Chapter 104: The Enormous Gold Mine in the Canyon
Of course, even though the area surveyed so far was already quite large, it was only the initial exploration range.
But this was clearly good news. Even in its preliminary stage, this was already one of the largest gold mines currently surveyed in Australia, and there was hope the mine's extent could continue to expand.
If the gold content met a satisfactory threshold, then this newly discovered mine could be considered the largest gold mine in all of Australia.
Such a gold mine could potentially trigger another gold rush, attracting a new wave of immigrants and prospectors to Australia.
Even if used solely as reserve gold for printing currency, this massive mine was already fully qualified.
As Minister of Industry, Minister Pierre had arrived at the site very early and immediately began assessing the precise scope of the gold deposit.
However, this wasn't something that could be determined in a short time. Transporting large-scale survey equipment would take time, and analyzing all the data would take even longer.
When Arthur and Prime Minister Evan arrived, Minister Pierre approached them with a look of delight and reported, "Your Highness, Prime Minister. Based on our initial exploration, it appears this gold mine may extend across the entire canyon, possibly even beyond. This suggests that the mine could be the largest in Australia to date, and its reserves should be quite promising."
"What about the purity of the gold so far? Can it meet our expectations?" Prime Minister Evan asked impatiently.
Just like the volume of reserves, the purity of the gold was one of the key factors in determining the mine's overall value.
If the gold purity was too low, even an enormous deposit might not be as valuable as a medium-sized mine with average purity.
So aside from the scope and volume, gold purity was the one topic everyone cared about.
"We've already tested multiple samples from different areas within the current range. The preliminary results show a gold content of about five to six grams per ton. Although these are only early findings, I believe the content won't fall below four grams per ton," Minister Pierre reported excitedly.
This was great news for Australia. Most of the remaining gold mines in the country had a gold content of only two to three grams per ton and were relatively small in scale.
To add a large gold mine with qualified purity levels would be welcome news for both the public and the government.
"Well done, Prime Minister Evan, Minister Pierre. The process of surveying the mine should be accelerated. Establish the full scope of the deposit as soon as possible and begin organizing mining operations," Arthur said with a smile and a nod.
Now that there was a large gold mine with satisfactory content, the top priority was clearly to determine its reserves and boundaries and to begin development and excavation as early as possible.
"Yes, Your Highness!" Minister Pierre nodded quickly. Then, as if remembering something, he cautiously asked, "Your Highness, regarding the gold prospectors?"
A significant portion of Australia's population had once arrived as prospectors, and many still made up a noticeable demographic.
Although most of them had transitioned into civilian life as the gold rush waned, a good number still wandered the country under the identity of prospectors.
Once word spread of this newly discovered large gold mine, these individuals would surely come swarming, filling the surrounding forests and streams and resuming their prospecting.
These prospectors could be both beneficial and problematic for mining operations. This was why Minister Pierre was uncertain how to handle them and had to carefully raise the issue with Arthur.
Arthur, of course, understood what Pierre meant. With a massive influx of prospectors, Australia's appeal to immigrants would increase—but at the same time, the area around the mine could fall into chaos.
And with too many prospectors involved, a portion of the gold would inevitably fall into their hands.
This would indirectly harm the nation's interests—one reason many countries in the future would come to ban prospectors altogether.
"Let them do as they please. As long as they stay out of our core mining zones, they can have at the areas along the outer edges where placer gold is found," Arthur said with a smile. "Extracting placer gold is tedious and yields little. Compared to our main deposits, it's merely a fraction. If these prospectors can help attract more immigrants, that's not a bad deal."
Arthur's goal was simple: as long as the government and royal family took the largest share and the prospectors did not threaten their interests, allowing prospectors to operate on the periphery was acceptable.
These prospectors understood the stakes. They were more interested in the loose gold scattered through forests and creeks.
While placer gold was indeed real gold, its content was minimal and difficult to extract—making it inefficient for government-run large-scale operations.
Better to let the prospectors claim these small scraps. It would give them a taste of success and could trigger a modest gold rush, which would further promote immigration to Australia.
"Yes, Your Highness, I understand," Minister Pierre nodded.
As long as the scope of the mine could be quickly confirmed, the area controlled, and a mining zone established with labor organized, Minister Pierre would have fulfilled Arthur's mission.
Those mountainous and stream-filled outer areas dotted with placer gold would be left to the prospectors to explore.
After a brief inspection of the mining zone, Arthur returned to the estate.
The next stage of the exploration would still take some time, and that work was best left to professionals.
Arthur only needed to wait for the final report, then make plans based on the confirmed reserves and gold content.
Still, this was the most important gold mine in Australia at present, and both the government and royal family were taking it very seriously.
The government dispatched a police unit of about 100 officers to patrol the mining area, and Arthur also stationed a military unit nearby for training.
Given the current public order in Australia, even just these 100 officers were likely enough to ensure the mine's safety.
In a peaceful society where people had food and clothing, the majority were willing to live as law-abiding citizens.
Even if a few troublemakers remained, they would not pose a major threat—certainly not enough to breach a 100-man police patrol and reach the core of the mine.
Of course, this was only a short-term security arrangement. Once mining operations officially began, the presence of numerous native laborers and the soldiers overseeing them would form an even stronger defensive line.
(End of Chapter)
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