THE Thames Guardian AND MINING RECORD. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 1872.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 139, 20 March 1872, Page 3

THE Thames Guardian AND MINING RECORD. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 1872.

OUR GOLDFIELDS. MINING matters during the past month have been rather quiet, but the yield of gold does not show any marked decrease, in fact setting aside the yield from the Caledonian, which shows a decrease of 3,8500 z., the outside claims have returned about 3,000 more than last month. During the month the sinking of the Caledonian main shaft had to be discontinued, owing to the heavy inflow of water, and also to the Tookey Company having ceased to sink. Now, however, arrangements have been made by which Tookey continue their sinking and pumping, so that the Caledonian people can follow them down. About the same quantity of stone has been sent from the mine to the battery as usual, but no specimens have been taken out, so that the yield has considerably diminished. The compan3’’s new battery is rapidly approaching completion, and when finished will be one of the best, if not the best, on the field. Tin- Cure company, adjoining, started to work some three weeks back on the No. 2 Golden Crown lode, entering their own ground from theManukau workings. After driving some four feet into the claim alongside the reef, a cross cut was entered, and 18 tons of tinstone sent to the battery as a trial. Very little was exported from it, as no great show was visible-; hut, to the great safisfaetion of all concerned, the parcel turned out 440 z. 7dwt. of melted gold. No stone has been sent to the battery since, as there is a great deal of dead work to be done before opening np, the reef being over 10 feet wide at this point, but in breaking down, some more gold h,as been seen, and further iroocl returns are expected. In the Golden Crown nothingof much consequence has transpired, except that the tributers obtained a nice patch of specimens and crushed 2890 z. from 34 tons of dirt. By far the most important item in the mining news is the fact that the manager of the Shotover has obtained a first-class prospect from his lowest level. The shaft is down to a total depth of 386 feet, or 294 feet below the level of the sea, and at this depth he is opening out to prospect the ground. For the last 10 or 12 feet down, the country improved wonderfully, and a scries of quartz veins, interspersed with nice looking mullock, were cotne on, and, though no gold was seen, "the stuff looked most promising, so much so that he has had a trial crushing of four tons iust as it came up out of the shaft. This nas given a return of 29dwt. of gold, or 7dwt. to the ton, and must be looked on with much more than ordinary interest by all who havo the future welfare of the field at heart. A yield like this from a quantity of dirt taken, not from any defined lode, proves the existence of gold at a great depth, and on our low levels depends the future of the whole field. As the Shotover wa3 the pioneer claim in the district, and we may say the cause of its being so well worked, so wo now hope to have to chronicle that it has proved the existence of deposits of gold at a great depth as well as on the surface. Should good gold be obtained down there, it will enhance the value of the surrounding claims to a most considerable extent, more especially the All Nations and Long Drive, the lodes in which all dip towards the Shotover. The former claim has continued to yield splendidly, showing 1,70D0z. for three weeks’ cleaning up as against 2,291 oz for the previous four, and the stone continues to show well at tho batteries.- During the month the management of tho mine has changed hands. Mr-Hansen, who had been in charge ever since the claim started to work, having sent in Ins resignation to the directors. Mr Walker, late of the Long Drive, takes his place, and has already started to work. The Inverness (the next claim), has also had a change of managers, Mr Hansen having been appointed to the charge of it. The crushing lias not turned out so well as expected, and lias been discontinued in consequence. However, Mr Hansen has started to work, and is sinking on the shot of gold which was driven through in the main level, and probably crushing may lie again resumed witli better results. TinGolden Calf have crushed 50 tons of stone as a trial from their No. 1 lode, and from the show obtained a good return of at least 2oz. to the ton was expected, besides what the specimens would turn out; but the result will be seen from the following report sent in to the directors by their mine manager. The report of the 15th inst. gives an account of all workings going on in the mine and states that the crushing ha been started. He says :—“ With reference to my report of 15th instant, I am sorry to state that the retorting of the crushing was finished this morning, and the yield, 270 z. from 50 tons quartz, including the specimens, being a very great disappointment, inasmuch as the gold constantly seen and the good specimens justified my looking for a different result. I ntn satisfied with the battery, and that full justice was clone to the quartz crushed. I can only account for the above result by the gold being showy, and therefore deceptive. As the No. 1 lode lias been sufficiently tested, and my main reliance being on it for payable gold, I would recommend its discontinuance, and sinking the main shaft to intesot the Nonpareil reef, which the company’s mining surveyor calculates will be bad at another 100 feet. No. 2 lode might be driven on with a view to test; and, wa't'ng your orders, — I am, &c., Geo. Thoms.” The consequence of the above is, that the company’s stock lias declined in the market from about £3 10s to £1 10s. And it has also considerably affected the Central Italy mine, where work is being vigorously prosecuted with fair prospects, but until a trial of the reef has taken place, it is hard to gay of what value it is likely to be. Their machine was started on the 21st of February, and a chamber lias been opened out »n the shaft, from which a cross-cut was entered and the reef broken into at a distance of eight feet. Driving along the lode has been carried on, and as abovementioned, the prospects are very fair. The tunnel going into the Golden Calf and Central is getting on well, and will not be long before it is completed. The Nonpareil have not clone much crushing during the month, only 10 tons having been reduced, which gave a return of 470 z. of gold. The erection of their machinery is proceeding apace, but in order to keep everything goiii£, the directors have made a call of 2s per share. Ttic Moanataiari Company have been crushing rather more stono than usual and with much better results than they have had hitherto. The yield for the month amounts to 1,2900 z., and all the stone crushed hns been taken from the middle levels, the lower blocks being still flooded. The Kuranui tunnel will in a short time open up these blocks by drain-

Jng the reef, and when this takes place further improvement in the yields may be looked for, as the winzes sunk on the lode showed splendid prospects. The Alburnia has been turning out gold too in good quantities. This we can account for by the increased supply of water which the late rains have given them, which enables the m -nager to keep the battery employed. They have lodged altogether 6320 z. of gold for less than four weeks’ crushing. If they can keep these returns up for a time the company will be able to clear off their liabilities, and rank high as a gold producer. The Coliban lias also been doing well, having returned 3420 z. for the month from 103 tons of stone, and the reef cc - inues to turn out well. The Bright Siri.e and Queen of Beauty claims have crushed, both , with good results. The former declared a dividend (the first) of 5s per share, on the Ist of March, amounting to £1,375, leaving a good balance to the credit of the company. The City of London have opened on to this reef, and are now engaged in breaking down stone for crushing, there being considerably over 100 tons already to grass. The Queen of the May, further on in the same line, have also got the lode, which shows fair prospects, and they have started vigorously to work. This line of reef, from present appearances, promises to take a prominent place amongst the gold-bearing lodes of tlie district ere long. The Bird-in-the-Hand cut into a reef during the past month, at about 200 feet Loin their shaft, and had a trial crushing from it. They had intended to send a large parcel to the mill, but were prevented by the drive caving in, and causing a delay in breaking down. Four tons and a Half only were crushed for a return of 4oz. 5 dwt., which is held to he very satisfactory indeed. The claims in the neighbourhood of Punga Flat have been very quiet for some little time past, though a good deal of work is being done up there. The Albion Company’s large shaft is getting on well and steadily, and preparations have been made for fixing the machinery, which will very shortly arrive now. The United Pumping Association have made great progress, the foundations being now all but finished, and the three large Cornish boilers are fixed in their beds. Underground operations, too, are well advanced, and the pumps work well, the stroke having been lengthened from four to six feet. The Tararu district has been rather quiet lately ; but the Yankee Doodle and Ivanhoe (late Cock-a-Doodle) are now showing good prospects.

From Coromandel some excellent reports are to hand, and if accounts bo true, tho Green Harp and Golconda mines bid fair to rival some of our leading ones The returns from them up to the present are very satisfactory, in fact, we may say rich, and they are being further developed day by day. The Tokatca is again sending down good stone to the battery, and we may expect some more largo returns in the course of another month or so.

We append our usual list of crushings nd returns complete up to date :

CRUSHINGS AND RETURNS OF GOLD FROM FEB. 20, TO MARCH 19, 1872, INCLUSIVE.

* Means melted

Company. 'h 3 g u i i 6 o R 5 Albion Tribute ... 40 0 0 *28 18 0 it it 50 0 0 *121 15 0 Alburaia 2(i0 0 0 380 0 0 >i it 240 0 0 *252 17 0 ,, Tribute ... 50 0 0 *30 1 8 All Nations 100 3 0 711 0 0 it 120 2 0 484 0 0 it 120 2 0 505 0 0 Beehive Tribute ... 6 0 0 *10 7 0 Black Angel 00 0 0 *38 10 0 a 120 0 0 *93 0 6 Black Forest 10 0 0 *8 8 0 Bright Smile GO 0 0 *124 3 0 ” “ 70 0 0 *117 19 0 Bendigo lndepcndt. 130 0 0 *50 0 0 British ... Ballarat and Ilisie ; 20 0 0 12 0 0 Sun 28 0 0 15 10 0 Bird-in-Hand 4 10 0 4 5 0 Britannia 15 0 0 14 5 0 Caledonian 300 0 0 831 10 0 “ 280 0 0 269 0 0 *• 300 0 0 222 0 0 it 280 0 0 102 0 0 Californian 200 0 0 *132 10 0 it 100 0 0 *19 19 12 City of Dunedin ... 45 0 0 30 7 0 Colibau 45 0 0 *88 14 0 it 18 0 0 22 0 0 it 100 0 89 232 0 0 Cure IS 0 0 *44 7 0 Don Pedro 10 0 0 : 3 7 0 Eureka ... 0 0 0 12 0 0 B’lyiug Cloud Flagship Golden 30 0 0 9 0 0 Anchor 25 0 0 *17 1 13 Golden Crown 100 0 0 *39 0 0 it it 00 0 0 *38 11 0 Gold Vi Crown tribute 65 0 0 *61 6 0 “ “ 34 0 0 *289 1 0 Golden Spur No 1 Tribute 10 0 0 *3 13 0 it it 10 0 0 *11 7 0 “ No 3.V. 1 0 0 *1 2 0 “ No 2... 5 0 0 *7 13 19 Golden Age tribute 6 0 0 *9 15 0 drove's Bank G o 1 c o n d a (Coro30 0 0 *12 16 0 mandel 45 0 0 39 10 0 • t it 50 0 0 70 0 0 it it 0 0 63 84 0 0 it it 23 0 0 138 10 0 Great Surprise ... 20 0 0 *11 5 6 Imperial Crown ... 8 0 0 1 2 0 Do Tribute ... 28 0 0 41 0 0 Inverness 100 0 0 *88 9 0 Inverness Tribute 30 0 0. *27 12 12 Junction Tribute... 0 0 50 *69 13 0 Kuranui 300 0 0 *233 19 0 %i if 280 0 0 *108 0 0 Lincoln Castle ... Ladybird and Hand 20 0 0 *9 0 0 of Friendship ... 30 0 0 *17 16 0 Manuk au 7 0 0 *5 19 12 “ tribute... 20 0 0 *32 5 18 Moanataiari 500 0 0 *540 0 0 “ 626 0 0 *750 0 0 Moanataiari Union 64 0 0 *99 16 0 it 30 0 0 ■ 24 8 6 Montgomery Bros. 11 0 0 *72 9 0 Multum-inParvo... 35 0 0 161 0 0 Missouri 30 0 0 *16 2 0 Nevada Nil Desperandum 16 0 0 *7 5 5 (Coromandel) ... i. 15 0 0 15 0 0 9 0 0 6 0 0 ft 15 0 0 *15 9 0 Nonpareil 10 0 0 *47 12 12 North Star 10 0 0 *10 16 12 if ft 5 0 0 7 12 2 North Devon • 1 0 0 *1 4 0 Pride of T'okatea... 24 10 0 *427 0 0 Queen of Beauty... 140 0 0 140 9 0 ft 160 0 0 *181 2 0 it 160 0 0 *182 o 0 Shamrock 24 0 0 *43 11 19 Sink to Rise 40 0 0 *40 10 6 Star of the Thames 28 0 0 *17 15 2 “ “ 0 0 20 *8 15 0 Si -ciraeus 0 0 40 *6 5 0 O 0 20 *16 I) 0 Sons of Freedom ... Sundries (from tail80 0 0 *107 0 0 ings. specimens, and unknown quarters), say 1,000 0 0 To Papa 80 0 0 59 0 0 Tokatea loo 0 0 480 0 0 it 14o 0 0 285 0 0 Twenty-Third June 50 0 0 21 0 0 Tookey Tributes ... 166 0 0 236 o 0 Unicorn Tiibutc .. 6 0 0 *104 4 12 Una 160 0 0 *80 1 0 “ tribute C 0 0 *2 14 0 ii i 18 0 0 *5 0 0

Victory 15 0 0 *14 9 0 30 0 0 *29 18 12 Vulcan 25 0 0 *28 2 0 Vale of Avoca 66 0 0 87 0 0 Waiotahi Tribute .. 60 0 0 *32 12 0 u ii 60 0 0 *25 10 0 Working Miners... 14 0 0 196 0 0 Whau 40 0 0 22 2 16 7 628 9 58 12,144 7 12