WEEK'S MINING NEWS

Otago Witness, Issue 2896, 15 September 1909, Page 28

WEEK'S MINING NEWS

September 8. The return from -the Paterson's freehold No. 2 dredge last week was l*oz for 135 hours' work. The Gore Standard says that * party of prospeotoiß in the Waxkaka district Are reported to have struck a pocket of gold last week which seems "to indicate that they are in the rieinifcy of some good gold. The Golden GSem dredgemaster advises that he was unable to wash up 05 Saturday last owing to being troubled with *ilt. He was, however, clear of it again. Writing under date Sth met. 1S» Masterton Company's dredgemaster stated that he had a full run last week. The wash on the eastern end improved during "the week, and the ground was not quite as deep as j before. . J The Mystery Flat dredge worked in the j western eeotion, straightening up the cut, I last week. The bottom was chiefly of x-ed clay and sand, with a depth of from 14ft to 18ft. The South Waikaia dredge had. a good run of 148 hours last week. The ground continued very poor, but was a little shallower, averaging in depth, from 25ft to 28ft, on a Maori bottom. The- cut was five chains wide. All the machinery was working welL. Reporting for last week the master of the Waikaia Company's dredge stated that the wash showed a slight improvement. The dredge was working square .into the ; main road, and it was expected that it would be another week before turning direct down stream. The top side of I3ie river had been blocked, and it was -not anticipated that there would be much trouble, given fine weather, in blocking out the matin channel. Our Greyroouth correspondent states that there was no return from the Psotolus No. 1 dredge last week, owing to the breaking of the elevator. The return from the No. 2 dredge is 330z for 129 hours' dredging. The secretary of the Nokomai Hydraulic Sluicing Company reports that at No. 1 water is plentiful, and, considering the weather and other -conditions, the progress made has baen satisfactory. At No. 2 the creek was flooded, and consequently the leakage incieased. The creek, however, kept to the course well. The elevator was sunk a further depth of 4ft. The top layer of ground is fairly rough, and this delayed the work. The heavy rain caused two slips at the race. No. 3 reports that the men did not get to the Lion race so early as was expected, the weather being bad, but they went on Friday.- There have been 6ome more breaks, which will delay the water from reaching the claim. In a progress report for the fortnight ended August 25 the manager of the Mount Lyell Mining and B airway Company stated that 3569 tons of blister copper had been consigned lor the current half-year. Both the smelter and converter plants at the reductions works were in operation. September 2. The secretary of the Panacele Dredging - Company reports a return of 950z for 118 hours' work. The secretary of the Electric Company received the folio Ring telegram on the Bth from the master of the No. 3 dredger— " River going down. Dredge started this morning at 2 o'clock. Everything working well." The master of the Nelson Creek dredge (West Coast) reports a return of 19oz for 130 hours' work, with no change to repoit as to depth or nature of the .groundThe master of the Sandy Point dredge reports :— " Dredging . 106 hours. Had a 6toppage during the week through putting on main elevator buckets, and also with main top tumbler plates. The ground still remains much the same -as in the pievious week, and the best prospects are etill on the inside depth on the inside 25ft, but the r£rer"«ide still continues deep, and .1 am Jinable to bottom it without lowering the water in the paddock. I shall stop on Monday to fix the main elevator jiivot shaft brackets." The" master of the Punt dredge : reports having made a fair -head up the channel to the old paddock. Be "kept the dasedge ou tie -solid 'gwraad as much as possible all the way vp.' He would have to dredge a good <leal of eiit away from the old paddock oefore getting on to solid ground. The dredge worked 113 hours lor tho weak. - - ■ . The- Thames Star -says «hares in the Imperial Mining Company have been oversubscribed. A splendid response was made in Auckland and 60,000 shares were applied for in a few days. The allotment pi shares will take place shortly The Rise and Shine No. 1 dredge worked 4ft ahead last week. The cut was 620 ft wide and from 42ft to 48ft deep. There was but little change in the ground •b compared with the previous week. — The No. -2- dredge worked a out of similar .width, with a depth ranging -from 38ft

fto 46ft, making Bft ahead on it. There was coal bottom over about a third of the cut, the remainder being hard clay. The wash was very tight and patchy. The master of Electric No. 3 dredge reports a steady run until Tuesday morning, but as the river continued to rise opera- | tions were hampered by the drift, and the dredge dosed down. On Tuesday morning the bottom was touched at 50ft, showing I improved prospects, but owing to the difficulty experienced in beating the drift the master deemed it advisable to discontinue work. As already reported, the Good Chance suspended operations to put in the angle irons on the top tumbler. The river roseagain on the Monday and Tuesday of last week, and the dredgemaster closed down for necessary repairs. The Tiver has now fallen, and keeps very dirty, owing to the heavy drift running. It will depend on the state of the river at the end of the week whether operation will be be resumed this or next week. Keen frosts have been experienced, and should send tho river down fast, but it will take time for the d-rift to steady. During laet week the Electric No. 2 dredge only got across the paddock once, owing to the heavy drift and the rise in the river. On Tuesday morning, 31et ult., it was a question of whether it was worth while continuing dredging. As the river started to fall, and the weather settled, the master decided to keep the dredge going, if only to keep the paddock open. A stop would mean the loss of a week's work for nothing in baling out the drift. Hard frosty nights have been experienced again, and it is probable that the river will soon reach a suitable level. The .Cromwell Argus srates that the Albertown dredge is now having a good run at Bowman's Flat, near the foot of the Lindas River, .and it is reported that it is getting considerably over working expenses. The plucky shareholders deserve to do well, as they have had a big fight. As the machine can only dredge to a depth of about 28ft, they have no chance of reaching the main bottom. Coal is a heavy item, the cartage alone being £1 per ton. Writing on Saturday last the master of the Electric No. 1 dredge reported that I he had worked 134 hours for the week, j and pushed ahead 21ft, the cut being about 90ft. 'I 8» bottom consists of various pipe days, and the best gold is being won from a red pipe clay formation, which comes in from the Banncckburn side, where there is very rough ground. The deptb across the cut varies very much, up to 26ft on the Bannockburn 6ide to 30ft in the deepest part of the cut. The •river has been most changeable all the week, and the drift has been very troublesome. The sample of gold continues fine, and of a scaly nature. The prospects at the end of the week showed an improvement. September 10. The manager of the Mount Rex- mine, Avoca, reports i "Pulley wheel, with brake attached, has been set in position, and securely bolted to bed logs; large hopper completed; old tram from same to battery being relaid. Stome raised for th& week is payable. All -hands will be breaking stone in a few days." The Dunsban Times states that the New Luggate Hydraulic Co., under the able managership of Mr Ernest Highlay, promises to become one of the best-paying and longest-lived properties in the district. This company possesses a splendid water supply from Luggate Greek. The master of the Olrig dredge reports that the ground was fairly deep and the sbuff fine last week. The tailings have been following pretty close behind the dredge. The ground is getting shallower on one side of the cut, and there are also a few more stones showing. The Cromwell Argus says there is very little snow on the mountains around the Nevis, and a good deal of what was these has been cleared off by the heay rains which fell on Monday night. The hydraulic claims really .seem to have a better water supply after a mild winter, as when there is a heavy snowfall it is often followed by a dry and windy summer, which clears most of the snow away by Christmas time, but after a mild winter there is usually a rainy season. The Nevis High Lead Co. commenced cleaning cut its races a month ago and sluicing was commenced three weeks ago. All this company's races lie to the sun, consequently it is -able to commence work, a good month before any other of tihe Nevis -claims. The claim over the river commenced last Monday. This company hae an electric plant now, co that in future there will be three shifts at work. The Masters and Adie part}-, also Webber - Manson party, and the Upper Nevis hydraulic claims commenced cleaning out their races on Monday. The Nevis correspondent of bhe Cromwell Argus sa^s : "It is a great pity to see all the dredges lying idle for "two" and sometimes three months in the year when they could be working during such winters as we have for the last few years experienced on the Ncviß. If a orew of working men, with their homes in the place, had these dredges I can safely prophesy that there would be no lost time in the winter, but because thi« place has got the name of having bad -winters, at the first appearance of frost first one wante to get away and then another has work awaiting somewhere else, until few are' left, srhen, of course, it is almost compulsory to close down the dredges." The Oromwell Argu6 reports that the Keystone borer, which is still working at Kawarau Gor-ge, put down a bore last week clo&e to the river bank, bottoming at 70ft on reef, which carried no gold. The syndicate which is providing the means" for prospecting this particular jplaoe, intends to put down at least one .more bore before giving up operations. The last bore was put down in a place where in the early days very rich gold was obtained, but, unfortunately for the niiners, the lead dipped away into the river, where, however, it was worked by Ijhe Electric No. 1 dredge, which obtained some very good returns. It is a pity that the continuation of the lead into the flat was not picked up by the borer, as it would mean an increased activity in mining oircles in the district. The borer proceeds to Bannockburn when finished at the gorge. September 11. The directors of the Waikaka United Gold Dredging Company, have declared a dividend (the fifty-second) of Is per share, payable forthwith. The master of the Electric No. 1 dredge wired on the 10th stating that this week'e return was obtained for 5^ days' dredging. The small party now working the old Deep Streanj claim is reported to be still

winning payable returns. A dividend of Is per share was paid a few months back, and it is reported that another dividend to the same amount is about to be paid. Payable returns are Teported to be got from the Wetherstones cement by the Golden Crescent Sluicing Company. A new pipe line is to be laid down shortly, which will materially increase the pressure, and " when completed is expected to greatly decrease working expenses. According to an exchange both of the Rise and Shine dredges are continually dredging up coal, and it is the general opinion that a good coal seam exists on the lower flat. It is rumoured that Mr J. L. Scott, who is local director of both the Rise and Shine and Rising Sun Companies, and, besides being the vendor of these two claims, owns a large irehold near there, intends making arrangements to procure the Keystone borer to put down a few holes. If a payable seam is found it would mean a great saying for the Clutha River dredges, as the item for cartage alone at present runs into about £>o a week for each dredge, the greater portion of which would then be saved. The manager of the New Saxon mine reported for last week: — "No. 1 reef, No. 4 level, eastward end : The stops on the hanging wall portion of the main reef j has been extended a further distance of 12ft, and six sets of timbers and paes placed in position during the week. This will enable a fair-sized block to be worked cxpeditiously over where strong colours of gold were obtained in the drive. Wost1 ward face, No. 1 reef: Work here has been continued with two shifts. As the i drive is being advanced in a mild sandstone dig, another (apparent) strong body of quartz made itß appearance in the opposite wall. At the present time this is being stripped along with the main reef, and will be 'broken down when a sufficient length is attained." According to the Alexandra Heraldalluvial mining in the Alexandra district is expected to be renewed with greater activity during the summer in consequence of the excellent prospects received by different parties in the vicinity of Shanty Creek. Magnus and party are working their claim with a trickle of water, but notwithstanding the scarcity of this commodity their returns have been very encouraging. They are working on a clay bottom, and the gold is of a coarse nature. Kitto and party are making preparations for the installation of a pumping plant, whereby water for treating the washdirt will be pumped from the river to the claim, which is about 400 ft above the river level. This claim is regarded as a very rich one, and 'the party has evident proof of this, for the erection of the pumping plant will necessitate the outlay of a good sum. Another party taking out payable wash 13 "Kitto and Richardson, while several other parties intend commencing work. The locality promises to be a busy field in the near future. The Mount Ida Chronicle says the winter will pass into history as perhaps the mildest ever experienced in Maniototo. Mining was never absolutely stopped, and during August some of the claim-owners only lost one day's water, which is certainly a record for that month. During the past few days some of the email races are short of water, sharp frosts having frozen it upon the nils. A gentleman at present in Invercargill has discovered a new and effective process for saving the light and fine gold in Orepuki black sands, etc. The process is said to be extremely simple and inexpensive, and specially adapted for the lightest of gold. At present (says the Orepuki Advocate) it is in the hands of a Dunedin gentleman, who is forming an influential syndicate to work it. September 13. Reporting a return of 15oz 7dwt for 123 hours, the master of the New Trafalgar dwdge states that the return was obtained from the middle and east sections. The secretary of the Nelson Creek Dredging Company informs us that a mistake was made in crediting the dredge with a return of 19oz last week, as the dredge is at present idle. The master of the Golden Treasure dredge expected to make a start dredging last Friday, but the repairing took longer than he expected. The master of the Golden Gem dredge wired on Saturday that, on account of has buckets parring, and the enormous quantity of silt met with,^ there was practically nothing to wash tip for the week ending 4th inst. The trouble with the silt continued until Wednesday of this week, but he then got quite clear of it, and worked into nice wash carrying good metal. He washed up for 15oz, which he advises was practically all won since Thursday of last weet; and he reports prospects good. The manager of the Kuranui Caledonian gold mine, at Thames, reporting progress during the past two weeks, states: — " Graham's leader : A underhand stope has been driven on the leader a distance of 40ft west of tho rise, and Graham's level has been timbered up to a point 25ft west of the rise. A start has also been made fco work on the leader east of the rise, and I am pleased to say the leader looks much more promising in this end, strong dabs of gold being seen in the stone pretty freely when last breaking down. A flat leader junctions with Graham's leader about 10ft below the level, so we are driving east on this junction from the rise, so as to prove the two leaders for a few feet." The Alexandra Herald state? that alluvial mining in the Alexandra district is expected to be renewed with great activity duiing the summer in consequence of the excellent prospects received by different parties in the vicinity of Shanty Creek. Magnus and party are working their claim v.-ith a brickie of water, but notwithstanding the scarcity of this commodity their returns have been very encouraging-. They are working on a olay bottoni, and the gold is of a coarse natui - e. Kitto and party are making preparations for the installation, of a pumping plant, whereby water for treating the washdirt will be pumped from tho river to the claim, which is about 400 ft above the a-iver level. This claim is regarded, as a very rich one. and the party has evident proof of this, for the erection of the pumping plant will necessitate the outlay of a good sum. Another party taking out payable -wash is Kitto and Richardson, whilst several oth<;r parties intend commencing work. The locality promises to ba a busy field in the near future. At Dixon's Consolidated mine the manager Teporte that the drive on the reef formation in the low level has been advanced a further distance of 6ft, making a total of 12ft from th-o starting point. The quartz, which is encased in a good class of country, lia-s opened out. There is cow

about 4ft of stone in the face. It is of a friable nature, is carrying good minerals, and looks -well for gold. No. 2 crosscut: This fee© has. been advanced a further distance of 12ft, and is now through tfce reef. It has proved to be a large lode, as we have gone through fully 19ft of quartz. As we have seen some kindlylooking quartz showing favourable minerals on the footwall side of the xeef, we intend to open out here and drive in a south-west direction. I The two miners, Michael Xjyons, jun., and John Shields, who displayed so much bravery in rescuing comrades at the Mount Morgan (Q.) mine last November, were presented with the Royal Humane Society's m-edals and cerSneates on the 17th ult.. by his Excellency the Governor-general as they came off their shift, both Lord and Lady Dudley shaking hands with the men. By hearty applause, the other miners who were assembled assented to the remarks of his Excellency that they had a living example in bravery continually amongsttbem in their mine manager, Mr James White, who had "on all occasions proved himself a man in the full meaning of the word. September 14. The Molyneux River "was sft Bin above 1 the normal mark at Afexandira on Monday morning. Frost was experienced on Sunday D1 The master of the Good Chance dredge reports that he will resume dredging tins ""^Tireturn from the No Town Creek dredge last week was 240z for 130 hours W The return from the New Roxburgh Jubilee dredge last week was looz sdwc. Riley's Revival dredge won a return of 450z Sdwt last week for 128 houTS. The Enterprise dredge's return last week was 19oz 2dwt for 128 hours' work. The master of the Central Chartton dredge reports that last week's return was obtained' from section No. 3, and is about the same amount as that which has been usually got from that portion of the claim of late. The machinery is running well at present. The Lake County Press reports that various claims are being systematically and thoroughly worked in the Shobover Valley. What is known as "The Branches," in the Shotover Valley, is praotioally an unknown mining field yet. At the present time this locality is receiving attention at the bands of the miners. W« hear that Messrs Woods and Gordon are testing ground there, end have got moat encouraging prospects. There is a most extensive area of country. Many, hold the opinion that " The Branches " will yet prove to be a field of some note. An exchange states that, in the Skippers district work in all branches is in full j swing, and a long and prosperous season Jis expected. In Messrs Lee and party's i claim (under the management of Mr P. ! Lynch) nine hands are employed and three ' shifts have been steadily worked fox some time. A considerable quantity of ground has been and is being profitably worked. The acetylene gas plant on the claim has proved a great boon to the company. • The Lake County Press abates that the manager -of the Arrow River Company (Mr R. Payne) ie at present engaged with his staff sinking on ground which is running about 30ft. Heavy stones are being met with all through, making progress somewhat slow. Bottom is just about reached, and from what can be* gathered there i'a every indication of the ground being payable. At present two shifts are worked — three men being engaged on each. There is some talk of the company putting on Arthur's patent- stone lifter. This machine, a recent invention, is capable of lifting between four and five tons of stone at a time. The paddock at present being taken out is close to the Billy Stream. The report of the master of the Rising fc-un dredge for last week is as follows — Dredged 126 hours and worked ahead 9ft on a cut 200 yards wide; lost one shift through a slight mis-hap to the engine. The bottom consisted of clay and sandstone. The prospects continue fair, and the machinery is running well.