a number of mines commenced operation in 1865 including the hercules mining company which opened up the long tunnel extended adit. this tunnel reached cohenâ?'s reef in 1867 at a distance of 160m from the entrance and a depth of about 120 meters below the surface. unfortunately the gold content in the quartz reef at this point was quite low at about 5gm to the tonne. some exploratory work continued along the reef and to lower levels but in 1871 the operation was sold out to the newly created long tunnel extended mining company n/l. this company was managed by very experienced mining people and was well financed. the adit was continued to a point some 230 metres from the entrance. huge chambers were excavated for machinery and boilers, chimneys were excavated to the surface and the boilers and machinery were installed. the ltem company used â?'state of the artâ? methods and equipment of the day and kept abreast of developments as they occurred. during periods of full production, the five large cornish boilers burned 30 tons of wood daily.
