MINING ITELLIGENCE.

Southland Times, Issue 670, 15 May 1867, Page 2

MINING ITELLIGENCE.

(From the " Wakatip Mail.") The long drought which still continues? throughout the Wakatip Goldfield has been most prejudicial to 'the mining interest. No water-races are at present supplied equal to their requirements, and many, are comparatively dry, the works having been for a long time^ suspended. At the reefs, the want of an adequate water supply is gieatly felt by the two companies there at work, viz.,- — Southberg and the Scandinavian. The former: are working eight stamps and the latter • ten, but neither at full speed. The supply is lower than it has been during the season, and a day's rain makes no per-, manent difference, as the gravel is dry and no snow whatever is on the hills. The stone being raised in the Scandinavian works is better than any that has yet been obtained, and will probably yield four ounces to the ton. The gold, is coarse, and for that reason the amalgam will be richer than any yet produced. Mr Sorenson, the manager, has about; lOOO^-OTmces of amalgam,' and had the water supply been ; sufficient to work 15 head of stamps would have had a cake of retorted gold of that weight. ...The reef in the mine is strong and weU >; defined. Everything in. oonneotion with the ; machinery appears to be working ! smoothly, and fo answer ettry expected

Southberg's Company are also on very good quartz- and Judging from their tables, the crushing is most satisfactory. The British- American Company are pushing on their tunnel^and are believed to be through the slip/; Some loose stone with gold in it has been picked up by the workmen. . --s'- ■ '■t-jo'f*£'*§ "'■* „■' The Prince of ->Wfaj|S €om|>any are packing down ten ;^ia|-'of^BW^ which they intend crushing^^Perryff^achinery, and provided i^uraii out anything like i being at all payable/ a trial crushing of L all,the stone to.grass .will be made. The Nugget Company are opening up; their reef, and have some very rich stone,; but all the other leases, except the Justin Eeef prospectors. Butcher's Gully, are; apparently abandoned, as no work is being done upon them. The latter-named; party are not satisfied with the result of their late trial crushing, and we under-; stand will tesjb some more .of their stone shortly. Previous to putting it through; the machine, however, they intend to burn the stone to get rid of the , large; quantity of sulphur with which it is. mixed, and which is supposed to interfere: with the amalgamation of the gold andj quicksilver. ; The "alluvial workings at Maori Point,; Pleasant Creek and Skippers Point have; lately proved a deep leadof gold from [50; to 200 feet below the surface, mining; across these terraces in a parallel directionto the Shotover. There are six or seven; lease and several extended claim appli-l cations, which have all been ; surveyed by; the mining- surveyor of the .district.] Leydem's party having a leasehold- on: Eace-course Terrace, "are about sinking- a| shaft a depth of perhaps 200 feet, and! will drive out their ground. • \ : Although most of the wood and > iron-! work of the Shotover Bridge is on the ground, the bridge itself is not yet coin-; menced, and it is scarcely probable, itj willjbe completed before, the: winter is! upon us. It as a great drawback to- thes district, for if the winter is at all severe,! Stony Creek will be impassable. \