MINING NEWS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 470, 10 May 1890, Page 5

MINING NEWS.

May 6. Lone Hand. —The greater portion of the Manchester reef that was stripped at the low level was broken down yesterday (Monday), when dabs and colour s of gold were seen very freely distributed through the quartz, which should be worth 2oz to the load. The quartz also carries splendid minerals. May Queen. —Two shifts are now employed in the drive on No. 1 reef, which continues to look well and shows gold freely. A leading stope is also in progress. Cambria. Crushing has been commenced. Dives. —Crushing is proceeding. Trenton. —The hangingwalllodeis about fourteen inches wide in the drive ; the quartz is kindly, and colours, with occasional blotches of gold, are seen when breaking down. Stoping is proceeding on the footwall lode, and gold is sometimes observed. The crushing proceeding at the Cambria battery is shaping fairly well. Great Mercury Licensed Holding (Kuaotunu). Picked stone is coming to hand every day from No. 9, also rich crushing dirt. Gold is frequently seen at each breaking down on No. 5. Opening out on No. 8 (Red Mercury reef). Splendid stone is coming to hand. This promises to be one of the best reefs in the district. The manager has started to drive a crosscut to intersect No. 6, from which good prospects were obtained on the surface. The prospects of this mine at present are equal, if not better than any other on the field. Red Mercury (Kuaotunu). —Since taking charge I have sunk the winze five feet. The reef is a splendid body of stone, two feet six inches, carrying gold all through, with splendid walls, but very tight country; water rather troublesome. I have also cut out and timbered the chamber in No 1 level for erecting the windlass. The contractors have met with a hard belt of country in the low level.

Thames, May 7. Norfolk (Tararu). —Since last report 77 tons of quartz have been broken from the Californian reef, which same is now being crushed and is shaping for a good payable return. A winze has been commenced on the reef, and the manager believes that the shot of gold i 3 dipping east. Silverton (Waihi). —Littlejohn’s party of tributers have now eight men employed getting out stuff which gives very high assay results. On the western side the lode is intact for 50 feet to the bottom of the winze. The tributers are of opinion that the rich ore will be met with on the eastern side of the winze. At present the tributers have 18cwt of picked stone and 60 tons of general dirt in hand. Freedom.— The manager is driving upon a small leader which looks well. The stone has been broken down and shows excellent prospects. Trenton. —The main portion of the lode is 14 inches wide, and is most likely for gold. Kuaotunu. —At this mine the drive on the Red Mercury reef is in 40 feet. The country is much improved, and numbers of veins of iron have been met with. The other drive is in 110 feet. Lone Hnnd. —The reef at the low level is 12 inches thick and showed gold freely when broken down. A lode has been cut on the western side which should junction with the Manchester reef further ahead. This morning the manager telegraphed: “ Gold seen freely in reef coming in western side of eastern drive at low level.

Cambria.— Last Friday a nice-looking vein of quartz was cut in the crosscut at No. 2 level. At No. 3 level the leader is five inches thick and shows gold freely. Saxon.— No. 2 reef, near the shaft at No. 5 level, is from 12 to 15 inches thick. It is of a promising character, and gold i* frequently met with in the leading stope. The north cross at No. 4 level has been driven 61 feet through the blue bar. The manager thinks this is the Trenton bar, and considers it would be inadvisable to drive further in that direction. The crosscut from the Prince Imperial shaft is still passing through a hard bar of country. There are now 3260zs of amalgam on hand, and 151 b of picked stone. Alburnia. — Good ventilation has now been obtained at the crosscut, and a rise has been pub in from the Whau level to give air to work the specimen leader. Another 10 or 12 feet should give good air, which would giye ground enough to let two or three tributes. The specimen leader is now well defined and shows mineral freely, also gold. Battery for Kuaotunu.— At a public meeting held on the field it was decided by those present to accept the terms proposed by Messrs W. R. Cook and F. Ralph re the erection of a battery at Kuaotunu. The agreement was that the syndicate should receive one-tenth of each claim willing to join if in 50 shares, 5 shares, if in 10 shares, 1 share, with a guarantee for three years to crush at the battery at 17s 6d per ton. The site chosen was near Mr Arnold’s blacksmith shop.