MINING.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 108, 13 February 1872, Page 3

MINING.

Waiotaiii Tribute. A return of 81oz. 4dwt. of melted gold was made by the trihuters of the Waiotaiii Company, on Saturday afternoon. This is the result of a crushing of about 183 tons of stuff. About 11 tons taken from the winzo going down yielded at the rate of about loz. to the ton.

Dauntless and Sink to Rise Tribute. —Nine tons of stone, crushed for trihuters, gave a total yield of Bdwt. 17gr. of melted gold, a very poor return indeed. Una Company. —Crushing has only been carried on for three days during the past wcok, and the result is 720 z. sdwt. 16gr. of melted gold. This return is a very satisfactory one, being at the rate of about an ounce to the ton from the quantitycrushed, and the stone seems to he imploring. In the low-level tunnel, the ground, which lias been very hard almost from the first, has now entirely improved, 28 feet having been driven in 15 days, so that they may get the reef some time sooner than they thought at the last halfyearly meeting. All Nations. —The quality of the stone coming from the mine shows no diminution in quality since the clean-lip on Saturday morning; on the contrary, it looks, if anything, much better. Up to yesterday morning, fully 2001 b. of firstrate specimens were brought out since Saturday, some of them being remarkably rich, and the whole very good. The lode where these were taken from is about two *fcet wide, and shows gold all over. It seems that the lode passed through in the cross-cut into where the shaft is to come does not run parallel to the main lode, hut is a branch of it. It runs into the reef close to where the last specimens were taken out, being in hand in the hanging wall. The fact of its showing good gold where cut through in the drive, and good specimens being found near the junction looks well, and when worked on, will no doubt prove rich. Taken all through, the prospects of the mine are decidedly good, and heavy returns will probably he the order of the day for some time to come. T.ie gold lodged on Saturday has been inched, and lost only 15oz. in the process, the total melted weight being BG7oz.

Sunbeam. —As before reported, this company’s low level lias been carried in 3GG feet. From this the reef has been driven on for a distance of about 6G feet, and here they have come on to gold supposed to he a run which was in hand above in the old workings, where the stone ran some 7 or Bdwt. to the ton. As the reef is very large this stone will pay well, the prospects obtained from tho present workings being very good, gold be : ng obtainable from every hit of stone tried. They have now about 180 feet more to drive along the reef, in order to roach the good run of gold worked above. "When this is reached they will have 180 feet of hacks to'work on, and we fully expect to see some good returns from this long quiescent district. Where now worked on the reef is supposed to he about nine or ten feet wide, the footwall being in hand in the drive, but no signs of the hanging wall are visible. Golden Calf. —The engine was stopped for the greater part of the day yesterday, owing to one of tlic feed-pipes of the boiler being out of order, and a new one having to he fixed. A start was, however, made in the afternoon, and work is again in full swing. Tho chamber having been completed at the 312 feet level, and the lode opened out on, the manager has now started to sink the winze. The lode is from six to eight inches wide, and looks well, showing gold freely. The drives north and south on the No. 2 lode are going ahead, and the reef improves more, particularly towards the north end. Coliiian. —The crushing going on at the Prince Alfred Battery for this company is shaping well, and from the present show, an excellent return will he the result. There is a large parcel to ho crushed, about 120 tons in all. Inverness Tribute. —Goldsworthy and Party are sending down some GO or 70 tons of stone to be crushed at the Prince Alfred Battery as soon as the Coliban have finished using it. A good average return is expected from the parcel. Tookey. —A slight accident to the air shaft happened early yesterday morning. A spark from the fire at the bottom of the shaft caught in the timbers, about 5 or G sets from the surface, and ignited them, burning them completely out. Lower down, also, some caught fire, hut it died away again without doing much damage. The loss altogether is not heavy, not more, perhaps, than £5 or £G. Siiotover. —The sinking of the main shaft is proceeding satisfactorily. About 12 feet of the last contract have been completed, and the country in hand still looks very well. Yesterday morning, Messrs Price were on the ground, taking measurements, etc., with a view to making some alterations and improvements in the pumping gear. These alterations will be completed in about eight days, and, when finished, will be of advantage in casing the work of the pumping machinery, which gets so much heavier as the shaft goes down.

Flying Cloud. —Crushing was recommonced yesterday afternoon, at the Manukau Battery, ten head being employed in lieu of five, several extra hands having been put on in the mine, in order to keep the number going. Hercules. —This claim, which is situated next to the Telegraph claim, has sent down IIH tons of stone to the Manukau Battery to be crushed. We cannot say at present what the result is likely to be. Ar.iuox. —This company’s shaft is going down well. It is now 170 feet deep, and the country in hand is a little better than it lias been. The air-pump worked by the engine at the Caledonian tailings machine is working satisfactorily, and enables the men to work below with safety. We notice that the bed for the reception of the machineiy is being rapidly got on with, and all will be ready as soon as required. Bed, White, and Blue. —The crushing of about GO tons at the Manukau Battery was finished yesterday, and a small parcel as a trial from another part of the mine was put through. The retorting will take place to-day, and the result will be about the same as the last crushing. Sons of Freedom. —The crushing for this company will bo finished and denied up to-day, at the Tramway Machine.