Quartz Mining at Skippars.

Cromwell Argus, Volume II, Issue 103, 31 October 1871, Page 6

Quartz Mining at Skippars.

Our Queen3town contemporary gives the following hopefitl account of reefing matters in the above-named locality:— ' I'HCENIX claim. i • For a long time past the Great Scandinavian, or rather Phoenix, Company's claim, Skippers, ha 3 been a losing speculation. The Messrs Bullen Brothers, although they have sunk some £15,000, never lost heart, and have, under the guidance of Mr T. Evans, (an experienced quartz miner and manager), continued prospecting operations. . . Mr Evans 13 not a sanguine man, and therefore h's appended report, dated the 20th instant, may be considered the mora reliable : " In January 1870, I stated to you that it was the intention of mv principals to test the reef at their claim at Skiopers to as deep a level as could conveniently be secured. Prom that time tho work has been continued, and'was fin illy brought to its end last week. It consists of a new tunnel, commencing at the nearest available point at the level of Murdoch's Creek, and driven to commencement of the reef, 333 feet, tlvo lgh reef seven feet, thence along, the same 49 ivni; its size being seven feet high by five feet wide, with a tramwad and water-drain the whole distance. Nearly the whole of the work was done by contract,---'the price varying from £2 10s. to £4 per foot, —the larger figure being given for most of the driving before the reef was reached. This tunnel is 111 feet in perpendicular, and 123 feet in underlie, below the one in which the [ second reef containing gold was struck ; and to j secure the communication with which, after the ; reef was driven on, a rise was put up to the dis- j tance of S3 fees through hard rock ; while from above a blind shaft from the tunnel was sunk 48 feet, which completed the whole work.

<; The resf in the new tnnnel is not goldbearing, although largo, and c mtaining a deal of pyrites; but it has no accompanying leader, and henao no gold. Tho main body of quartz on Skippers has hitherto fa ; le I, in most instances, to produce gold in piyable quantities, although the louler is often larger than the reef, varying as it does from one inch to thirteen feet in thickness ; and whatever gold it may contain is borne throughout the stone, which accounts in some, measure for the low yield per ton. ....

" A new tramroad has been made from the now tunnel to the machine, and the mine is now in a position to pay a dividend on all quartz yielding over 5 dwts. per ton. .It remains to be proved to what extent the course opened on in Jatiiiiiy, I87i). will reach. "■'••; . "The machinery for crushing, &c, an I also that for extracting gold from the pyrites, has all been put into thorough repair, and twenty heads are to be employed in crushing.

" I am of opinion that there is not the slightest difference between the reefs here and those'in Victoria, either in the formation or peniKFioicy, —the onlv difference in strata being a peculiar twist in New Zealand sV.e rook." '■-..■■-. • ' Further examination of the low level of the mine has, we hive just learned, led to the striking of the old rich-vein of the claim, which looks even mora promising than of y«re. NUSSET AND Cm\lsH CI.VIII. This Company lias undertaken a great deal of prospecting work, at a cost exesedhig the returns. Tney have, however, been very fortunate in obtaining valuable results, viz., five distinct veins ol quartz. Tne shareholders have lately visited the district, and express their faith in the speculation. On Saturday, however, the battery of the Company was obliged to stop, as one of the wheels accidentally broke. Mr Roskruje, the manager, without delay, telegraphed to Dunedin, and a new wheel is on the road up.