MINING.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 58, 13 December 1871, Page 3

MINING.

Caledonian. —Yesterday morning’, a quantity of good specimen stone was taken from the main reef, over the No. 3 winze, in which place the lode is about seven feet wide. Crushing is now going on, on a much larger scale than last week, and the next month’s yield will probably bo very good. TooivEY.—The reef, where cut through in the drive going from the Caledonian low level, is very much broken up. The walls are both well enough defined, but there are only three small veins of solid stone through a lot of broken-up mullock and stuff. The manager intends to push ahead with the drive, and ace what the reef is like farther on. Gold was certainly expected near the present place of operations, and it must be a severe disappointment to all concerned to find no outward sign of it where the reef lias been broken into. Some nine or ten feet further on is, however, the place where the best stuff was expected to be found, and by following the reef there is every possibility that it may make again and come in to its original character. Another thing which is within the bounds of possibility, is that the run may have taken a jump from its present course, and might be found again several feet away in cither direction, as has been the case in reefs before now. However, it is intended to find out what really lias taken place, and for this purpose no delay will take place in pushing ahead the work as fast as can possibly be done. The manager is sending a quantity of quartz to the Prince Alfred battery, to be tried, taken from the main reef at the 200 feet level in their own shaft. This stone, in which no gold has been seen as yet, is still very good-looking, and we shall be surprised if it turns out very poor. United Pumping Association.— Good progress is now being made with the works in course of erection for this company. The contractor has commenced to Jay the stone for the foundations around the shaft, at a depth of 40 feet from the surface, the first layer being now nearly complete. It was found necessary to carry tlio stone works down to this depth on account of the operations which had been carried on there in former days by the miners working in the ground, their drives, &c., having honeycombed it to Btich an extent that it would have been unsafe not to fill it all in again. Progress underground is also being made, sinking being continued. The air is at times bad, but not for any length of time. Sunbeam. —Work in this claim lias been carried on vigorously for some time past. The low level drive lias been carried in 35(3 feet, at which distance the reef was met with. The country is good working stuff. The reef is to be driven on for some distance until they get under the old workings, from which many good ernshings took place. When this is effected stoping and breaking down will be commenced, and crushing will be the order of the day, and good returns are confidently looked forward to. Another contract is also about to be let for connecting the present workings with the old Queen of the Isles tunnel, principally for the sake of ventilating the mine. We should be glad to sec mining in this little worked locality receive an impetus, as no doubt it would were this claim to get on good gold at their present depth. Bright Smile. —Some 50 tons of the tailings from this company’s crushings were sold yesterday at auction by Mi Craig, at the Prince Alfred Battery. They realised 4s Gd per ton, Messrs Savory, Dauby, and Co. being the purchasers. Iho shaft in the mine has been carried down to a depth of 47 feet below their first working level. Sinking lias been discontinued for the present, and they intend to open out on the reef and drive from where they now are. In a short time they expect to be able to lcsume sinking, as the Welter will be divided between them find the Queen of Beauty, who arc some feet lower than they are, as soon as the latter cut the reef. In the meantime stone is accumulating in the paddock, ready to be sent to the mill.

Lincoln Castle.— A parcel of stone from this claim lias been sent down to Vickery’s machine, on the Karaka Creek, as a trial from the reef being worked on. There are some 6 or 7 tons altogether. At present we cannot form any idea as to the probable result. Inverness. —There arc now some GO tons of stono in the paddocks, ready to send to the mill, as soon as arrangements are made. Bart of this is front tho Don Pedro end of the mine, and part from the reef in’ the Kuranui tunnel level. No difficulty will he experienced in keeping up constant crushing as soon as the shoots and trams are all laid down in the mine. The tributers are getting down another paddock of stuff to the Prince Allred machine, which will start to work on it as soon as ever it is ready. Eureka Hill.— The manager reports that he has struck the second specimen leader near the Teutonic ground, for which he has been driving. It is lying very fiat and lie thinks is simply the same lode, but that it has been split in two by a horse, and he fully expects that they will come together again. He will timber up and commence breaking down from the largo and small lodes, in both of which gold is visible. Manukau Battery.— This machine is now very busy crushing for the vYhau with ten head, for Lowe s lookey tribute with five head, for Willis’s Tookcy tribute with ten head, for the Flying Cloud with five head, the remaining ten being engaged on the company’s own stuff. Besides this there is a lot of stuff fiom Dixon’s No. 1, lying at the battery ; awaiting their turn.

Central Italy. —All the machinery and gear for this company has now arrived from Australia, the last consignment having just been landed from the ‘ Hero. Everything is progressing rapidly on the ground towards the erection of the engine, &c. The boiler is rapidly assuming the appearance of a boiler, the plates being rivettcd, and in a short time we expect to see something more than heaps of wood, loose iron, &c., lying about the shaft.