MINING.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 120, 27 February 1872, Page 3

MINING.

Caledonian. The shaft has now reached a depth of 30 feet below the main level, and they think that the footwall of the lode has been touched. The pumps arc still acting well, but arc fully worked. The drive to the north-east, from the end of the cross-cut, is in a distance of 90 feet, and the slide having passed through a small though goodlooking lode has come in. varying from 18 inches to four feet wide. This drive will be continued 60 feet further, for which a contract has been let. The specimen leader is to he followed for a distance of 20 feet towards the south, and from that distance a cross-cut will he entered to cut the No. 2 reef. In the No. 2 block on the main lode the men have holed through into the stopes in Tookey’s ground, and are now breaking out the stone towards the Golden Crown boundary.

United Pumhxo Association. —The bed for the reception of the three boilers is now nearly finished, and the boilers will be ready to lay in a few dajs. They are 33 feet long, ami 6} feet in diameter, fitted with patent tubes. The sinking of the shaft, and the other works in connection with the erection of the pumps, is progressing favourably. The pumps now work with a 6-foot stroke, having been altered from 4 feet, and it answers much better.

Inverness. —The lode in the face still looks very well indeed, and, since stone from that side of the slide has been sent to the battery, there has been a great improvement in the show on the plaUs at the Prince Alfred Batter)*. Golden Sr it. Tribute. —M'Cormack and party arc having a crushing of about 10 tons of stone at the Eglingtou Battery, in Burke-street. This is a two-stamper battery, with benlans attached, and it is well adapted for careful crushing. Tookby. —A trial crushing of a few tons of quartz from Tookey’s reef, taken out near the Caledonian end of the mine, is about to take place at the Prince Alfred Battery. Star of the Thames.—A crushing of some 30 or 40 tons will take place at the Prince Alfred Battery for this company, as soon as the parcel now being put through for Tookoy’s tribute is finished. Besides the general stuff there arc a few specimens on band. Tookey Tribute (late Wood’s No. 2). —These tributers arc now crushing a parcel of about 10 tons at the Prince Alfred battery. From the show on the platen and the look of the stone as it was broken out, a more than payable result may be looked for.

Windsor Castle.— The winze is still flooded since the heavy rains, and they are now constantly hailing. It lias been decided that the small lode cut in the low level and passed through, is the main vein very much pinched. Mr Wright lias proved this by survey, and they arc now going to open out on it.and drive until they under the winze, which is coming down from the upper level. This will drain the reef and enable them to get the winze down easily. It is already down about 120 feet. The reef, so far as proved, is from eight inches to two feet wide, and has run ftom 12 to 15dwt. on an average. This will pay well, as the stuff is discharged from the trucks right into the machine-house, without any handling whatever, except just filling the trucks in the workings. There will he a very large block of country ready to work out "when the levels arc once connected ; and the shareholders may now soon look forward to some return for their patience and perseverance. Watchman. Their low level main adit is in about 30 feet, through tight country, and progress is rather slow just now.

Ruby. —The tunnel is in 375 feet, and a fresh contract has been taken for driving 60 feet further. Since cutting through the small lode the country lias much improved, and progress is in consequence much greater than it lias been for some time.

]siiu>-ix-IlAxn. A meeting of the directors was held yesterday afternoon, at the company’s office, and the accounts passed. * The contractors report that there is an entire change of country during the last few feet, and that the country liasgreatly improved, making their progress much greater than it has been for some time past. From general appearance they arc sanguine of cutting the reef very soon now. The drive spoken of is from the shaft towards the Karaka Greek. The Secretary has received instructions to take the most vigorous measures for getting in the calls, and after a certain date he is to put into force the powers allowed him by law, which in the case of this company are very summary indeed, it being formed under the Joint Stock Companies Act, and (lie directors are determined to use them to the utmost of their power. Ar.r. Nations. —The last fortnight’s returns have been melted, and give a return of 1,2fi30z. fidwt. To this must he added 8(570z. from the previous fortnight, giving the return for the four weeks 2,1200 z. odwt., making a loss of 230 z. in the melting, or slightly over 2 per cent.. Bright Smile. —The gold lodged on Saturday has been melted, and turned out 1240 z. 3dwt, thus losing not quite 4oz. in the process. A dividend of fis per share, amounting to £I,OOO has been declared payable on the Ist of March, at the company’s office.