WAIHI MINE IMPROVEMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 824, 24 May 1910, Page 8

WAIHI MINE IMPROVEMENTS.

LOW LEVEL DEVELOPMENTS.

(By Telegraph.—Special Correspondent.)

Auckland, May 23. An interesting report on tho Waihi mine has been furnished by the "Herald's" Waihi correspondent. He says: Shares in the Waihi Gold Alining Company, which experienced a sharp drop in price recently, owing to the crosscuts on tho !Martha reef at the 1000 ft. level exposing ore of low grade on the north section of the lode both oast and west of tho main crosscut, are again steadily firming. In the Waihi reef system runs of poor material between the values are of common occurrence, but tho fact that the low grade ore extended over a greater length on tho parent lode at the bottom workings than at tho level overhead (No. 8' plan level), naturally caused shareholders to become somewhat apprehensive. In view, however, of the marked improvement disclosed by developments of the last few days, coupled with tho knowledge that up to the present not more than about one-third of the development work on the 1000 ft. level has been carried out, it would now appear that there is little or no cause for anxiety as to tho ultimate result at tho bottom workings. In the course of an interview to-day with the acting-superintendent (Mr. It. E. Williams), your representative gathered that operations now in hand aro disclosing highly satisfactory values in the drift on the south section of tho Martha lode, at a point 30Uft. cast of the main crosscut. A crosscut put out for the north, or footwall of the reef has exposed fully 35ft. of high grade ore, worth an average of J25 to *£G per ton. From the drift going west on the courso of the lode, 300 ft. from the main crosscut, a crosscut is being carried into tho north section, and tho last 10ft. of ore exposed is worth JJ3 to J3-1 per ton; with flay ore in tho face, and no sign of the north wall. At 391 ft. from the main crosscut another crosscut is being projected from tho' south section and, after passing through a band of mullock, quartz of good quality was met with. The pay ore has so far been penetrated for lUft. or 12ft., with no sign of tho north wall coming to hand, and'is worth between d'o and il-l per ton. It may hero be' mentioned that the poor section of the Martha -roof responsible for the recent fall in share prices is in the vicinity of No. 1 shaft, and as there is fully 600 ft. between the ft os. 1 and 2 shafts on (.he western striko of the reef, which has been stoped on pay dirt well beyond No. 2 shaft at tho level overhead, there is ample room for-a fine'block of ore in this section of the mine between the bottom workings (IUOOft. level) and tho No. 8 leveh On its easterly tread about 300 ft. remain to be driven on the course of the lode to the Grand Junction Company's boundary. Somo exceptionally nice ore is also oemg won from the Empiro reef, both east and west at the 100 ft. level. On tho north section of this lode going west, tho rich run of ore intersected in the wall of the drive about 300 ft. out from the main crosscut (at which point sulphides of good value were .exposed for a width of 35ft.) lias been opened up for about 105 ft. in length so far, and is still being followed, going west in ore of over the average value. The average width of this make of ore is upwards of 20ft., nnd the assays show ifc to be well over paying point throughout, (jping cast on the Empire reef tho work of widening out from the crosscut preparatory to timbering is in progress, and is exposing substantial runs of good sulphite ore in this section of the mine The shaft for the 1150 ft. level is now down upwards of 120 ft. from the 1000 ft. level, and should be earned to the required depth in from six to eight weeks.