MINING.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 32, 13 November 1871, Page 3

MINING.

Caledonian. —2,o77oz of gold were lodged yesterday for the Company, and the whole return for the month was melted, and gave a return of 6,2410 z. This yield is far below what was anticipated, as there were over 25cwt of specimens crushed, besides the general stuff. In the mine, the works being carried on in the lower level are progressing rapidly. The main reef has been driven along for a distance of 15 feet, but has not been broken into at all. They have 10 feet further to go before breaking into the No. 3 winze, which-is very nearly deep enough to mijct the drive. When this_cpening is effected, it will not only give better air in the bottom levels, but will enable the management to work out the reef in a far more economical manner than they are now doing. In the drive to the south-west of the shaft, the specimen leader has been driven on some nine or ten feet, and though nothing very rich lias been seen at present, it looks very well, and carries gold all along. In the drive going in to the south-east, the specimen leader was cut on Saturday morning, but only a fev. small pieces of stone had been taken on. when our reporter was there. The stone contained a good deal of metal, and looked very well, although no gold was seen. This drive will enable the manager to open out on the specimen leader towards the north-west, leaving a block of some 40 feet wide close behind the shaft, which will not be touched at the present time. The block between No. 1 and 2 winzes is being rapidly knocked down, one of the stopes being _ within some four or five feet of the main level, and though nothing very rich was in sight on Saturday, the lode looks remarkably well. The main reef continues to show gold as it is worked on, and now that No. 3 winzo is on the point of completion very large quantities of stone can be sent down with little labour.

Otago. —The reef cut in the main drive on the lower level at a distance of 13G feet from the shaft is being driven on to the north-east. The contractors have driven some 15 feet on the reef, and a most remarkable change has taken place in the appearance of the lode and the country round it. Where cut in the drive the reef was very hard indeed, and had a most hungry, unpromising look about it, but at about eight feet it commenced to alter, water coming in from the roof, and it has now run out into a line soft lode, with good-looking veins of quartz running through it in places, and presenting a most promising appearance, one vein in the hanging wall in particular looking like carrying gold. The manager showed us a nice looking stone, showing good gold, which was picked out of a bucket of stuff from the reef on Satmday morning. There is at least five feet of good crushing stuff between the walls, and there seems every chance of this company having got on to a really promising run of the reef. The lode now is just the same in appearance as where the good run was come on in the Golden Grown, the similarity in the stone being remarkable. The contractors arc now obliged to timber as they drive, a thing they have not done in any other part of the drive. The No. 2 lode has been driven on as far as the boundary of the Caledonian, and looks very well in the face. The manager is going to sink a winze on the boundary, and also put up a rise and get stone out, and as they have some 1G feet in width from where gold was first found to their limit, they will have a good chance of getting some first rate crushing stuff out. The Red Queen tunnel is very nearly complete now, there being only about i 8 inches to drive on Saturday. The opening will be made at a height of about 100 feet from the bottom of the - Otago, and that will lie by far the pleasanter way of getting down, as 350 feet in a bucket down a shaft is anything but a ioke for one who is not accustomed to it.

Manukau. —The usual ..monthly retorting took place on Saturday. After about 140 had been crushed and resulted in a return of 88ozs 15dwts melted gold. There has been a less quantity of stone crushed this month than usual, and the return is slightly less than the average. Moanataiari. —The fortnight’s returns for this company amounted to 372 ozs lOdwts of melted gold. At their own machine only three days and a half crushing took place owing to the repairs necessary to the boiler bed, etc. The above return is therefore the result of stone crushed at the Tramway battery, and a lot of specimens reduced at thenown single stamper. On Wednesday next their contract for the use of the Tramway battery expires. Got, den Crown Tribute. —The fortnightly clean up for the tributers took place on Saturday, after about 80 tons had been put through, giving a return of 102ozs lGdwts of melted gold, or over an ounce and a quarter to the ton. This is a decided improvement on the last crushings they have had, the two last not giving an ounce to the ton. Royal Oak, Coromandel. —This company sent up 3040zs 15d\vts of retorted gold, the result of their crushing at the Nil Desperandum battery. The quantity of stone crushed for this yield is about 45 tons of general stuff, and three hundred weight of specimens, giving an average of Gozs 15dwts to the ton, another proof of the great richness of the Coromandel reefs. Ashley Tribute. —The quantity of stone crushed for this tribute was 46 tons, the yield from which, 2Gozs Odwts, was reported on Saturday. Inverness Tribute. —The retorting for this tribute from the 45 tons crushed at the Prince Alfred battery took place on Saturday, and gave a return of 70ozs of retorted gold, or an average of loz lldwts to tho ton. Waiotahi Battery. —The management arc erecting another live head of stampers at their machine, which will make a total of 20 head. Five head are now at work for the Prince Imperial, five for one of Tookey’s tribute parties, and the other fivefor the company’s tributers. Suootino Star. —A meeting of the shareholders of the Shooting Star claim was held at the office of Mr. F. J. Wardell, on Friday evening, tho 10th inst., when it was unnniino isly resolved to form a goldmining company under the Limited Liability'Act, It was resolved that the capital of tho company he £IO,BOO, in 5,400 si: .res of £2 each, £L 15s per share to bo considered as paid tip. Mr. Wardell was appointed to act as legal manager, and was instructed to take the necessary steps for tho proper formation of the company. It was decided to proceed with the present workings at once, and to get out stuff for crushing ns soon as possible. The loader where worked on is some two feet wide, and looks well, and there are some 3011'S. of good specimen atone on hand. Queen of the Thames. —A contract for driving the first 50 feet on thereof hns been accepted, and work will he commenced to-day. According to survey they will have to drive about 150 feet along this reef, which crops out on the surface near the Kurnka tramway, before reaching the City of London reef, on which they intend I to work.

City of London. —The contractors got through the hard bar, in which they had been working for some time, on Thursday last, and arc now in good working country. 25 feet further sinking will finish the present cODtract, and they intend to go down 20 feet still deeper before opening out to drive to the reef. They will then have about 30 feet to go from the shaft to cut the reef. It is the intention of the directors to take steps for the erection of machinery for the more efficient working of the mine. Bright Smile. —Sinking the shaft in the Company’s ground will be commenced to-day. They intend to continue it 60 feet further down, and then to open out and drive along the reef, which will give them a splendid block of ground the entire length of their claim to work out. No great inflow of water is anticipated, as up to the present depth, 90 feet, they have had none at all to speak of. The branch leader, where met in the crosscut, is about 15 inches wide, and looks exceedingly well, showing gold freely, and will, according to present appearances, prove a valuable addition to the Company. United Pumping Association. — The excavations for laying the foundations for the machinery are now down to the required depth, and the men are engaged levelling the ground preparatory to putting the stone - down. The large blocks of limber on which the column to rest are being sent down the shaft, to be placed in position on the large frame already fixed down below. The work is making rapid progress, and will soon begin to show up round the shaft. American Eagle. —The mine manager of the American Eagle brought down 181hs weight of very good specimen slone on Saturday, which was left at the company’s office. Driving on the reef is going on to catch a seam of gold wo iked on in the upper levels, and these specimens were taken out in the last few feet, being a distinct run from that already mentioned. Stuff is being grassed for another crushing, but work is slow at present, the reef being hard. The manager informs us that upon proceeding to the Thames Advertiser office to give the above information, in accordance with instructions received from the legal manager, their mining reporter informed him that lie couhl not take it unless lie promised not to give the information to the other papers. Comment on this course of action is needless on our part. We leave the public to form their own opinion on the matter.