MINING.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 34, 15 November 1871, Page 3

MINING.

Queensland. —A meeting of the shareholders of the Queen of May and Best Wrinkle No 2 claims was held at the office of Mr F. J. Wardcll, Grahamstown, when it was agreed to take out a lease for the two claims, and to form a company under the Limited Liability Act, such company to be called the Queensland G.M. Co. (Registered). Mr. Wardell was appointed legal manager, and was instructed to apply for a lease at once, and to take the necessary steps for the proper formation of the company. The leader from which tlio ton of stone was crushed tlie day before yesterday, and which yielded 9 ozs of melted gold, runs through both pieces of ground and will be worked on and broken down for crushing immediately. There has been a good deal of gold taken from this neighbourhood at different times since the first claims were pegged out. and most of the rims of gold have been very rich indeed. Wc trust that the one now opened will prove as good as those formerly wrought on. Oriental. —The manager is working on a leader about a foot wide in the long drive in the upper levels, and getting out some seven or eight tons for a trial crushing. Gold has been seen in several stones though nothing very rich lias yet been brought to light, and the stone looks very well and likely for gold. In the lower drive from the creek level, they are breaking down a reef some three feet wide which lias only been opened up for about eight or nine feet, and from which no trial has as yet taken place. The stone is of a dark blue color and hard, with tlie exception of a seam of nice soft stone and mullock in the centre of the reef, and in which tlie color lias been seen as worked on. Tlie manager is going to send a few tons of this reef to the mill in order to test its value, and if it only gives an average return it will prove of great value, from tlie size of the lode and the great quantity of it contained in the ground. Italian. —The mine having been inspected by the management, they have resolved to open out from their present level instead of sinking any further through the hard country in which the shaft has been put down. They thought a short time since that the hard ground had been gone through, but it turned out to be only about two feet of a soft clay seam which had come in, so they now propose to drive for the reef, which is expected to be met with in a short distance. The soft stuff mentioned will make the driving much easier, and ere long they will be able to prove whether tlie ground is as valuable as they expect or not. Hand and Band. —The second contract for sinking this company’s shaft lias been completed for about 13 feet, and the country is pretty hard and tough. They expect to get on to tlie reef at about 170 feet, and are now down 113, so that they have to sink 57 feet or so before reaching the reef sought for. It is not at all improbable that some other lode may not be cut before reaching the Prince Imperial reef, which is in hand in their workings, at a depth of 125 feet. Mart Ann. —The contractors have smarted driving along the reef towards the Italian ground, in order to take out stone for crushing. It was proposed to drive towards the leader cut in the Red Queen ground, and to meet their drive about the boundary, but they do not intend to do so until they have tested the value of their own reef at the present level. Bank of New Zealand. —The long tunnel is still being pushed ahead in search of the Multuin-in-Paiwo reef, but up to the present with no success, though according to calculation they should have cut it somo time since. On Friday last a stringer about half an inch wide in the top of the drive, widening out to two inches at the bottom, was cut through, but they arc pushing still ahead and have not opened out on the vein to test it at present. This company merits some success, as they have worked most perseveringly and against great difficulties for a long time. El Dorado. —It was reported in town yesterday,that gold had been struck in the 150 feet level in this company’s ground. We have not seen any stone yet, but from the source whence our information conies we believe it to be reliable.

Dixon’s No. I.—The crushing of the last lot from the surface block of the reef was finished yesterday, at the Manukau batter} r . The quantity put through was 30 tons, and the return obtained was the very satisfactory one of 500z5., or at the rate of loz. 13dwts. to the ton—about the same yield as that obtained from the last GO tons. No more stone from this reef will be crushed until the winze is sunk to .meet the Rose and Shamrock tunnel, when all the stuff will be sent down Tinker’s Gully, to the Ballarat and Clunes battery.

Windsor Castle. —The rush of water from the face is now very great indeed, although the stone is still very hard. The water in the winze sunk on the reef has been reduced three feet since yesterday, which is a good sign that the reef is now close at hand.

Yale of Avoca. —The winze being sunk on the boundary of this claim and the Noi'thern Pacific is now very nearly down, and as soon as it is completed, which will probably be to-day, the manager intends to set to work immediately to open and stope out a block of the reef 50 feet high the whole length of their ground, from which some excellent stone will betaken, and good returns are confidently looked forward to. Smiling Beauty. —The shaft is now down about 30 feet, and they are well into the clay. The inflow of water is all from the drift gone through above, and puddling-up will be commenced to-day, when they will be able to make good pro-

gress with their sinking, unless they happen to come across another drift lower down.

Black Angel. —The manager lias requested us to contradict the report that appeared in the columns of our contemporary, yesterday, to the effect that an excellent yield was expected «from the present crushing. Nothing of the sort is looked for, as the stuff going through contains a quantity of mullock, nearly.the whole of what is taken out of the winze being put into the hopper, on account of the great difficulty of separating the stuff. CityofSt.JAndrews. —The drive going in from the bottom of the shaft has run into some very hard blue rock, and progress is in consequence very slow. There is a great inflow of water. The reef cannot now be very far away, and no stoppage will be made till it is reached. Caledonian.— Owing to a slight accident to one of the buckets yesterday, the pumps had to be stopped for_ about an hour, but after that they worked away as well as ever. There is no change of any consequence in the appearance of tlie mine gold being seen still in the main face. Shares yesterday were much firmer and advanced slightly in price. Otago. —The reef has been driven on some twenty feet and continues to look very well. Some gold was got yesterday morning from the stuff sent up, but it is very hard to see it unless it is well looked for, on account of the quantity of mullock over the stone.

Crown Royal.— This company have started to sink their shaft on the flat opposite to the Catholic Chapel, in Queenstreet. They sunk some six feet yesterday, and got water. The manager intends to raise the shaft about five feet above the level of the ground, in order to work more conveniently. Central Italy. —The engine and all the fixings were landed yesterday, and a large portion carted up on to the ground, including the cylinder bed and the large fly-wheel, as well as all the smaller fittings. No delay will take place in getting everything fixed and in order, pending the arrival of the boiler per next ‘ Hero.’

The Tokatea gold, when melted, weighed 1,2020z5. 12dwts. The 33ozs. from the Masonic was reduced to 31 ozs. 12dwts. 12grs.; and the 3ozs. from the Wavcrlcy to 2ozs. 2dwts. Queen of the Thames. —We are informed that the lessee of the Karaka Tramway put a stop yesterday to the workings being commenced by this company, claiming, we believe, the G feet on each side of the tramway allowed by the goldfields regulations, though their work docs not at all interfere with the traffic. The Inspector of Works is, we believe, going up to inspect the ground to-day, and decide as to what is to be done.