MINING.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 174, 30 April 1872, Page 3

MINING.

Red Queen.— -The final clean up for this company tqok place }’esterda3 r at the Prince Alfred Battery. After twentyseven tons or so had been put through, the return amounted to one hundred and thirteen ounces of retorted gold, which, when melted, vas reduced to one hundred and ten ounces 2 dwts. 12 grs. ; this being at the rate of over four ounces to the ton —an excellent yield, and better even than was expected. The amalgam from the crushing amounted to two hundred and seventy eight ouces, so that it retorted excellently well. It is a very great pity that the “company have not got their shaft down to a proper depth for opening out on the lode, which has been proved now to be very rich, and seems to get better as it is sunk on, being nearly two feet wide in the bottom of the winze, arid allowing excellent golden stone. Could this only be got at low enough to give a good block-of ground for working on, there is no doubt hut that large returns might be looked for, hut, as worked at present, the expense attendant on raising all the stuff by hand is necessarily very heavy. City of London. —This company had to cease crushing on Saturday night, as the road from the flat to their shaft has become quite impassable for the sleighs. Cleaning-up and retorting was completed yesterday afternoon, after crushing for about nine days, during which time seventy-seven tons of dirt were put through. The amalgam amounted to two hundred and seventy-seven and a-lialf ounces, and this turned out seventy-eight ounces eighteen pennyweights of retorted gold, being at the rate of an ounce to the ton, thus showing a considerable improvement on the last return, which gave one hundred ounces from one hundred and

thirty-seven tons of stone. Inverness. —The manager has now seven head of stampers going on a paddock of stone taken from the stopes, which is making a fair show on the plates. West Coast. —The tribwters of this company have completed a crushing of about ten tons of stone at the Criterion Battery, but the return was not a rich one, being only three ounces ten pennyweights of melted gold. Oriental. —From the appearance of the reef in this mine something good may he looked for. The reef where opened on shows very well indeed, and from a vein lying on the reef, some eighteen inches thick, some very nice golden stone has been taken out, and in breaking down, which is now going on, the precious metal can he seen frequently. This drive was put in from the Golden Age ground, in order to pick up the run of gold worked by that company some time since. In all probability they have now reached it, and though at present nothing very rich lias been found, they have a very good prospect before them, and one which should encourage them to work vigorously. In a very short lime crushing will be commenced. and the reef proved, and should it turn out as well as it is expected to do, a fine large block of ground is at the command of the company to set to work on without delay. Manukau Battery. —This fine machine, after a spell of idleness, was started to work again yesterday morning. Ten head are at work on a parcel of stone from the Imperial Crown tribute, who have the old Golden Hill claim. The result is expected to he equal to the usual good average returns. Ten head are at work on some stone from Wood’s (Tookev) tribute, and another ten head are to he started this morning on Nonpareil stone, the directors having decided to give some of the batteries on the flat a chance, as several of the shareholders have lately objected to all the crushing being carried on at the Criterion. Central Italy. —Yesterday afternoon the shaft was carried down through the lode struck on Saturday. It proved to he a fine looking vein about eight inches thick, and gold was plainly to he seen all through the stone taken out. Below this vein they went through what seems to be a sandstone horse, about 18 inches wide, and quartz flues struck again below that; what it is, is not yet known. We feel sure, however, that it will prove that the reef is here spoilt by the horse, and that the quartz now in hand below it is part of the lode which when opened out on will no doubt he found to run together again. There was a good flutter in the market yesterday, shares having been sold as high as 55s ; hut little business was done, and at night they had declined in price to 42s 6d, at which rates sales were effected. Queen of the May. —A great improvement has taken place in the show in the reef during the past few days’ work, and yesterday very excellent prospects were obtained from the stone broken out. In a dish of stuff washed nearly every stone in it showed good free gold, and the loose gold washed from the mullock was also to be seen in very good quantities. This improvement has taken place in the drive on the lode towards the hill or Queen of the Thames side of the mine.