TALISMAN MINE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2422, 30 March 1915, Page 8

TALISMAN MINE

VISIT BY LOCAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS. Tho local board of directors visited, the Talisman mine at the beginning of the mouth. The development -\vork at the No. 15 level in the Boiianza, section has proved disappointing, and, eicept for gome small runs of high-grade ore, the level so far is passing through an area blank of values, similar to others met with in tho mine above. On the other hand, in the Woodstock section, south of the Woodstock shaft, the Maria reef at the three points where it haa been intersected looks better than at the same points in the level 250 ft. immediately overhead, and the values, though the ore is not high grade, are pay. able. Tho reef will now bo driven on from the points of intersection as quickly as possible.

In the Taukancl Hill, crosscuts are being put out east and west at the end of the drive (which. \b across tho Waitawheta River), with the object of ascertaining what reefs exist at this depth, sCoft. below the river level, 1n the Talisman ground, and determining which one shall be followed by the exploratory drive. When this Is settled, an exploratory drive will be token north, following the reef, eo as to ; reach the points, some 600 ft. or 700 ft. fur* .ther. north, some 1200 ft. immediately above 1 which, at the tep of Taukanei Hill, highgrade ore w«6 mined years ago. Tho country rock at the bott-om of the 1 mine is still favourable, although In the Bonanza section the country is not so open. This especially has hindered tho water draining off between Nos. 14 and 15 levels, and impeded the progress made with the sinking of tho Talisman shaft. Owing to the 15th level proving disappointing, as above mentioned, the ore reBefvea above No. 14 l*vel have been heavily drawn upon to maintain the output during the past year, and show a considerable shrinkage, -providing now only about four or five months' normal output. The results'from winzes Nos. 6, 8, 12, 15, and 19 prove that considerable amounts of gra-dc ore, some giving very hieh values in. deed, exist between No. 14 level, but, pending further exploratory work, it is impossible to estimate, even* approximately, the amount of ore which will be available for stoning • between that level and the fsth. Until, the Talisman shaft reachea random of the 15th level and a drive has been put out therefrom, no ore can be stoped below No. 14 level. A great deal of work also will have to be done on the reef in the Woodstock section south of the Woodstock shaft before tho amount of payable ore available can be ascertained and made ready for stoping between the 500 and 250 levels from the Woodstock shaft. If possible # the ore between the 14th and 15th levels in the Bonanza section should be mined and milled in*conjunction with the ore from thie part of the mine. Development work for tho time being has fallen behind extraction. The immedate cause of this is the practically bjank area lip till now met driving along, the 15th level, but in reality it is,due to the combination of unforeseen and unfortunate occurrences met with during the last seven years, particularly the long flooding of . the 13th level, due to the stoppage of pumping by the Grown, the destruction by fire of the old Woodstock battery and the consequent- joss of air-compressors, and the unavoidable delays met with in the sinkaugend equipment of the Woodstock shaft which were not anticipated. Connection will within a fen- weeks b» made between a point <0 feet below the No. 14 level and the Talisman shaft did the bottom of the Woodstock shaft. This will enable the water from the Bonanza section to be pumped to this point end Irom there drained along this connection to the bottom of the Woodstock ehaft, whence it will be lifted with the water from the Woodstock and Tukanei Hill sections to the river level by tho new big Cornish pump. . This will cheapen the cost of pumping and free a considerable amount of nower from the air-compressors now used for pumping purposes, for other minine worfc. When all the ore lias boen etoped above No. 14 level the rails and sleepers from the levels above will b« removed for use elsewhere, ana it will not be necessary to keep these, levels in repair.