The Chinese, How hard did they work!!

[jethro]

Following on from my post in 20Xs topic on shaft sinking to find depressions and gold traps in the bedrock, I thought Id share some insights into Chinese mining methods in the upper northeast of Victoria around Mitta and Granite flat.
We know from the discovery of chinese artifacts on this point on Snowy creek that they were definitly the ones who did the majority of the work in this area. careful examination after 2003 and 2013 fires revealed old hut sites and other earthworks associated with mining. Chinese coins and the clips (lots) off opium tins were also detected.
Their method of mining was to follow a favourable rock bar that outcropped in the creek, up into the bank on the inside bend and either sink shafts and drive off the bottom to pick up the rockbar and crevises that were richer in gold than the general run of gravel on the bottom, or later on dig ditches and ground sluice the overburden which was very poor in gold.
Some of these shafts are probably 15 to 20ft deep by not much more than 2ft6in wide and 4ft long. The drives off the bottom being just high enough to crouch or sit in. The ground on the bottom 3 to 4 ft consisting of well packed and locked together cobbles and boulders upto the size of a cows head. This was all done with a pick and shovel and bucket for hoisting.
The Pictures below are taken from inside one of these drives looking out.

 

[Nightjar]

Truth or a myth?
Did the Chinese dig round shafts, as opposed to the normal square sided holes?
Believing evil spirits could hide in the corners?

 

[Mackka]

Looks roundish to me.
Mackka

 

[aussiefarmer]

Cant say I have ever seen a round shaft.

 

[jethro]

I can say that there are no rnd shafts on this point, and, the shafts that are still intact would be extremely difficult to sink if you were over 5ft tall.
Mackka the pictures were taken from inside the horizontal drive that were driven from the shaft bottom.

 

[Nightjar]

So the Chinese digging round vertical shafts must be a myth?

 

[user 12139]

Cant say I have ever seen a round shaft.

I have, quite a few of them in the GT

 

[Newprospect]

Truth or a myth?
Did the Chinese dig round shafts, as opposed to the normal square sided holes?
Believing evil spirits could hide in the corners?

Truth..

 

[20x]

Following on from my post in 20Xs topic on shaft sinking to find depressions and gold traps in the bedrock, I thought Id share some insights into Chinese mining methods in the upper northeast of Victoria around Mitta and Granite flat.
We know from the discovery of chinese artifacts on this point on Snowy creek that they were definitly the ones who did the majority of the work in this area. careful examination after 2003 and 2013 fires revealed old hut sites and other earthworks associated with mining. Chinese coins and the clips (lots) off opium tins were also detected.
Their method of mining was to follow a favourable rock bar that outcropped in the creek, up into the bank on the inside bend and either sink shafts and drive off the bottom to pick up the rockbar and crevises that were richer in gold than the general run of gravel on the bottom, or later on dig ditches and ground sluice the overburden which was very poor in gold.
Some of these shafts are probably 15 to 20ft deep by not much more than 2ft6in wide and 4ft long. The drives off the bottom being just high enough to crouch or sit in. The ground on the bottom 3 to 4 ft consisting of well packed and locked together cobbles and boulders upto the size of a cows head. This was all done with a pick and shovel and bucket for hoisting.
The Pictures below are taken from inside one of these drives looking out.

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/1297/1641624457_20220104_113057_3.1.jpg
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/1297/1641624490_20220104_122132_2.1.jpg

There is still colour in the floor if you clean it with a big paint brush

 

[ProspectorPete]

Truth or a myth?
Did the Chinese dig round shafts, as opposed to the normal square sided holes?
Believing evil spirits could hide in the corners?

Truth..

I was always told the Chinese dug round shafts so the evil spirits couldn't hide in the corners also, but recently found out that they dug the round shafts because there was less chance of them collapsing in as opposed to the rectangle shafts, makes sense to me.
Think about the Opal fields and why the shafts are round and not rectangle.

 

[Manpa]

Or are they round now because you cant get square augers?

 

[user 12139]

Or are they round now because you cant get square augers?

yes you can

made in Chiena

 

[Mackka]

Good point Pa :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Mike678]

On opal fields , I have dug both round and rectangular shafts . Round ones are dug with a jack hammer , rectangular ones with gelignite .

 

[Manpa]

Or are they round now because you cant get square augers?

yes you can

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/12139/1641677730_square_auger.jpg

made in Chiena

Nope, thats a morticing bit, consists of a round auger and a square chisel, used them for years in woodworking.

Nice try but. layful:

 

[user 22230]

Cant say I have ever seen a round shaft.

I have, quite a few of them in the GT

Yep Castlemaine and Campbells Creek Area riddled with round shafts . More predominant than square to be honest. Campbells Creek area around Showells Hill as it was known especially. The general gold fields store was run by Chinese people in it's day. Sixty years ago as kids we played in the ruins of it, probably smashed what would have been thousands of dollars of old bottles and stoneware jars from old cellar. But hey we were kids on an adventure doing what kids did. :lol: House is basically built on the site now.
The entire area shaded and way below it past Godfrey Lane was entire diggings. As kids we were specifically taught to never step into a depression as old shafts would become covered in twigs and leaf mould with grass even growing but once you stepped on it ? Ta ta. To this day I still shudder when I see people jump into an old digging with no idea the digging may well be an old shaft entrance. So anyone in area that can get access to land in Donkey Gully Rd your on good gold country. :Y:
Another good area around the Maine is Wesley Hill out past the old pennyweight cemetery on Moonlight Flats as it was known then. Probably houses there now as again was 60 years ago I roamed it ferreting and shooting with my mates. Yeah you could carry a gun even at 8 years old in those days Keep in mind as country kids we had been taught how to use and handle a firearm under supervision from around pre school age. Anyways getting nostalgic now and I digress layful: Good hunting peeps. :goldnugget: :goldnugget: :goldnugget:

Interesting Numbers

 

[user 22230]

On opal fields , I have dug both round and rectangular shafts . Round ones are dug with a jack hammer , rectangular ones with gelignite .

Chinese also did the same, round or square :Y:

 

[deepblue]

Absolutely no gold to be found in that area.

 

[user 4386]

So the Chinese digging round vertical shafts must be a myth?

No they afre quite characteristic of many Chinese diggings (eg west of Fryerstown, parts of Creswick). What is in question is the devils hiding in the corners - there is a practical reason that I have forgotten.

 

[grubstake]

So the Chinese digging round vertical shafts must be a myth?

No they afre quite characteristic of many Chinese diggings (eg west of Fryerstown, parts of Creswick). What is in question is the devils hiding in the corners - there is a practical reason that I have forgotten.

Some ideas that come to mind:

• Less spoil to remove?[/*]
• Faster to dig?[/*]
• Stronger sides, so less chance of wall cave-in?[/*]
• Use of rope ladders?[/*]