QUARTZ MINING MEMORANDA.

Cromwell Argus, Volume IV, Issue 205, 14 October 1873, Page 6

QUARTZ MINING MEMORANDA.

B E N D I G 0. Mr Colclough reports that the Lucknow Company's tunnel still continues extremely hard, and no hope appears to be entertained oi any material change until the reef is struck, a consummation anxiously desired by the shareholders, and now being expected -at any moment. From the Cromwell Company, there is not much to report. The manager is pushing on the deepening of the shafts as fast as it can be done. There is a good deal of Golden Link stone ready for crushing, but the company have not yet commenced to cart it down to the machine. It is known to be comparatively poor stuff. The Aurora company, according to latest reports, have not yet commenced crushing. The Reliance Company is about to be registered under the Mining Companies Act.

CARRICK RANGE.

The manager of the Elizabeth Company reports that work is being steadily prosecuted at the company's mine, but there is absolutely nothing to record of interest to either the shareholders or the general public. The next cake of gold may, however, be looked for in the course of a few days. The manager of the Heart of Oak Company reports that this company will commence crushing to-day, after the cleaning-up of the Star. The stone that has been got from the old workings is very good, but there is not a large quantity of it. The manager has struck the reef from the 50-feet shaft. The stone looks solid, and the reef is well-defined; "but none of the stone has been tested, so it is impossible to say how it may turn out. The Star of the East has just finished a three-weeks' crushing. As the amalgam is not yet retorted, it is impossible to tell the exact yield ; but the manager does not expect it to turn out very rich, as a large portion of it is the product of stone left in the drives as blocks of poor quality. As soon as the tunnel is in which is being driven at the low level, much better stone will be raised, and it can be worked to greater advantage than at present. The contractors for the tunnel had a hard bar of stuff to contend with for the last week, but they have now got through it, and are into softer ground, so that in a short time the manager expects to strike the the first of three leaders he has been working in upper levels. The Directors of the Star and Oak Crushing Company have arranged with Mr W. Menzies to still continue as working manager at the mill. While mentioning this fact, it may be worth while to give a summary of the results i)f some of the cakes, as regards the manner in which they were manipulated, which have been sent from the Star and Oak batteries, and of course passed through Mr Menzies hands. Out of seventeen cakes retorted for the Star and Oak companies respectively, the loss in melting only averaged - 57 per cent. Two of the returns only exceeded 1 per cent, while seven of them did not exceed '4 per cent. These seventeen cakes, by-the-bye, amounted in round numbers to 2100 ounces. The John Bull company have arranged to crush from 200 to 300 tons at Mr Logan's machine. The machine will not, however, ■commence upon it for about a fortnight yet. —The Colleen Bawn company have two men only at work. The reports from it are more encouraging than they have been for some time. It would be premature, however, to indulge in any very hopeful remarks for some little time yet.—The Young Australian company are going on quietly. The reef in their claim is reported to have narrowed a little, but the shareholders do not think much of that.—The Try Again company are still driving upon the reef. Lately, it also is reported to have narrowed to a thickness of nine or ten inches only. What is of it, however, is said to be pretty good.—The tunnel in the Caledonian claim is being driven at what we may call the 450-feet level. It will be remembered that two shafts were sunk upon the reef from the 200-feet levels, but the result was that work had to be abandoned, on account of a heavy in-flow of water. The tunnel now being driven will remedy that.

Carrick Range Water Supply Company. —The manager of this company reports that work was commenced on Monday week, on the Nevis side of Duffer's saddle. At present, about twenty men are employed at day work. As soon as arrangements are completed with the Government, (which is expected to be in the course of a week or two), it is the intention of the directors to let portions of the work by contract, to push it forward to the first creek by Christinas if possible. The portion of the race cut last summer has stood the winter frosts very well ; with some small repairs and a little cleaning out here and there, it will be in good order to carry water as soon as it can be obtained. At present, there is a large quantity of snow on the range, on the upper part of the race, which is likely to keep up the supply of water much better than for the last two seasons past. From the demand which exists at present for water in Bailey's gully, the deep lead, and other places on the low ground, good returns may be expected if the company can succeed in bringing in a portion of their water this summer. The income so derived would materially assist in completing the upper portion of the race.