MINING.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 26, 6 November 1871, Page 3

MINING.

Ballarat and Rising Sun. —The report that gold liffd been got in this company's’ ground turns out to be true. A winze is bring sunk on the reef from tbe upper level in a drive which is on the boundary of the Rising Sun and Triangle grounds, and consequently 250 feet away from the Shamrock. The reef in the bottom of the winze is a good two feet wide, and very well defined, the stone carrying a largo quantity of the brown looking

mineral, which is in so many reefs a sure indication of gold. About 15 lbs weight of very nice stone containing good gold was taken out of the foot wall of the reef at the bottom of the winze, and in a large stone broken on the heap at the mouth of the drive, a good patch of gold was seen. When this winze is down another 40 feet, and the low level drive carried in to meet it, there will be a block of ground available for working and opening out on, 250 feet in length and iri some places 150 feet in height, between the present workings and the Shamrock, and they will also he able to open out in the opposite direction, as their ground runs for some distance down the spur. We arc informed that the last crushing of 33 tons of stone taken from just above where the winze is going down, yielded 100 ozs. of gold. There is very little doubt that the company has a valuable block of ground in their possession, which only requires to be properly opened up to give them good returns. Shamrock. —The crushing going on at the Criterion for this company at the two stamper battery is showing up for a rich return, the plates look very well, and good stone is still being brought out of the mine. Caledonian. The amount of gold lodged for the week’s crushing was 2,148 ozs., not as much as was expected, as about 17cwt. of specimens were crushed on Friday, and a larger yield was looked for. The total amount of gold now in bank for the three weeks is 4,1640 z. By next Saturday the amount will most likely be largely increased, as a large quantity of good specimens have been taken out since the crushing just completed. It was reported in town that good gold had been taken from the main reef in the lower level. We have not been able to get any confirmation of the report, but we hardly imagine that it can be correct, as from our last information working on tlie reef down below had not been commenced,and it will in all probability, be some little time before it is opened out on. Imperial Crown. —A crushing for a party of tributers, who are working in the Golden Hill ground, for this company took place at Souter’s battery. The amount of stone put through was 17 tons, which gave a yield of l'Joz. lOdwt. melted gold . The Ashley Tribute. The party working this ground on tribute have now employed the whole force of Grove’s battery, and tlie crushing is looking very well for a good payable return. We are glad to see the likelihood of some good returns from this district, which has for some time past been rather in the shade.

Golden Spur. —The crushing going on at Bull’s battery looks well, tlie plates showing richly. There are close on 100 tons to be put through, which will be finished this week. This is the first crushing since the claim was formed into a company some few weeks ago, and we arc glad to sec that the management have lost no time in getting properly to work. Shotover. —The weekly clean up for the tributers gave a return of 25ozs. from about 35 tons put through. Besides this, they have on hand about 70 or 80 lbs. of picked stone, which will more than double the yield for the week. They have nearly finished working out the ground at their present level, and are commencing to take away the stuff at the next stage, some 20 feet below. The main shaft of the company is now down some 20 feet below the level of the drive opened out on the reef, and the manager expects ere long to strike something. In the bottom, on tlie All Nations side of the shaft, the country is getting softer and much better looking, and the reef may be met now at any moment. Driving on the reef is still going on, and plenty of metal is seen in the stone.

Cyclops, Upper Tararu. —The low level tunnel going in to cut the reef is now finished for about 50 feet. The country is very good driving stuff,the tunnel beingclose timbered all the way in. No further work has been done on the reef, there being too much water to work in the winze, which is down to a depth of 35 feet.

Kuranui. —The yield for the past fortnight shows a great falling off from the previous crushing, being only 109 oz. Gdwt melted gold, as against 2190 z. 7d\vt. Part of the time, however, they have not had as many stamps employed as usual, the All Nations having had the use of 22 head at the battery for a great part of the time.

Una.—The return for the fortnight, though hardly equal to the last, is yet up to the average, being 187 oz. melted gold from the same quantity of stuff as is usually crushed, about 250 tons. Golden Crown. —This companys return for the fortnight shows an increase of 29 ozs. on the previous one. The amount of melted gold is 147 ozs. 16 dwts. 12 grs., as against 119 ozs. North Devon. —The trihuters of this company lodged 25 ozs of gold in the bank from the crushing out of their reef at Weston’s battery. The stuff was not by any means good, the return being rather a poor one. We have not yet got the amount put through for this yield. The gold when melted weighed 24 ozs. 4 dwts. 12 grs. Nonpareil. —The manager lodged 96 ozs. 6 dwts. of .gold on Saturday. This is from the cleaning up of the plates, and is the first deposit towards the next months yield. The Waitemata people are driving away from the main'adit, and are now in about 11 feet into their own ground, without much change in the country or the appearance of the lode. No doubt when they get into the old workings there will be a large quantity of water let out, but as a correspondent to onn of the papers seemed to ho afraid that they wore going to swamp the Nonpareil mine, we may inform him that they need not run the water into the workings unless they wish to do so. In all probability tli? manager will prefer to run it out through the main adit into the Moanataiari creek. All Nations. —A further lodgment of 43Goz. of gold was made on Saturday by the manager, bringing the total amount in the bank up to 820ozs. The balance will he sent in this morning, and the whole lot will be melted at the same time. The total result will he equal to, if not more, than that for last month. Bird-in-lland. —This company’s shaft is now down 75 feet, and is still perfectly .dry and in good sinking ground. . We have not yet' been able to ascertain the truth of the repoi c that the leader come on, in the Bright Smile ground goes into the Bird-in-Hand, hut we have been credibly informed that such is the case. Windsor Castle. —Iu the low level tunnel a large boulder was come upon in the face of the drive, and men are now employed in getting through it. As soon as ever they get through it they expect to get the reef so long wished for. The inllow of water is very great. Cock-a-Doodle. —A rise is being put up on the reef near where the gold was got, in order to stope and get stone out for crushing. Driving is also to he continued towards the winze sunk from the upper drive. Though this may not he the same reef (as some assert) worked on

above, it has some connection with it, for as soon as ever it was touched tlie ivinze before mentioned began to drain, and soon was emptied, besides which they fill 1 v expected to meet fh° about where it was found. Crushing will take place at the Missouri battery as soon as the stuff can be got down. There is no appearance of copper in the reef where now worked on. Smiling Beauty.— The water is coming in pretty fast now, but they are able to keep it down with buckets. They hope that the inflow will gradually decrease, and enable them to get down. Should it not do so, however, they will not he able to go down to the required depth with baud work. Many of the wells in the neighbourhood have run dry during the last few days. The total return of gold from known companies and claims since the Ist inst. is 3,9520z5.