 shaft was sunk on the south bank of the creek to test the seam at a greater depth. This shaft at 14 ft. struck the top of a 5 ft. seam of very inferior shaly coal, containing ironstone bands, and at 50 ft. cut the big seam ,(14 ft.) outcropping on the creek bank. The shaft was continued to 66 ft. before striking sandstone, and no further sinking was done. The country around has been thoroughly explored by the prospectors, and several out- crops have been found within short distances of the outcrops near the shafts. They have all proved to be continuations of the seams met with in No. 3 shaft. It is only from Lower (Big) coal seam that there appears to be any prospects of obtaining coal of a quality and in sufficient quantity to warrant further prospecting work. The most northerly exposures—i.e., along Oxley Creek—are not very good. The section exposed at No. 4 outcrop is as follows:—Covering, white clay shale; 4 in. coaly shale (clay shale parting) ; 5 in. coaly shale; 1 in. clay shale band; 10 in. coaly shale; 1 in. clay shale band; 5 in. coaly shale (shale parting); 3 in. coaly shale; dip of beds, 10 degs. in direction 12 degs. west of south. Corresponding to the seam in No. 2 shaft there is 8 ft. of coal without bands in the bottom portion of the seam, the coal over this being also poor, and mixed with clay shale bands. The 8 ft. of coal was sampled in two sections of 4 ft. each, the analyses representing these being Nos. 4 and 5 in the following table: — ® ® • No. Particulars of sample. "S “ '5 S • Eq P.c. P.O. P.c. P.c. 1 No. 2 shaft. Average of top 3ft. 6m.section of 7ft. seam...6'16...25'16...48'66...20'02 2 No. 2 shaft. Average of bottom 3ft.6in. section of 7ft. seam...5'88...26'42.. 48'10...19'60 3 No. 2 shaft. Average of 2 ft. 3in. seamat collar of shaft...6'58...27'06..42'84...23'62 4 No. 3 shaft. Average of top 4 ft. section of 8 ft. seam....7'48...20'63...41'15...30'74 5 No. 3 shaft. Average of bottom 4 ft. section of 8 ft. seam....8'22.,.25'24...48'96...17'58 The dip of the seam in Dingo Creek at No. 1 shaft is 8 degs. (1 ft. in 7) in a direction about 10 degs. west of south, so that No. 3 shaft is almost on the line of the true dip drawn from No. 1 shaft. Two further outcrops of this coal seam occur lower down Dingo Creek. No work, has been done. At No.6 outcrop 15 ft. of perished coal and coaly shale con- taining clay shale bands is exposed. The angle of dip here was measured at 11 degs. Prospects of the Field. Although little work has been done, the surface evidence justifies further prospecting to prove the value of the seam. At two points, seven chains apart, the work done has shown the existence of a thickness of coal from 7 to 8 ft. without bands, and it is from this portion only of the seam that there appears to be any prospects of obtaining large quantities of coal of suitable quality for commercial uses. The percentage of ash, as shown in the analysis, indicates that the coal at the surface is too inferior in quality to compete in the markets with other coals at present being worked. It has, however, been only prospected to a depth of 35 ft. below the surface, as at No. 3 shaft the collar is about 15 ft. above the bed of Dingo Creek; and considering that at No. 2 shaft, practically on the surface, the thickness of 7 ft. of coal only averages 19'81 per cent, of ash where it has been exposed to oxidation, and probably to some infiltration of extraneous matter which may increase the ash per- centage, testing at some greater depth appears to be warranted. In No. 3 shaft, the bottom 4 ft. of coal contained 17'58 per cent, of ash. About 14 per cent, may be assumed as the maximum percentage of ash in coal which could be worked in Queensland at the present time; and if this seam showed improvement in that respect, it may prove a valuable adjunct to the coal resources of North Queens- land. A seam averaging 7 ft. 6 in. thick would con- tain about 13,600 tons of coal to the acre, or over 8,000,000 tons to the square mile, and if the dip be assumed to continue at 8 degs., the angle at the shafts in Dingo Creek, this would probably be available at a depth not exceeding 800 ft. in the vicinity of Dingo Eopeway From h/ASH£Kr To Goke. Ovea’s, floPEWAY EpoM JVcw 'WlSHERY 7b PuMP. E Fig. 5.—Diagram showing Ropeway between the Points C and E, over the Spoil Bank, and also Portion of Ropeway C—D. (The Ropeway Installations of the Blaenavon Company, South Wales ) shifting the tipping frame on a bi-cable dump, is neces- sary, it means that the frame has to be moved from one of the ropeway buckets, which makes it necessary for one of the operators to go along the line in this vehicle for that purpose. The power required when the maximum height of dump is reached is lOb.h.p. In all three installations the motive power is elec- tricity, the bunkers are all constructed of ferro-con- crete, while the rest of the structural work is of mild steel. The writer is indebted to W. F. Clement, Esq., general manager of the Blaenavon Company, for per- mission to publish the above information. Dr. J. Arnott has been appointed certifying surgeon under the Factory and Workshop Acts for Brampton, Cumberland. Vacancies exist at Redruth and Ennis- corthy. The London Coal Exchange was the scene of an unusual event last week. Representatives from the Royal Society of the Army Veterinary Fund took possession of the floor of the building, and speeches were made towards securing funds for sick and wounded horses at the front. Many subscriptions and purchases were made. A gold bangle offered by auction by Lady Churchill from her own wrist fetched first A40, then A30, and then A25, and each time offered back again to be re-sold. In the outcrop running along the south bank of Oxley Creek from 2 to 6 ft. of coaly shale is exposed, but it is assumed that much of the seam is hidden by soil. At No. 1 outcrop 5 ft. of carbonaceous and white clay shales are seen resting underneath the blue sand- stone, this being identical in appearance with that seen overlying the coal seam at No. 1 shaft. Under these is a blank, covered by soil, representing a thick- ness of about 6 ft. The evidence is not conclusive as to the thickness of the seam in Oxley Creek, but from this section there is reason to believe that the seam increases in size towards Dingo Creek. The No. 1 shaft is said to have proved a thickness of 16 ft., including the top clay shale bands. The total thickness of the seam at No. 2 shaft is 15 ft. 11 in. At the bottom of the seam is a thickness of 7 ft. 2 in. of coal without bands. It has a rather dull and stony appearance, and the ash percentages shown in the analysis are a good deal above that in Queensland coals at present being worked. The upper 9 ft. of the seam does not give much promise owing to the numerous bands and the poor quality appearance of the coal. In the bottom of No. 3 shaft the seam is at least 14 ft. thick. No driving has been done on the seam. * Queensland Government Mining Journal. Creek. There seems some justification for thinking the seam may improve in both quality and size in further following it down on the dip, apart from getting further from the influence of surface weather- ing, as in Oxley Creek it appears to be decidedly poorer in quality and smaller in size, although on account of the partly hidden outcrop this evidence is not abso- lutely conclusive. On account of (he distance from a railway the seam could not, of course, be worked until a light railway or tram-line afforded cheaper transport. Mining timber (ironbark) could be easily secured in the area, but the water supply is uncertain. Small water holes both in Dingo Creek and Oxley Creek appear to last through protracted drought periods, but at such times are apparently unfit for human consumption. Suggested Prospecting Work. The coal sampled near the surface is, on account of its high ash content, too inferior to attempt to work at the present time. It is, however, not so inferior that it should discourage any efforts to ascertain whether it improves in quality, particularly in the case of a seam showing such a workable thickness of coal as this, from 7 to 8 ft. The cheapest way to prove this is by drilling, in which it will be necessary to secure the complete cores, so that the coal may be analysed and tested as to its coking properties.