TUI CREEK

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 153, 8 May 1886, Page 6

TUI CREEK

Tui Creek is not more than a raile t or so distant from the Aroha township 1 ; being situate^ to the N.E. The principal mines are on the summit of the range, about 2,000 feet above the flat. A' very fair road has been formed, along which some 30 tons 'of ore has already been conveyed en route to j the Thames furnaces, but for the future permanent working of mines, it is evident that a moie direct and serviceable road can be constructed from the flat along the bed of the creek, and an eaBy connection can be made with the highest mines above by means of short wire tramways of moderate extent. When we consider that the line of railroad is close to the base of the mountain, and.dould, at a low cost, be connected with the tramways in Tui Creek, it will be seen that the position of these mines is advantageous as regards future development, and when provided with such auxiliaries as furnaces, &c, it will certainly be the most favoured mining locality yet opened. The much-needed iron for smelting purposes is said to abound in the district, and as coal from the Waikato mines can be obtained at low rates, there is every requirement at hand, or obtainable at cheap cost. If the New Era plant up the Waiorongomai Creek is a succesa, it is believed that a road will be formed on the east side of the Tui Creek spur, which will connect with the Premier track, about a mile distant from the Tui Creek mines The discovery which has brought Tui Creek into prominence consists of a very important find made by the indefatigable Mr Clem Comes, who came to the rescue of Mr LaMonte and clients by introducing to i heir notice a rich galena lode, providing an unlimited supply of lead ; and still more important as regards its sterling value is ihe Champion Lode traceable through Noe. 1, 2, and 3 leases, and as this immense body of stone has produced some of the best ore yet sent to the furnace, it promises to be the backbone of mining operations in this district. It is urged by some that the LaMonte system has not yet had a fair trial on ore exactly suited to its requirements, and as the Champion lode and the galena lode offer the most suitable ore yet discovered in New Zealand, it would be satisfactory if experiments on a large scale could be made of reefs of such magnitude and favourable conditions. The ground shows that a considerable amount of prospecting has been done— quite as much as could be expected when it is considered that tracks and other preliminary works have but recently been completed. Mining operations on the Champion lode have not consequently assumed the appearance of systematic work carried out on a defined plan ; but now the actual value of the ore has been ascertained, it has led to a commendable decision to open up the mine thoroughly and work out the reef in blocks No. I Champion Lode —On this ground the main reef is exposed on the crown of the range at a height of 2,000 feet. In addition to various cuttings into the cap of the lode, a winze is down some 50 feet on the hanging-wall, in excellent cfiuntry for gold, of which a few colours are reported to have been seen in recent shifts. Its appearance in the winze is assuring, and when the shareholders have gone the required distance, and start to break through the reef, it will not be surprising to learn that valuable ore is coming up from the deepest workings of the Tui Creek mines. A par eel of two tons from No. 1 gave 2ozs 2dwts of gold and 67ozs 12dwts 9grs of silver, the ore being valued at £22 per ton. No. 2 Champion Lode. -On this ground the rich galena lode junctions with the Champion toward the upper boundary, and is in places a regular mass of mineral, particu larly where exposed on the hill-side near the track, presenting the appearance of a solid face of 2 feet in width of this metal, while the uninitiated get a double surprise when essaying to lift a pretty big lump. Tha returns from treating a parcel of six tons from No. 2 were Gozs gdd, 2340zs silver, valua £70 15s 6d. No 3 Champion Lode - Galena ore is also obtainable on this ground, the outcrop of the two reefs being discernable and their characteristics similar to those of INo, 2. From the above leases 28 tons ot ore has been sold, averaging £12 per ton, which it is considered fairly represents the value of the general stuff as far as it has yet been broken out. It may here be stated that when the trial parcel was sent from No. 2 ; it was forwarded to the furnace as broken out — several critical miners proceeding to the ground after the stuff had been taken from the mine, to see if the lower grade ore had been left behind ; and they were satisfied that it had been sent exactly as it had come down without any picking at ali. The galena ore discovered in the above ground is not only of importance by its affording an apparently unlimited supply for fluxing purposes, but as providing a permanent industry, and aa, fortunately, it is in close proximity to the richest argentiferous lode yet found in the district, it holds out the strongest inducement for the immediate erection of a smelting plant May Bell. — While at the Champion Lode mines it was stated that Mr Cameron had made a big find of a silver lode further down the range, toward tbe flat. I went to his workingß, finding them established on the boundary of the Mark Moon and his own ground, with a ton or so of rich-looking silver ore heaped up in the paddock, which a Karangahake miner pronounced equal to their best. Cameron had not, however, picked up the main body of the reef, the ore paddocked being obtained from detached masses of quartz, which was, however, lying in so regular a line as to lead to the belief he was about on the strike of the reef, and as further up the hill the quartz appeared to be of a different character, he was driving and trenching close to the surface quartz, believing himself to be on the true course of the calena lode, which he had traced down to this spot before commencing work, and finding such an excellent claps of stone, was assured he had followed the proper leader down Probably he has further to go into the hill than anticipated, but may any day strike it. Although the stone has come traces of galena in it, it possesses the characteristics of highly argentiferous ore, an assay made by a friend at the Bank of New Zealand last week, giving sozsgold and 210ozs silver to the ton ; but this was from a very choice morsel of the quartz. Mark Moon. — This ground is being prospected, and the development of its reefs will be watched with interest. The almost impenetrable mass of trees, parasites, and verdure of all kinds which covers the rugged mountain side makes progress slow and difficult ; but judging from the appearance of tbe quartz boulders on the, surface, a reef is not far distant which should pay to work. Even the quartz strewn on the surface contains apparently so muoh silver as would pay to gather together and forward to the furnace The new road is finished to within a chain of this ground, and will be constructed to it in a few days, thus .enabling shareholders to forward trial parcels at once to the furnace. - " v