respected Australian firms, ought to be of interest: — "I have the
pleasure to hand you the following report upon the samples of Australian
mica you left with me.  I find the quality to be exceedingly fine and only
slightly stained or spotted; uncut or natural plates, slabs or sheets of
this quality would vary in price is from about 6d a lb to as high as 8s or
10s a lb.  The small sizes that would answer to ship would be about 3 by 4
inches: this size, if spotted or stained, would be worth about 6d, rising
gradually in value as the plates were larger; if about 3 or 4 inches wide
by 8 inches long, would be worth say 3s a lb, and if from 6 inches wide by
10 to 14 inches long would be worth from 8s to 10s a lb.  Of course,
between 3 by 4 inches and 6 by 14 inches there would be many intermediate
sizes and values too numerous to specify in this letter.  In the event of
your shipping any absolutely clean and free from spots, I could value same
from 1s to 15s a lb.  I could also give you a higher valuation in clear
quality for sizes cut into squares and rectangles, according to the
demands for various trades, for which I have orders to the extent of
several hundred thousand pounds, but I would not at present advise you
trying your hands at cutting it up until you have shipped a few tons in
its natural state, so that I could examine same and advise you what would
be most profitable to your interests.  Labour in India for mica cutting
does not exceed 3d a day, and I doubt if labour in Australia would be
under 10s a day, in addition to your requiring special tools and
machinery.  As prices in London might be considerably affected by the open
receipt of supplies from Australia, I would strongly advise your shipping
this article as quartz or minerals, not openly as mica, or ship the same
to Liverpool or some other port, when it could be easily brought to London
and not affect the market.  To commence with, I would advise shipments to
be made in its natural state as mined or found, taking care not to send
any rubbish, quartz or rock with it, but as far as possible sound blocks
of mica, and the larger the better.  On arrival in London I would be
pleased to instruct the Dock Company or warehouse keepers as to sorting it
and preparing it for market, when you must be prepared for a heavy loss in
weight, but I feel convinced this course will be better than having the
work done in Australia, at all events for a commencement ."  Mr Richard
Baker further advises a few tons as a trial shipment, and that no box
shall exceed 100lbs in weight.  It is understood that large quantities of
mica are arriving in London from Australia, consigned to various houses,
described as "minerals."

horseback.  There is no special news from the fields.  The Centrals are
still crushing.

MICA DEPOSITS AT NORTHAMPTON.

[BY TELEGRAPH.]

(FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.)

GERALDTON, April 3

Twenty acres of land have been taken up on a mining lease at Northampton,
by Mr A. F. Durlacher, of Fremantle, acting for himself and others, for
the purpose of opening a mica mine.  The property is said to be very
valuable.

FRASER'S G.M. COMPANY.

The following letter has been received by a gentleman in this colony from
a Victorian mining manager, in acknowledgement of the receipt of some
copies of the WEST AUSTRALIAN, giving details of the Fraser's crushings: —
"I am obliged you for WEST AUSTRALIAN, which came to hand this week.  They
seem to have made a complete mess of the Fraser's.  As regards the failure
in feeding the boiler with salt water, it is about what we might expect.
But the amalgamation and crushing seems to have been muddled, and, as I
told you before, must have been caused with dirt from different sources.
For new laws, stamps, dies &c. there is always a lot of loose iron sand
which rubs off, and the sources before mentioned would all contribute to
the result they obtained.  The saline water may have assisted the process.
 I think if they can arrange for three or four of the companies to go into
some scheme for conserving fresh water, and the battery is properly
maniputed [sic] there should be no trouble whatever with the amalgamation.
 I am of opinion however, there will always be a loss in the tailings as
the gold is so fine.  Even allowing for this the stuff seems to be
payable.  Moreover there is no doubt but they have taken from the best
heap, and further crushings would be a better guide.  If they do not put
any mercury in the boxes they will lose more gold I fancy, they must have
been putting too much in before.  All that is wanted is a thimblefull
every eight hours for such stuff as they have, and they must have used
more to form the mass of amalgam stuff they had.  As to the battery being
out of date and requiring a long time to clean up, it is all bunkum.  I
would guarantee to clean both off and have them started in two hours or
two hours and a half at the least, as it is not necessary to retort the
mercury when you are going to continue crushing.  The site is not a good
one for tailings room.

As to the wells being too large, it is a good fault, and only a little
more mercury is required to remedy it.  We give the tables a fall of 1 1/4
in. to a foot, or 1 3/8 in. if very heavy pyrites in loads.  As to copper
plates not keeping silver on, it is always the case until they get enough
amalgam on; there should be rubbed up once a day with nitrate of mercury
and hydrochemic acid etc. They soon get into good order.  As to their
being too thick, they use them a 1/4 of an inch up at Charters Towers in
Queensland.  We always take ordinary plates and find no difficulty as to
the want of scoops, buckets, basins, etc. The manager should get them.  It
is a pity for a new thing like this to the muddled as it evidently has
been.  Any other papers with further developments will be interesting if
it is not troubling you too much."

soon as the special labels arrive, which have been promised by Professor
David, of Sydney University. The crab-eating seal, Lobodon carcinophagus,
and the Emperor penguin, Aptenodytes forsteri, presented by Sir Ernest,
have already been placed on view and their portraits will appear in the
“Western Mail.” Some remarkably fine and clear specimens of mica of high
commercial value have just been presented by Mr. Chawner, from the Eureka
mica claim, Upper Gascoyne.