MINING.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 11, 19 October 1871, Page 3

MINING.

Sailor Prince. —This company are pushing ahead their opening up work vigorously. In order to obtain a supply of good air for the workings they are putting a cross cut to connect their two adiis. This will be completed in about a fortnight, and then the drive from ihe main adit to cut the shaft will be continued. The shaft wifi be sunk deeper to test the ground at a lower level lhau can be obtaued from the flat. The reef in hand in the main adit is very large and mullocky, and a winze is now being started down on it to test it below the present level. The reef from the old Beach claim has been worked up to ihe southwestern boundary, and has been proved payable. It is intended to have a series of trial crushings from different parts of the reef, aud a’so from several leaders in hand in various parts of the mine. The proprietors seem determined to thoroughly lest the value of t heir property, which some of them have hehl on to for a very long time. Captain Higgins is the mine manager. Shotover. —At a distance of 2G feet from the main shaft, the contractors pricked into a body of stone supposed to be ihe reef sought for. A few stones oriiy were taken out, so that it is not possible yet to say anything as to the value of the strike. Timbering up the drive and cleanhig out and stripping w.'Jl likely occupy a short time before they proceed to test the reef, or whatever it may be. The stone is a good looking, whitish blue, with quantities of metal in it. All Nations. — A partial cleaning up took place yesterday at the Kuranui Battery for this company. The show off the plates is better than it appeared last crushing, and there is more amalgam in the boxes than would be expected from the class of stone being reduced. There are about 3cwt. of specimens on hand, and each shift the amount is increased. The stuff now going through is from the same block of ground where the last months yield came. United Pumping Association. —A start was made yesterday at the excavations for the laying of the foundations for the large machinery about to be erected. The cutting of the stone at the Hape Creek will soon be finished, and no time will be lost in pushing on the work. Flying Cloud.— The men working in the drive which has been going in to drain the Sons of Freedom and Flying Cloud workings, put in a hole seven feet from the face, and yesterday, after three attempts, fired a shot, which drove through into| the old working, thus making a passage for water, which yesterday was pouring out in a large stream from the tunnel. By this afternoon the water will be run off enough to allow of work being resumed, and they will no doubt shortly break through, and enable the working of the mine to be procoeded with.

Black Angel. —The crushing for this company at Partington’s Bailery was com pleted yesterday, aud gave a return of 18 oz. retorted gold. The quantity of stone reduced is not to hand, but the yield was not a rich one. Now that the water in the Flying Cloud is about to be drained off, the company will be aide to continue sinking their winze, which they wore forced to abandon through water, and the best stone that has come out of the mine has come from that portion, so that the shareholders expect a far better return from their next crushing. TnE Whau.— The company’s own battery not being able to crush all the stone brought off the mine, 10 head have been engaged at the Manaltau baitery,and'they commenced sending down stuff yesterday. Middle Star,.—The battery consisting ■ of eight stampers is now in thorough good working order, and has three berdans attached. 0 The manager is crushing a lot of stuff from the surface, just in rear of the battery, and he has got several very rich specimens from the cap of the reef. As soon as the tramway through the hill to the back of the wire tramway is complete, he will send stuff down to the flat, and crush constantly there as weR as at his own machine. A winze is being driven on the leader in hand in the centre drive, which was not worked on formally, and is going through good country. The low-level adit from the Moanatairi Creek is in a distance of 150 feet, and when complete wifi enable the mine to be proved at a very great depth. Virginia City. —The lower drive seems to be approacning some body of stone. Water is coming in at the face freely, and the winze in the upper workings has been drained. The manager intends to go to work in the winze immediately. ‘ Nonpareil. —Another haul of fine specimens was made in this company’s ground yesterday from the stupes on the No. 2 reef. The quantity of specimens and picked stuff is mounting up daily, and ihe crushing at the Criterion Battery, is looking very well indeed. Green Isle. —Driving on the*leader on both sides of the tunnel is being continued, and good gold is being carried both ways. We have seen very good golden stone from this leader, from which a crushing will take place as soon as possible.