MINING NEWS.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 85, 17 January 1885, Page 2

M I NIN G NEWS.

The break in the usual course of operations occasioned by the lengthened holidays is now fairly at an em I, and work in all of the claims is again in full swing. On Wednesday a commencement was made on the tramway to send down stuff ,rom tho principal mines, and as a sufficient, quantity has now accumulated in the Imppprs at the battery to keep tho stampers going steadily crushing, operations will he at once resumed. Although the Htampers have been hung up sine* the holidays began, work at the battery has not been quite at a standstill. Tho whole force of berdans, both at the tailings plant and battery, have been kept going on failings, principally those o! t,he New Find Co., and a large quantity has been reduced during the suspension of other operations. The returns of amalgam obtained for the period are not yet to hand.

New Find. — There has been no change worth recording in any part o the mine since the resumption of operations. The various faces are bein^ carried on as before, excepting the nortn end of the low level, the extension ol which has been delayed by the calling ol fresh tenders for driving. A contract has now been let for 150 feet, and work there will be started again forthwith. This distance will bring the face under the winze now going down in the Arizona level, and when the connection i> made the vast quantities of payabl< stuff contained in the blocks north ant south of the winze fill then beconn available. A good supply of crushing j dirt is corning from the various parts <> the mine, and crushing will be re coin j menced on Monday, probably with li head of stampers.

Colonist, — As stated in our repor last week moat of fie work in this tnim is now being done on contract. f J widerwere called for and accepted after tlu holidays for driving botn winzes in tn< low level, and for stopin'g out the i»l<ic>l . alx»v« it. TUe contractors have now < fa'rly settled down to thpir work, an are making fair, pi ogress, In the dri uortiiwai'U ttiereef is over three, foet ...

width, and is yiel ling aouV good-look- j ing stone in which hunt colours of gold aio ooc sionally visible. The lode in the opposite face is somewhat smaller- there l> "inur only about two feet of crushing staff, but this may at any time increase. In the ptnpi's the reef is of -much hirger dimensions, the quartz in one place measuring over seven feet in thickness. Some work is being done by wages meri in the block underneath the north end of t le No. 2 lev<d, bat the stuff at present being obtained from there is of rattier poor quality. Prism i rau. — The vein worked on prior to the lioli lays has again, been taken in i ami, an.l though at present rather *mall is still yielding payable stone. It is the intention of the. manager to make •n effort shortly to pick up the same ve.n in the intermediate drive from the winze that was sank in the smithy level. Should lie succeed in finding it there he xvill have a large block of groin d to opera ie on. Diamond G'JLLY. — Work in the stopes is going steadily on aw 1 with the usual satisfactory results, but the hard country is a drawback to the getting out of quartz in large quantity. It will bo two or three weeks yet before crushing is n'sumed, but it is expected the supply of stuff in tho hoppers will have accumulated sufficiently to admit of a start being made e-irly next month. Waiokongomai.— The drive ">n the reef in the souoh end of tho claim is being pushed ahead, and the prospects ire still encouraging. The gold which nithfrto hns been confined to the hanging wall part of the lode is now visible on the fo .twall also, nnd it is not unlikely that the whole body of stuff from three to four feet in thickness will prove pat able when brought under the stampers Work is likewise going on in the low and immediate levels on the r<-ef near the northern boundary. In the low levol a considerable quantity of quartz has been broken down during the week, but no ;jold was visible. Ttie stone is still overcharged with the baser minerals, and until these in a measure disappear it is not likely the precioua metal will be foun lin paying quantity. In the intermediate drive fair gold-bearing stuff continues to be got. The completion of the hopper and tramway has been somewhat delayed through want of material, but it is likely that both will be finished next week.

May Queen, — Good progress is being made in the low level, the face of which is now well under the lower winvse. The reef is at present over three feet in width and continues to present a very satisfactory appearance. The stone does not yet show gold quite so freely as some of that tfot from the winze, but good prospects niv occasionally obtained, ami a ljirtfe portion of the stuff is likely to prove payable, .A rise of five or six feet, will connect the h vel with the winze, and vrhen communicatijn between the two is effected, stuping operations enn then be coiinnenciid. Some little time will, however, be required to #et things into proper working order at the low level, as a hopper and hranch tramway to connect with the County line will have to be constructed before quartz in any quantity can be forwarded to the battery, and until these works are completed much cannot be done in the way of I crushing.

Invkkness. — Work has br>cn resumed in the upper level, and the roef there is about to have n fair trial in afresh place. In the part wheie it has b^en opened upon the reef looks well for gold. Nothing lms yet been seen in the larger body of quartz, but from a small leader alongside of it a few pounds of stone has been got that shows the metal very freely. The extension of the low level is being continued, but no change ha? yet taken place.

Phosnix. — The low level is being pushed ahead on the reef, but there is no change yet t<. report. The quartz con tinues to look well frr payable ijold and the country is of a most kindl,\ description, but although traces of the niotiil have been got in the stone something better will have to be found before it can be pronounced payable.