MINING NEWS.

Te Aroha News, Volume 1, Issue 47, 26 April 1884, Page 2

MINING NEWS.

Battery — The cleaning np for the week ending the J 9th inst, resulted in the following returns of amalgam :—

The tailings plant is now fairly started mid works excellently. For two days' run on tailings from (he stuff now being crushed at the battery, the returns of amalgam, squeezed in cold water, were as follows :—: — oz New Find— 1G bordnns 17 (Jolonibt— lG benluns 34 The long spell of [\ry weather is now telling upon the water supply, which during the week has fallen ofT very much. The New Find and Colonist companies are crushing with the usual number of stumpers, and the Canadian with 5, but the speed is rather slow. Tne Canadian crushing looks well for a payable return, vao -^ --

Nkw Find. — The various workings in the Arizona level sfcill wear a very healthy look. In the north end the reef iv the face shows gold quite as freely as it has done at any proviuus time, and the quantity of crushing stuff is as large as usual. The rise is now up about 3D feet, the lode throughout having maintained its size and yielded stone of good average quality. Leading stopes have been started from the rise in both directions. In the one going north the reef has opened out to a larger size than usual, there being at present nearly seven feet of crushing dirt, some of which on the fuotwa'l side is of excellent quality. The contractors in the south end of the level having finished the distance tendered for, operations have there becMi at a standstill for a day or two, but will be resumed immediately. On the No. 2 reef the winze is about 35 feet down. The footwall brunch is now slowing in the bottom, and will junction a few feet lower down with the vein that has been sunk upon. This vein has increased considerably in sizo, and at the last breaking down yielded some good gold-bearing stone. The worked-out ground over the No. 2 level having now been filled in, stoping operations have Iven resumed t.iere, and crushing dirt of excellent grade obtained. The buck reef in the low level has now been crossed, and better progress than hitherto is being made by the contractors.

Colonist. — The trestle work for the conveyance of the debris from the new low level, over the County tramway, is completed, and the rails laid. Excellent progress is being made with the drive, and, if no very hurl country is met with, the reef will piobably be reached in less than three weeks. The winze in the intermediate level is down about twenty feet, and is slid free Iroui water. Due advantage is being taken of the fine weather to push on the work, which would be much retarded were heavy rains to set in. Should no difficulties of this nature be encountered, the required depth will be readied in a few weeks. The reef is at present the full width of the winze, and is comparatively easy to work. Tue quartz is of the same kindly character as met with in the level, and shows gold quite as freely. Htoping is going on as usual between the upper and intermediate levels.

Canadian.-— A chamber is being formed, and the necessary timbering (lone, preparatory to sinking a winze from the upper drive to the intermediate Colonist level. The quartz from fclie upper workings was forwarded to the battery on Monday, and is now in process of treatment. Should the yield prove satisfactory (and there need be little doubt that it will), a hopper will be be once erected, and other prcpaiations made for an extension of the intermediate drive as soon as such can be done without inconvenience to the Colonist people.

Puemi eu.—» Work on this property is quite at a standstill, and has been since the contract for extending the upper level to the main reef was abandoned two or three weeks ago. It is to be hoped that operations will shortly be resumed, and an effort made whereby there may be a chance of the mine regaining its former status on the field. With the main lode, in which gold has already been found, running right through the ground, and which, in the Colonist claim adjoining, is yielding so satisfactorily, it certainly is a little perplexing that nothing should yet have been done to prove it. As the non-ful-filment of the high hopes once entertained regarding this mine was the greatest blow the field has yet received, so would the discovery of good payable quartz in it now do more than anything else to restore the confidence that has been, in a great measure, lost ; ami ii. may fairly be expected that some effort will shortly lie made to bring about <,a consummation so devoutly to be wished.

Phcenix. — Preparations are being made to get the stufT now in paddock up to the tramway, so that it may be forwarded to the battery A payable return is expected. Prospecting is going on on a new leader lower down the hill. Colours of gold are got, but the vein is at present much broken.

Coquette. — The winze is now down nearly 20 feet, the reef being still strong and of a very promising character, yielil ing fair prospects.

Eureka. — The low level is still bein ( i> extended towards the Victoria bo an lary, ami is now about 30 feet past tli rise. Tiie reef looks well uml cont.inne.ol large size, a portion of if being let' 1 on the hanging wall side. In t'se inter mediate level southward the lode is n 'present muoh split up, but in tne opposite

direction it is stiong: and compact, and presents a very satisfactory appearance. It was expected tliat the i re tramway wonltl by this time have boon in working order, but the pi ogress ma le with the work lately has not been so rapid as conld be wis'ie 1. Tie hopper at tlie mine is finis'iod, but the excavation for the lower one by .the. tramway is not yet completed, and as there is also about a couple of chains of hard cutting to be done before the rails can be In id to connect with the line at tin* New Find hopper, some weeks must yet elapse ere everything will be in readiness for the transit of quartz to the battery.

Hicito. — Men are still engaged cutting 1 through the l>ig reef, which lum now been penetrated about 18 feet. The quartz is getting easier to work, and appearances indicate that the foot wall is at hand.

May Qurkv. — Prospecting is going on in this claim, ami a fair show of gold is being got on a reef near the top of the upper self-acting grade on the triniway. Excellent loose prospects are obtained, and colours are occasionally seen in the solid stone. It is intended, we believe that a drive will at once be commenced on the vein, and as soon as a few tons are got out, to have it forwarded to the battery for trial.

Wellington. — A considerable portion of the leader has been stripped and broken down during the week, it has increased in size, and as now showing in the face, varies from 6 to 12 inches. At the last breaking down, which took place on Thursday, there was a very satisfactory show of gold, strong dabsN being visible in the solid stone, and some lew pieces were richly impregnated with the meial. The general stuff is being ■saved for a trial crushing, which will doubtless prove payable.

iNVEitNisss.-Gohl is now showing in tho rise from the low level Excellent stono is also being got from the small leader near the upper boundary of the claim

Waiouongomai. — The upper drive towards the Wellington boundary is being pushed ahead, and the reef is of the usual size, but nothing- of any consequence has been come across during the week. A lower level has also boon started on the vein some 40 or 50 feet below. There it is from 9to 12 inches wide, and is no less compact than in the drive above. The quartz is not so highly mineralised as that in the upper workings. Dabs of gold are frequently visible in it, and it is likely to improve as the drive is carried in under that part of the reef where the rich stuff was found on the surface.

Ooloni«t — 20 howl, 6 days New Find — 15 he<iH, 6 divs 055 (l\vt 290 10 235 10