The world's production of silver during the ten years ended 1902 is estimated to have been as follows:

The output of New South Wales during 1902 therefore represented about 7.5 per cent. of the total production of silver.

COPPER.

Copper is known to exist in all the States, and has been mined for extensively in South Australia, Tasmania, New South Wales, and Queensland. The fluctuations in the market value of the metal have always been a check to the progress of the industry, and at various periods in the last two years some of the lower-grade mines have been compelled to suspend operations. South Australia has produced the greatest quantity of copper, but of late years Tasmania has had by far the largest output. In Tasmania deposits were worked on a limited scale for a number of years; but the discovery of a rich belt of copperbearing country, extending from Mount Lyell past Mount Tyndall, Mount Read, Mount Murchison, and north of the Pieman to the Rocky and Savage Rivers, has completely changed the character of the mining industry in the State, and from a small export of copper ore valued at £1,659 in 1896, the annual production has become the largest in Australasia. The following table, which shows the annual production of copper during the last five years, will give some idea of the development of this branch of the mining industry. The output would appear to have fallen considerably in 1902, but this is due to the fact that in previous years the gold contents of the ore have been included in the values given.

The chief mines belong to the Mount Lyell Mining and Railway Company which is reported to have spent over £400,000 on railway

construction and developmental work at the mines before receiving any return. The company possesses reduction works at Queenstown, from which a railway has been constructed through most difficult country to Teepookana and thence to Strahan. The output from these mines during the year ended 30th June, 1903, averaged 1,000 tons of ore daily, and the contents were 6,141 tons of copper, 604,860 oz. of silver, and 22,278 oz. of gold, the total value thereof being £513,351.

The discovery of copper had a marked effect upon the fortunes of South Australia at a time when the young and struggling colony was surrounded by difficulties. The first important mine, the Kapunda, was opened up in 1842. It is estimated that at one time 2,000 tons were produced annually, but the mine was closed in 1879. In 1845 the celebrated Burra Burra mine was discovered. This mine proved to be very rich, and paid £800,000 in dividends to the original owners. For many years the average yield was from 10,000 to 13,000 tons of ore, yielding from 22 to 23 per cent. of copper. For the period of thirty years during which the mine was worked the output of ore amounted to 234,648 tons, equal to 51,622 tons of copper, valued at £4,749,224. Boring operations were conducted at the mine for the purpose of determining whether payable ore exists at greater depths than those reached by the original workings. One bore was put down to a depth of 1,004 feet, and in the the opinion of the Government Geologist, the result was highly satisfactory, as it proved the continuance downwards of the copper-bearing strata sufficiently to warrant the reopening of a portion of the mine. The Wallaroo and Moonta mines, discovered in 1860 and 1861, proved to be even more valuable than the Burra Burra. The Moonta mine employed at one time upwards of 1,600 hands, and still keeps 1,138 men at work. In 1890 these mines were amalgamated, and the estimated value of the copper produced to the end of 1898 is set down at £9,218,482, out of which about £7,000,000 had been expended in wages. About 1,800 miners are now employed. The total dividends paid by these mines were stated to be upwards of £1,700,000. The production of copper in South Australia during the last few years has again increased, the output in 1901 being valued at £500,077, and in 1902 at £432,525.

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The copper-mining industry in New South Wales has been subject to great variations. The production reached its highest point in 1883, when the value was £472,982. From that year, however, there was a general decline, and in 1894 the value was only £63,617. in the other States, so in New South Wales, the increased prices of later years caused more attention to be directed to the industry, and the production in 1901 had attained a value of £412,292. A heavy fall in prices occurred during that year, however, which, combined with the drought, caused a considerable falling off in production and value. The value of the output in 1902

was only £307,806, a decrease of £104,486 on that of the preceding year. The chief copper-mines are in the western districts, and lack of water led to the closing of several of the most important during portion of the year. At the Great Cobar Mine the company was enabled to carry on operations through the Government arranging to despatch a supply by water train during the dry period. In other districts those mines which were working on low-grade ores were compelled to suspend operations, as at the prevailing prices the ore would not realise a profit on the cost of raising and carriage to the smelting works at Cockle Creek or Dapto. The principal deposits are found in the central part of the state, between the Macquarie, Bogan, and Darling Rivers. Cupriferous strata have also been located in the New England and Southern districts, as well as at Broken Hill, thus showing that the mineral is widely distributed. The largest proportion of the copper produced during 1902 was obtained in the Cobar mining district. The value of the metal raised in the Cobar division of the district amounted to £130,802. It is in this district that the Great Cobar, the largest copper-mine in New South Wales, is situated. The Nymagee division of the Cobar district produced copper to the value of £133,350. In the Burraga division of the Bathurst district one of the leading mines, the Lloyd Copper mine, is situated, and from this mine which was only worked during the first eight months of 1902, owing to the failure of the water supply, 29,440 tons of ore, valued at £66,200, were raised. The lode, which averages 5 feet in width, still maintains its richness, and there are sufficient supplies in sight to last some years. The company employs about 500 men in the mine and works, which are lighted throughout by electricity. The Crowl Creek mine, at Shuttleton, which was opened in 1901 has been further developed with satisfactory results. The total number of men engaged in copper-mining during 1902 was 1,699, a decrease of 1,265 on the numbers of the preceding

year.

Copper is found in many parts of Queensland, the principal deposits being in the Herberton and Mount Perry districts. In earlier years the state occupied a prominent position as a producer of copper, but the output in recent years was very small. The year 1901, however, saw a sudden revival in this branch of the mining industry, despite a great fall in prices, and the value of the production rose to £194,227, being the highest value recorded with the exception of 1872, when it reached £196,000. This figure, however, was not maintained in 1902, the production for that year amounting to 3,784 tons, valued at £189,200. A noteworthy feature of the revival was the re-opening of the Mount Perry mine, which afforded employment for over 300 men in 1902, and promises to rank, as in former years, amongst the foremost mines in the State. The Herberton district has for many years been the chief copper-producing centre, the output in 1902 being valued at £122,950. Of the copper-mines in this district, and in the State as a whole, the foremost is Mount Garnet, which produced copper and silver to the

value of £164,267 during 1902. The mine is well equipped with machinery, and a railway has been constructed to connect with the Chillagoe line. On the 31st March, 1902, the New Chillagoe Railway and Mines which had been closed since December, 1901, were re-opened, and systematic prospecting is being carried on in the mines with favourable results. One of the chief obstacles to the successful development of copper and silver-mining has been the lack of facilities for transport, but with the increased advantages in this respect which are being afforded year by year, the output of copper and silver may be expected to increase materially.

In Western Australia, copper deposits have been worked for some years. Very rich lodes of the metal have been found in the Mount Malcolm, Northampton, Murchison, West Pilbarra, and Phillips River districts, but operations appear to be carried on systematically only in the first mentioned. The ore raised in this district is treated locally, while in the others it is exported for treatment, and, as the cost of carriage is heavy and the facilities for transport unfavourable, only high-grade ores can be profitably worked. The copper ore raised in the State during 1901 amounted to 10,156 tons, valued at £75,246, but in 1902 only 2,262 tons, with a value of £8,090 were produced. The unfortunate fall in the price of the metal has restricted operations, but as there seems no doubt that eminently payable copper lodes, carrying a little gold, exist in the state, it is surprising that the success of the preceding three years has not further stimulated the progress of the industry. The number of men engaged in copper-mining in 1902 was only 113, as against 321 in the preceding year.

Copper-mining has not attained any great proportions in Victoria, although deposits have been found in several parts of the State, particularly in the Beechworth district, where they have been traced over an area of some 50 square miles. The value of the total production is estimated at £206,395, but there has not been any output during the last few years.

The copper deposits of New Zealand have been worked to a small extent only, and for a number of years have been almost entirely neglected, the output in 1901 being valued at only £105, while in 1902 there was no production.

Copper is sometimes found in the Australasian mines in a virgin state, and beautiful specimens of the pure metal have been exhibited at different times, but it occurs generally in the form of oxidised copper ores, carbonates, sulphates, phosphates, and silicates of copper. The museums of South Australia, Victoria, and New South Wales contain striking samples of azurite and malachite, magnificent blocks of which have been shown from time to time at exhibitions, not only in Australasia, but also in Europe and America. Copper sulphides and arsenides are generally found in deep sinkings. The metal has also been found associated with tin in the form of stannine.

The total value of copper produced in each State during 1902 and up to the end of that year are given below :

In June, 1872, copper realised as much as £112 per ton, whilst in December, 1886, the lowest price on record until that time was touched, and only £44 could be obtained for South Australian copper. At the end of 1887 the price had risen to £70 per ton, and in September, 1888, to £93. In March, 1889, there was a great fall in the price of the metal, and in April of that year the quotation in London was as low as £43 per ton. This was the lowest price reached until June, 1894, when it fell to £41 10s. From that date there was an upward movement, as the following quotations will show. At the close of 1896 the London price of copper stood at £52 10s. per ton; in February, 1897, £54 10s. was reached; and at the 31st December, 1898, £60 was the market value. This price was further increased during 1899, and in September of that year no less than £77 per ton was quoted. The price was well maintained during 1900, and, at the close of the year, stood at £73 per ton; but in 1901 a heavy fall occurred, and the quotations for the last week of the year were as low as £49 15s. per ton. During 1902 prices remained low, but gradually improved towards the end of the year. In the first week of January, 1903, the value was £53 12s. 6d. per ton.

TIN.

Tin was known to exist in Australasia almost from the first years of colonisation, the earliest mention of the metal appearing in a report of a discovery by Surgeon Bass on the north coast of Tasmania. In the form of cassiterite (oxide of tin) it occurs in all the states, but the richest deposits have been found in Tasmania-the Mount Bischoff being the most celebrated tin-mine in Australasia. Expert authorities have also stated that Queensland and the Northern Territory of South Australia possess rich deposits of tin ore.