THE Thames Guardian AND MINING RECORD. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1871. MONTHLY SUMMARY.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 45, 28 November 1871, Page 2

THE Thames Guardian AND MINING RECORD. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1871. MONTHLY SUMMARY.

OUR GOLD FIELDS. DuiiiXG Hie past month we are glad to be able to say that the somewhat gloomy aspect ot : affairs, which hung over our leading mine at the end of October, has entirely passed over, and that it is once more turning out very large quantities of gold. The water which had flooded the Caledonian lower level workings was all cleared out, and work resumed on the Ist of November, and on the 2nd the main reef was met with in the cross-cut to the north-west. No stone was knocked down with the exception of a few pounds where it was first touched, but the manager proceeded to drive along the course of the lode in order to open up communication with the main level through No. a winze, which was being carried down on the footwall of the reef. Shares were bought and sold up to the 14th, at prices ranging from £127 10s to £llO. On the 14th,'the day the s.s. ‘Hero’ left for Australia, a panic seized the market, and they were sold as low as £75, gradually recovering themselves, and rising to £O7 10s., receding afterwards to £BS and £OO, about which figure they now stand. On the 15th inst., a dividend of £5 per share was paid, amounting to £14,300, the total amount of gold turned out for the month being G,2410z5., which, with 4,7280z5. from the previous month, gave a total of 10,0690z5., from which the above dividend was declared. From the above quantity of gold a much larger dividend was expected, and this was, perhaps, partly the cause of the sudden fall in the price of shares. On the 17th the drive in the low level broke through into the winze, and on the 18th a large lot of picked stone was brought out and crushed, bringing the week’s yield up to 3,29G0z5. Since then specimens have come out in fair quantities, and on the 25th 3,0940z5. were lodged, making G,3900z5. for the fortnight, out of which a second dividend of £5 was declared, making the total dividend for the month £28,(500 ; and the yield for November 10,G150z5., as against 4,7280z5. for October. The run of gold visible in the face of the main workings is very rich, and a larger return is looked for during the coming month. The reef has been broken into in the lower level, but not under the run of gold, so that nothing can be said at present as to its value at this depth, but a very much larger quantity of stone can now bo taken from the mine with little extra expense, and we look forward with confidence to a continuance of rich returns from this our leading mine. In Tookcy’s ground, great progress has been made during the past month. Sinking the main shaft has been continued ever since the water was reduced in the Caledonian mine, and driving towards the main reef, from the 200 foot level, was also carried on. On the 18th the reef was touched, and has since been gone through, but no gold found, none being expected in that part of the lode. The Caledonian drive reached the boundary of the lease a few days since, and work is now about to be commenced on the reef from the Caledonian workings, into where the run

of gold is ab present going, so that by our next summary we confidently expect to have to record some good yields of gold from this claim. The tributers working the upper.levels of the mine have not turned out so much stcuc this month as last, having done a lot of dead work ; hut the quart/, crushed was quite equal in quality to that formerly produced. Regarding progressive works on the field, we must place the United Pumping Association at the head of the list, not only on account of the magnitude of their operations, which arc on a larger scale than anything of the sort ever attempted in the colony, but on account of the results which are expected to be arrived at, namely, the proving of the ground at a far greater depth than yet attempted. During the month the corner stone of their heavy foundationsfor the machinery was laid, and great progress has been made with the building in of the stone which has been turned out in excellent style from the Hapc Greek quarry. They have enlarged the shaft of the Imperial Crown company from 11 feet 7 inches to 19 feet 8 inches, by 10 feet 8 inches, in order to admit of the large cistern, plunger, and other fittings for the immense pumping gear which is about to be erected. The present depth of the shaft is 225 feet, at which the cistern will be placed, and from thence down for ths next 200 feet the shaft will be the same size as it is on top. At this depth, 400 feet, another plunger will be put in, and,

if necessary, the shaft will he carried on ! down to a still further distance, there being 500 feet of pumping gear at present I on hand. The Albion Company’s shaft is 1 making good progress, being now down a depth of about 120 feet, through very good working country. The contract for the sinking of the next 100 feet will be let almost immediately, all the timber

being on the ground in readiness to proceed with it without delay. The bed for the engine and winding and pumping gear is also being prepared, but this will not be ready for use till after the next contract is completed. The result of the sinking of j this shaft will he looked forward to I with intense interest by all connected I with mining in this locality, as the shaft will be the deepest on the field when 1

finished, and will be a work of great expense. The Shotover pumps were idle for several days this month for repairs, consequently work had to he discontinued; hat everything is now in full swing again, the whole force of the battery being employed crushing for the tributers, who are working the surface block of the claim, and who have still two months’ work before their time is up. The stuff being crushed pat's them very well, averaging all round overall ounce to t lie ton, and it i

is very inexpensively worked The main j shaft is now down to a depth of 335 feet, I sinking being carried on through good j

kindly looking country. At 300 feet the j reef was opened out on,and was found to be |

some six feet wideband at the t r ; a j crushing yielded 4d\vts. to the ton, provim. that gold does exist, though in small quantities. The manager is driving ak the reef, which is eight feet wide, toward the N.E. boundary of the claim, to <* c t under where tlm gold is expected to n, a down. The sinking of this company', shaft is now being anxiously watched \ the junction of the All Nations reef with the one now worked on is expected to take place a very little lower down, and great things are looked for where such junction docs tako place. Should any. thing rich he found where expected, the value of all the claims on the line of the Long Drive and All Nations reef will h, considerably enhanced. The All Nations claim is continuing to turn out well seventeen head of stampers being eou! stantly employed crushing stone, which yields very well indeed. On the 13th of the month, a dividend of six shillings pet share on the 5,400 shares was declared amounting to £1,G20 out of 993 ozs, the result of four weeks crushing. The yield for this month will be quite up to the average, and next week tho shareholder expect another dividend, nearly, if not quite as large as the last, The Inverness, next to the All Nations, have been for j long time very quiet, nothing but dead work being carried on. Now, however, everything being in readiness to proceed systematically to work, stone will be broken out, and crushing will bo commoncod, from which first-rate returns nie confidently looked forward to. The reef, where exposed, at both ends of the claim, looks very well indeed, and gold has been taken out from the different points worked on, By next month wc fully expect to have to place this claim amongst the list of pay. ing properties on the field. The Kuramii tunnel, to which the claims through which it runs owe so much, from the facilities aiforded them for working their ground at a low level, has made good progress during the month, being now in a distance of over 1,100 feet, and having gone nearly through the Inverness ground, in a couple of months it will be well into the Moanataiari Company’s ground, and it will, without doubt, prove an immense advantage to them, as from the extent of ground possessed by them they will ho able to do a very large amount of work whenever they get a good low level adit into their ground, and this want the Kuranui tunnel will supply. The Moanataiari company have during the past month crushed 752 tons of quartz for a yield of 787 ounces of gold, which must be considered as very good. They have during the past month done a good deal towards opening up the mine at the lower levels. No. 1 winze was sunk from their lower level on No. 9 lode for a distance of 45 feet, when the water came in on them and forced

them to abandon it. No. 2 winze was then put down GO feet away from No. 1, and some very good gold got out, the water by this time having been got under. These winzes are to he carried down to meet the tunnel now coming into their ground, and some splendid returns are looked for. Tho block between the two winzes is ready to be broken down, and, from the gold visible in the stone, is expected to yield well. There arc now some 250 tons of far better stone than the last crushed on hand, which will he reduced this mouth, and will give good returns. No. 10 lode, which runs parallel to No. 0 at a distance of about 75 feet further east, is also known to be gold bearing, and is four feet wide. This is not at present worked, as the crushing power at the command of the company is not sufiicient to reduce all the stuff they now can get out; but where worked on, in the Morning Star lias always given first rate returns. The comnanv are also now

proceeding to open up their ground from the western side in the Kurnuui Gully, and stone is now being brought out to be crushed. From the immense area of ground (O'J men’s ground) possessed by the company, and the known gold-hearing reefs, we anticipate soon having to place the Moanataiari Company amongst the list of dividend paying mines. The Nonpareil have produced for the month’s crushing 4770z5. Gdwts. of gold, which shows a large falling oif from the previous month’s return, they having crushed a much smaller quantity of stone, and obtained fewer specimens. We do not anticipate any very large yields from this mine for a month or so, until their shaft goes down and enables them to open out a block of ground at a lower level. When this is done large returns will be the

result. They got some splendid specimens from a branch leader bearing oil’ the main reef towards the Central Italy ground, which is now being driven on, and continues to show good gold. The Central Italy machinery has arrived from Melbourne, the engine and fittings by the ‘ Hero ’ in the middle of the month, and the boiler and winding gear by the ‘City of Adelaide ’ yesterday. The ground is nearly ready to receive everything now, all the timber. &c., necessary for the work being on the mine, and the manager is hard at work getting everything in full working order. The late find in the Nonpareil, which shows well for this mine, has had the effect of creating a slight

demand for the company’s shares, which have been well and firmly held all the time the mine has been idle. The tunnel going in from the Moanataiari Creek, to meet the Golden Calf and Central Italy shafts, is making good progress, having

got into splendid working ground, and will be ready to work through as soon as the engine and machinery Jarc started.. The Golden Calf have drained their mine, and continued the sinking of their shaft. They have succeeded in getting through the hard dyke in which they had been sinking, and are now in good country, daily expecting to reach the body of stone cut in the Central Italy shaft, which showed gold when found. If they should come across this, no doubt the Central shaft would he drained, and they would be enabled to continue their sinking immediately. The Otago have been working on the No. 2 reef, where they struck gold at the cud of last month. They have driven in to the Caledonian boundary, and arc now sinking a winze on the boundary, seeing gold as they go down. The main reef, which was

| most unpromising in appearance when cut ! in the drive, has been driven on, and has I now entirely changed in its character, J having become softer, and gold has been ! frequently seen as the stone is brought to | the surface. By next month we will have ; to give the result of a crushing which is to take place as a trial from both the No. 1 and No. 2 lodes. 4he Red Queen, too, have during the month conic on gold in a cross leader, about a foot thick, some very nice golden stone having been taken out. The value of the find has not yet been tested very far. the reef having been simply driven on. The manager now intends to rise on it, and prove its value at a higher level. I his leader runs evidently from the main reef in the claim towards the Mary Ann reef, with which is expected to form a junction not very far from the boundary of the two claims. A crushing of a quail”

tity of stone will take place shortly, which is expected to yield well. The Middle Star have started their machine to work again, and arc now in full swing. The result of their first crusihng for a fortnight was not rich, the stone put through being taken from the surface and yielding over half an ounce to the ton, which, though a small return, was payable. The stone now being reduced is from a leader formerly known as the Hatters, and is turning out very well indeed. A good return may be looked for this fortnight. The Shooting Star have turned out about 1401bs. of splendid specimens from their reef, and the claim is now being formed into a company. The reef, which is four feet wide, is looking remarkably well, and a crushing will soon take place. The two low level tunnels going in from the Moanataiari for the Sons of Freedom and Middle Star are making good progress, and will, when finished, give a great impetus to mining in this neighbourhood. The Sons of Freedom are at work in their upper levels, and, in a few feet more driving, expect to be working on gold. The Flying Cloud are taking out golden stone from both ends of the mine, and expect to get on to the rich run formerly worked on a short time, when something handsome is confidently looked forward to. The black Angel (also on the same line of reef as the Middle Star, Sons of Freedom - , and Flying Cloud) arc getting gold in their winze as they go down on the reef, and after they have sunk to the water level they intend to open out and break down stone. This reefs bids fair to turn out well, gold in payable quantities having been obtained in it wherever it has been opened, from the Windsor Castle up to the Wliau and Alburnia. The Alburnia having completed their battery, 1 ramway, and shoots, have now'started to crush the stone which was lying in the paddocks ready for the mill, and from this forward may be looked on as a sure gold producer. The mine looks well wherever worked, and gold isfrequently seen in good quantities in the specimen leader and also in the main reef. The Ilose and Shamrock tunnel, which is coming in from Tinker’s gully, will prove of immense advantage to this and the neighbouring mines, opening them up, as it will do, at a great depth. From the large extent of ground on the line of so many known gold bearing lodes possessed by this company, their property must be considered one of the finest outside claims on the. field. Dixen’s No. 1 have finished working all the surface blocks in the mine, and are now sinking their winze down to meet the Rose and Shamrock low level tunnel, which will open up their mine for them at a splendid depth, giving a largo amount of work to do on their reef. On the Punga Flat mining is rather quiet, the lluby being stopped by foul air, which, however, will be cleared out in a few days. The Bendigo Independent and the El Dorado tributers are working and getting good returns. The Multnm-in-Parvo are at present idle, owing to their claim having been jumped. The case was tried, and the Warden forfeited their ground, but remitted the forfeiture on payment of a fine. Work will shortly be resumed, there being now some 50 tons of rich stone in the paddocks ready for crushing. The Vale of Avoca has just started to work, having opened their reef at a low level, and crushing will soon be the order of the day. The Waiotahi Creek is more than usually quiet now. The Brighton Company arc prospecting their ground thoroughly, crushing at their own machine. The Golden Age tributers still keep up crushing at the Criterion Battery. The New Caledonia is turning out well, the reef having improved greatly, and the present crushing is looking very well.

The Shamrock, Ballarat and Rising Sun, Golden Lion, and Queensland arc all in full swing, aud working with good prospects before them of something good. Of the claims working on the township fiat the Bright Smile must rank first as being a good gold producer. They have reduced 330 tons during the month for a total yield of 34Gozs., and are still hard at work. The other claims on the Flat are all working; but none of the others are at present working on anything payable. The Una Company continue to keep up their usual monthly average of close on 4000z5., but nothing very rich is expected until tlieir low level tunnel is in. The claims on the Ilapc Creek arc looking up, the George Stevenson continuing to turn out good specimens. 501bs. of stone having yielded 70ozs. melted gold. The

Black Forest have also got the same leader in hand, and have turned out some very good stone. The Golden Spur will soon be turning out some more good stuft, their last crushing of 100 tons having j proved more than payable. The Karaka Creek is very very quiet just now, few claims producing any gold, but a little prospecting is going on, and something good may be turned out erelong, lararu has taken a move ahead this month, the Californian having sent out some stone for crushing, and the Cock-a-I)oodle having turned out some very good gold indeed. Crushing is now going on for this company attheMissouri,and is shaping for a good return. Some of the. mines up Tinker’s Gully, the Highland Chief and the Felix, are also turning out stone, and •will be ready to crush as soon as the Government tramway now being made is finished as far as their paddocks. In the Upper Tararu district nothing of consequence has taken place. Ihe road up the creek has not yet been made, much as it is needed, and consequently very little can be expected from this at present out of the way district. That there are many j good payable reefs up there is now placed almost beyond the possibility of a doubt, and machinery only is needed to have them thoroughly doveloped. Mining at fi-apu is moving on at about the same steady pace as it has been doing for some time past, nothing fresh having been found lately. At Coromandel, however, things in the mining line seem to be going ahead every month. Many claims are now working on gold, and the only thing that prevents a larger quantity of gold from being produced, is the want of crushiag machinery, which, however, will soon be remedied if the want continues. The total amount of gold Known to have been pioduced from the Ist of April to the Ist of November, a space of seven months, is 18,514 ounces from 2,918 tons, or an ayerage of over G ounces to the ton, j'lnch proves the richness of the lodes m t ie district. The yield from Coromandel for the current month is somewhere about 5,000 ounces, showing a decided improvement on the average of the several past months. The Tokatea mine, which is the leading one ef the district, has turned out about 3.500 ounces for the past five weeks crushing, a splendid return, averaging as it does some 7 ounces to the ton. the increase in the yield for November over October is, as will be seen by oiu list of returns, 8,500 ounces, which, after deducting the 5,887 ounces of increase in the Caledonian yield, leaves a balance of 2,072 ounces in favor of the outside claims,