MINING.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 7, 14 October 1871, Page 3

MINING.

The City of Edinburgh, Tararu, are crushing at the Flora Mcdonald battery with ten head. Tho stuff is taken from the Ladybird and Hand-of-Friendship reef, working being carried on through their tunnel. The stuff yields only about sdwts or Gdwts to the ton, but with the large size of the reef and the great facility for carriage and crushing, this small return pays the owners expenses, and, as it is driven on, the yield may increase. Three tons of stone were crushed at the Wild Missouri battery as a trial from a reef in that claim. The amalgam was not retorted yesterday, but the result is expected to be payable. In Fiery Creek, Tararu, a great deal of work is now going on, and several of the claims are being opened up for future working. The Cock-a-Doodle low level drive is now in a distance of 15Gfeet, and they have 94 feet further to go in order to reach the spot where their winze is going down from the upper level, but which is now at a standstill through the quantity of water. In their upper workings there are four different lodes in hand,-one being a large reef four feet wide, two being about two feet, and tho other the leader from which they took such nice specimens some time since, about a foot. These locles all seem to be making for the same spot and the drive going in below is intended to intersect them near the supposed junction. When reached the large body of stone will be opened out on, and if proved payable there will be a very large block to take out, as it runs l’ight through their ground. They originally started a drive still lower down than the present one, but after working for a long time the ground became so hard that they abandoned it and tried higher up with what success remains to be seen. Californian. —At the end of the 500 feet tunnel the tributers are now timbering the winze and opening a chamber preparatory to commencing work on the reef. When this is finished they will drive on the reef 25 feet back in the tunnel to a distance of GO or 70 feet, and then send the stuff down. They deserve to get some returns'after all the time and money they have spent on tho mine. It is now some eight months since they started work, and besides putting in a tunnel 500 feet, they have laid down a tramway at a cost of over £SOO. When they once get fairly started they expect to keep 20 head of stampers constantly employed at the Mora Macdonald battery. City of Dunedin. —The main drive from which the reef is being worked is in a distance of 500 feet through the Charter and Conqueror claims, and into their own. The reef was worked on in both these claims, hut gave no returns sufficient to encourage I he owners to continue work. The reef in the face is increasing in size, and is now ten feet wide, of which eight feet is crushed, the rest not being worth saving. The manager has also put up a rise to the upper drive, and is stoping out in order to let down a lot of mullock lying in it, and thus enable him to work out a block of ground above the said drive to the surface, which has been left standing. This drive runs from the old shaft at a depth of 100 feet from the surface, along the reef. As soon as this work is completed, there will be stuff enough available to keep 20 stampers constantly employed; and this fine claim ought soon to be seen among the list of dividend-paying companies. A cleaning-up will take place on Monday, at Russell’s batten-, where they have been crushing with ten head, and for a few days, crushing will have to bo suspended, as owing to the starting of the tramway extension, the stuff in the hopper cannot be brought on to tho rails. As soon, however, as this is done, 20 head will be kept going. The present crushing looks well for about an ounce to the ton. | At Partington’s battery the Crown 1 Prince finished crushing a parcel of 39 tons from the Mariner’s reef, which yielded 19Aoz. retorted gold, or at the rate of about half an ounce to the ton. A crushing of 1G tons from the Windsor Castle tribute at this machine was also completed, but the retorting was not completed yesterday afternoon. The Pukelrinau have started with five head, and if

the stuff proves payable, crushing will go on for some little time. The Black Angel have secured the other ten head, and started last night. Should this lot turn out payable the crushing will be carried on constantly ; 15dwt.. to the ton will pay well, and, according to the present appearances, it will go as much, if not more. Siiotover. —The tributers cleaned up yesterday, after crushing about 28 tons, and the yield, including the result of the picked stuff reduced at Spencer and Hall’s, will,be about 2}oz. to the ten. The main shaft is now down 315 feet, this being 220 feet below the sea level. -The drive in the direction of the main lode is now in 16 feet, through very good-looking country, and sinking the shaft is also being proceeded with. This work is being watched with anxiety by many on this field, as, should gold be struck at that depth, it would lead to further very extensive mining operations. Caledonian. —Owing to a breakage of the new plumber block, the pumps had to stop last night, after continuing to work slowly for some time after the accident. They will not be idle long, as it is not anticipated that the mine will be flooded. Working on the main run is being carried on, and the reef looks well. No. 3 winzo is going down, and must now bo within 12 feet of the lower level. In No. 2 winze on the specimen leader a drive is being put in towards No. 1, and gold was visible in small quantities in the leader. No. 1 winze is still being pushed down to the lower level, and will soon be deep enough, if the water does not interfere. The reef in the drive towards the Otago is not looking very well. A quantity of gold from the specimen crushing was being melted last night. The returns will be to hand to-day-The Albion Shaft. —The rock having been reached preparations are being made to lay down the large timbers for the poppet-heads, and the work can then be pushed a-head vigorously. The George Stephenson, Hape Creek. —Work is still being continued on the leader towards the Golden Anchor, and yesterday some really splendid specimens were taken, out, as rich as any we have seen from the leader. The shoot being now finished, crushing will be commenced as soon as the tramway, whieh is blocked up by the stone-cutters, is clear, and as there is a large parcel of specimens on hand, the return is sure to be a good one. . The Whau. —The cleaning up for the Whau resulted in 1960z5. retorted gold, which, on being melted, was reduced to 1930 z. 7dwt. GOLD FROM TAPU. Mr. Wriglet brought up from Tapu last night 27ozs. melted gold, the result of a crushing from the Nautilus Claim.