MINING NEWS.

Lyell Times and Central Buller Gazette, Volume VI, Issue 259, 6 February 1886, Page 2

MINING NEWS.

(from OUR MINING REPORTER.) Friday, February 5.

United Alpixe.—The directors met on I, Thursday and declared the usual monthly dividend of one shilling, which is payable on and after to-day (6th instant). The j directors requested us to contradict a j statement appearing in the Inangahua Herald this week, to the effect that at the ! battery 10 heads were hung up in consequence of scarcity of water. There certainly was 10 heads hung up on the 15th nit., which was occasioned through the breakage of two shanks, and the 10 heads were only then stopped for 3G hours. During the past month Mr Waters had a syphon made in the race in order not to interfere with the driving of tunnel for head race. At the hea I of the race he blocked up an old tail race, and by that means stopped the waste of water at the dam. He also took in the water from Irishman's Creek, and by the adoption of these precautions he was enabled to keep the battery going through all the dry weather. The yield of amalgam for the month ended February 3rd is as follows :—boxes, 105ozs ; plates, 12290z5; skimmings, 488ozs; berdans, 93ozs; total, 19150z5; giving 6940zs of retorted gold. At the mine there is no change to report in any of the slopes, the manager being enabled to keep the battery fully supplied besides having nearly all the paddocks full. The reef in the north end is gaining on the mullock going south and losing north, so that the one counteracts the other aud leaves the reef the same dimensions. There are four men working south in the small reef taking out fair stone; although the reef is small it is making larger as they go up. The No. 6 level has heen extended \ distance of 42 feet for three weeks' aud a-half work with six men; some time was lost making room to shunt trucks ; the country pierced has been rather hard, but looks like a change for the better. There has been rather more than the usual number of men employed during the past month, and some are now discharged. At present there are 32 hands stoping, 2 cross-cutting, 6 driving No. 6 level, 2 captains, 4 truckers, 2 timbermen and 1 blacksmith. The lining boards in the upper part of the shoot have been re- i newed, and tenders are called for 150 feet ot blocks, in order to keep a stock in hand. The contractors for the water race tunnel are making splendid headway k as the ground is rery easy. They have | already completed 92 feet, and are likely | "to continue the same rate of driving all through. Larxach. The hands are making good headway driving for the Alpine line of reef, which they expect to reach in another 20 feet. The character of country now being gone through is a soft slaty formation, and good progress can be made. Another fortnight ought to see them at their boundary, and it is to be hoped that before reaching that point the shareholders will be rewarded by finding a block of stone. Tyr Coxxell.—The hands have broken through trom No. 5 level into the old workings, and struck the leader where it was got first in the tunnel. Five men are now working in the old block, and two men are driving the main stope along over the branch tunnel. The present width of the block is 25 feet, and it is considered highly payable quartz. All hands in the mine are now engaged getting out stone.

Maruia. —The crushing for this Company at the Croesus battery was concluded last Wednesday. The total amount of stone treated was GGi tons, which yielded 193 i ounces retorted gold. The return, nearly three ounces per ton, is considered satisfactory, and the shareholders are now busily engaged taking out another crushing. Box Accord.—Messrs Ritchie and Co. are now having treated at the Crcesus battery a small parcel of stone from this mine, which adjoins the Maruia and Tyr Connell. Five heads are running. Uxited Italy.—The directors met on Monday last and decided to sink a winze on the reef where first cut in Potter's level cross-cut. The present contract will be for 20 feet, and the directors meet this evening at 7 o'clock. When this reef was first cut at this point, about two years ago, the stone showed excellent gold, which, however, dipped underfoot north and south.