MINING.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 50, 4 December 1871, Page 3

MINING.

Goi.den Calf. —On Saturday morning, the workmen in the Golden Calf shaft came on to a body of stone, dipping into the shaft from the south-west corner. A small quantity of the quartz was brought to the surface, and several small pieces, containing gold, were picked out, but nothing very heavy as yet At present, it is impossible to estimate the value of the find, as the lode has only been pricked into some six inches or so. The stone is healthy looking and firm, nnd contains a litlle metal through it. No further work on the quartz was done on Saturday, as they were obliged to timber up, but to-day sinking will be continued, and something more will soon be known as to the size and quality of the leader or reef. When the footwall is reached, then we can judge what it is likely to be. The lode is lying rather fiat where touched, far more so than was expected if it bo the same that was touched in the Central Italy.

Italian. —The contractors have now driven 11 feet from the shaft towards the reef, and the country' is getting softer as as they go on. There are a great number of small quartz veins running all over the place in a regular net work, nearly all bearing in the right direction. This looks well for tho proximity of the reef. Golden Crown. —A clean up for the company took place at their own battery on Saturday, after some 60 tons bad been pit through, and the result was 64 ozs. 14 dwts. of melted gold. There will be a return to-day from the stone crushed at the Tararu battery during the past week. The quantity of stone reduced lias been much smaller than usual, as the manager was engaged for some days making trial crushings for some of the tributers. On No. 2 reef in the low level the manager is driving towards the winze down from the upper level, taking down part of the reef as be goes. This drive is now in a distance of six feet out of the fourteen required, and progress is rather slow, as the stuff is very hard indeed. Tho drive along the No. 1 reef has just about reached the boundary of the Caledonian, and breaking clown will be commenced at once and the stone crushed. None of tho quartz taken from the No. 2 reef at the low level has ns yet been tested.

Inverness Tribute. —A crushing for the tributers of the above company was finished at the Prince Alfred battery on Saturday', after four clays run with ten head, about 50 tons being put through. The amalgam is not yet retorted, but the return is not expected to be equal to former crushings. New Caledonia. —For some distance in driving the reef had become pinched, and was no more than three inches wide in places, but all along the men found gold, which encouraged them to follow it up, and it has now widened out again, and is still increasing in size. Just after it commenced to get larger, they came on to good gold, and the best specimens wo have yet seen from the mine were taken out, some pieces of very' nice stone being now at the office of the company. The stone is very nice looking, ancl the gold is quite coarse through it, with plenty of other metal on the stone. The crushing which has been stopped for some time, will be resumed again almost immediately, and good results are confidently expected. Star of the Thames (late Shooting Star.—Another parcel of Dibs, of specimens were brought down to the office from the mine on Saturday last, which, makes a total of 1801bs. now on band. They have commenced to send down their stone to the Tramway battery to be crushed. It will be commenced to-day, and a yield of at least 3ozs. to the ton, including specimens is expected.

Brittannia. —A small parcel of 4ozs. 72 grs. melted gold was lodged in the bank on Saturday, the result of the crushing at Vickery’s Battery. The return is much smaller than was expected, not being payable. What gold there was camo out of the boxes, the show on tho plates being very poor. There is a large parcel of stone lying ready to he crushed at the Four Georges machine, which will yield much better than this, hut they are unable to reduce it, owing to want of water power to work the wheel.

Una. —The last fortnight’s return shows a marked improvement on the late average returns, being this time 2820z5. ldwt. of melted gold from the usual quantity of stone put through—about 250 tons. The stone now coming out is just as good, and an equally good return may' he looked for at the next clean up. Kuranui. —The fortnightly return for this company shows a large increase on the former one, the quantity of melted gold hanked on Saturday being 248 ozs. 13 dwts. The usual quantity of stone was crushed at their own battery', the quality being much better. All Nations. —Another good month’s yield has come from this company's ground. On Saturday, the usual monthly clean up took place for a return of 868 ozs. This will enable the directors to declare another good dividend immediately. Crushing is again going on, and there is no diminution in the quantity or the quality of the stone being brought out. Good returns may be looked forward to for some time to come from this company, as there is a large quantity of proved rich ground really to work out still above their 280 foot level.

Central Italy. — Good progress is being made with the erection of this company's plant. On Saturday, the second pair of poppet legs were got into position, and in a short time will he all complete, and properly secured. The boiler and other gear, which arrived by the 1 City of Adelaide, are being carted up on to the claim, and the whole of the necessary plant will shortly l>c on the ground.