MINING.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 85, 17 January 1872, Page 3

MINING.

Caledonian. —About 4cwt of good specimens were brought out of the mine yesterday, which will make a total quantity now on band of about 9001 b. The show in the face is still very good, and a further quantity of rich stone may lie expected out in a day or so. No other news of any importance is to band from the mine. The gas is rather bad sinking the main shaft.

Rose and Shamrock. —The tunnel going in through this ground, which will enable Dixon’s No. 1 to go to work again, by draining the reef at a very low level, is now within about GO feet of the reef. The country lias been very bard for some distance, and is indeed still so. but it is now much more easily broken down after blasting than it was further back. Progress is consequently considerably increased, and a few weeks’ more work ought to touch the reef, and enable the manager to at once commence operations in the mine.

Star of the Thames. —Crushing is to be commenced at once at Partington’s battery for this company. The use of the hopper at the wire tramway not having been obtained, they have been obliged to run the stuff out over it, and tip it on to a platfo.nn, from which it is shovelled into the trucks, all of which of course necessitates a great amount of extra labour. They intend to put through 100 tons this crushing, and a good return may confidently ho expected. Another fine parcel of about 201 b. of specimens were brought down from the mine yesterday, and the lot now on hand, amounting to some 120 or 1301 b. will he reduced at Spencer and Hall’s test battery. Tenders are called for sinking a winze with a view to the further opening up of the reef. llazelbank.— The shaft has now been sunk through the quartz, and the sinking is again soft. They will gc down some few feet further and then open out oil the lode in hand, and they expect to got something good from the show seen whilst cutting through the lode. Moanataiari. —2o head arc employed at the company’s battery and 10 head at the Herald battery on stuff from the mine, and it is looking up for a fair return. None of the stone going through comes from below the 130 ft. level, both winzes being full of water (from which such good prospects were obtained). The Kuraimi Hill Tunnel is now in 30ft. beyond the Inverness boundary, and when it lias reached a further distance of about 110 feet a cross-cut can be entered to communicate witli the nearest winze which is down to the required depth, and of course the mine will then he drained to that level and enable them to get to work on the No. 0 lode, when some first-rate returns are sure to come to hand.

Red White and Blue. —The manager is at present repairing the shoot, and as soon as this is finished he will he able to send down stone for another crushing, which lie expects will he quite as good as the two last, which yielded so well. Flying Cloud. —The crushing going on at the Manukau battery for this company is showing up well for a first-rate return, a very fine show being on the plates. The stone coming out of the mine continues to give good prospect of a continuance of first-rate crushing dirt. Bright Smile. —Crushing was started yesterday morning with 5 head at the Prince Alfred battery and after 50 hours’ run there was a first-rate show on the plates, giving great promise of a good return. This stone is some of that taken from the lower level. 50 feet below where the last crushings were taken from, and is

a good indication of the increasing richness of the reef at a depth from the surface. The lode, where being driven on towards the west, is a fine body of stone, and gold is seen all the way along as it is broken down.

Inverness. —Ten head at the Prince Alfred are kept moving on this company’s dirt, and good quantities of amalgam are daily taken off the plates with every prospect of a continuance.- A- good yield may be confidently looked for.

Imperial Crown. — Good progress is being made towards the erection of this company’s crushing plant. The stack has been commenced, and is already built some ten feet high. The foundation beds for the stampers are all laid, and also that for the boilers. Carpenters are actively engaged on the ground, and in a short time we may expect to see the building in course of erection.

Albion. —The sinking of this company’s shaft lias been temporarily discontinued until an air-pump is erected, the air being so bad down below as not to admit of work being ca.iried on. The depth of the shaft at present is 152 feet, to which distance it is completed. Colibax. —Stone is being brought out from the reef, and continues to look well, showing gold freely when looked for.

Standard. —The crushing going on at Vickery’s machine for this claim since Monday morning, is showing well on the plates for a good return, probably about lloz to the ton.

"Weston’s Battery— The Alburnia tributer’s have just iinislied a crushing of about 120 tons at this machine, and the amalgam will be retorted and brought down to-day. The North Devon have about 20 tons of stone in the battery ready for crushing, which will be started probably to-day. Ruby. —A meeting of directors was held yesterday afternoon at the company’s office. A call of 3d. per share was made, and it was determined to call also for tenders for continuing the main adit level a further distance of 50 feet, more or less. They also determined to enter a cross-cut a little distance ahead to intersect the El Dorado reef, which must be within a short distance of the tunnel. Wc arc glad to sec that they arc resolved to work in this ground, as it really occupies a first-class position, and from the good crushings which have come from the El Dorado reef, which must cut right through their property, it is not too much to expect that they may also expect to get something good from it, as well indeed as from several other known lodes in the ground. Multum-in-Parvo. —The dead work in the upper workings of this mine is now nearly completed, and in a day or so the manager will bo able to commence stoping again. The whip is all but ready, and the horse arrived yesterday morning from Auckland to work it. The No. 2 lode is looking very poor indeed towards the west, but in the other direction it continues very rich, and is running at about right angles to the No. 1 lode. In the winze that was sunk on No. 2, the specimens crushed before Christinas were obtained, and hero it is looking very well and is a good size. In the face the main lode is looking remarkably well, and is also of a good size. The low level tunnel is laid off, anil will be started very soon. It will lie carried in 400 feet, and will give backs of 218 feet on the reef. The water is rather heavy just now, and this low level will prove a great boon, by draining all the upper levels. Ne Plus Ultra. —The leader being worked on in this mine lias run out to a mere seam, and the country lias got very bard and poor looking. It was thought that this lode was the same as the No. 2 in the Multum-in-Parvo, but now wo are of opinion that it is no such tiling, but something totally distinct from it.

Californian. —The tributers of this company, after having opened out at about 100 feet from the bottom of the winze, and driven some 70 feet on the reef, came on to a splendid run of stone, which lias yielded so well the last two crushings. They rose towards the surface from this level, and when they bail stopeil out to the upper workings, came down to about 50 feet from the low level, and have opened out and got under their workings above. They have not yet touched the run, but the manager fancies that it lias slewed a little, and will be in band in a few feet further driving. Crushing is going on at the Flora Macdonald battery with 15 head, and is looking well.

Yankee Doodle. —MrThorborn lias now charge of this mine; and is prospecting it well. He has been seeking the run of gold worked by the original holders and opened out from the drive for the purpose of seeking it. A lode about 2ft. wide has been struck with large quantities of silicate through the centre of it, from which good prospects can be obtained, and when followed in a little may prove very valuable. On the surface another lode, lying nearly horizontal, has been found, about a foot wide, which looks very promising,and from which a good prospect lias been taken. The manager intends to take out a parcel of stuff and crush it. Moanataiari Union. —Some good specimen stone was taken out yesterday from both the large and small lodes, that from the smaller being the better. There are some 25 tons of good crushing dirt in the paddock, and a nice parcel of specimens on hand.