MINING NEWS.

Kumara Times, Issue 1065, 28 February 1880, Page 4

MINING NEWS.

KEEFION. We take the folio wing mining items from the Inangahua Herald of Saturday United Inglewood and North Star.— The catting oat of chamber has not made mnch progress since my last report. About 20 tons of quartz has been obtained during the last month or so from the ground over the main tunnel, there still remaining a quantity of stone to be procured from the same portion of the mine. The stone is considered by the tributora to be payable. Golden Treasure. —I visited this mine on the 16th instant and was informed that the usual progress is being made in sulking the filling-in shaft. In the atopes I noticed that the sloping timbers were from six to twelve feet long, so that it will be seen that there is a large body of stone now being broken down. The lode in the north No. 1 slope was not so wide as that in the south No. 3 stope, their being in the latter from 10 to 12 feet of reef, whilst in the former it is about 5 feet; but in this face a portion of the lode seems to have gone into the hanging wall as will be seen 'on inspecting the ground alluded to. The contractors for breaking down quartz report having sent about 200 tons of stone since first starting operations, When going over the mine the main south tunnel was being carried through a count ry in which there was about a couple of feet of reef but as this lode is considered to have a northern strike, I should not be at all surprised to hear that the present contract for extension of the tunnel will cover the extent of the block now being worked, but as there is a great {distance to the boundary, it is probable that blocks may exist in this level in the southern portion of the mine. The engine shed that was almost destroyed by fire has been replaced by a new one with an iron roof, which is of course a guarantee of future security, and is an improvement, as {inconvenience was experienced by the machine hands in wet weather, the old roof having become very leaky. ' At the time of my being at the mill the newly appointed battery manager was engaged-in streaming down, which has since been partly abandoned, as I was informed that there was not sufficient water to keep the whole 'of the stampers going as well as simultaneously carrying on streaming down operations. A partial cleaning up has taken place of a few tons of quartz, and some vague rumour got afloat causing uneasiness, which I believe to be quite unnecessary, as I have made enquiries, and find that no general cleaning up has taken place {which would enable the value of the crushing to be fairly estimated. There is no ground for apprehension or to remove the good opinion in which this property is generally held. Wealth of Nations.—Fifteen beads are now running on atone raised from the Independent, and five are also employed reducing quartz raised from the Enterprise. The stone-raised from this portion of the mine is of much better quality than thatraised from the first-mentioned ground Accepting this an earnest of the future, a prosperous time is in store for this company, as they have but recently opened up the block of which the stone forma a portion.