MINING.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 244, 20 July 1872, Page 3

MINING.

Caledonian. —Yesterda}’ there was no change in the appearance of the reef to report at all. Gold was still to he seen in good quantities through the lode. Yesterday afternoon the manager sent down some thirty bags of picked stone to be crushed during the night. The clean up will take place this afternoon, and a good return may be looked for, even though the battery has not been at work for more than half the past week. The stock dropped yesterday to £2B, at which price sales wore effected. Late yesterday evening a rumour gained currency in the town to the effect that there was rich gold found in the low level drive. This caused a great deal of excitement, as it was credited by many ; but it must have been put about by some one who wished to “ clear out,” for there was not the slightest shadow of a foundation for it. Up to half-past six or seven o’clock last night, about which hour Captain Richards came up from below, there was not a speck of gold to be seen below in any place, more than there had been in the morning. The public should be very cautious how they listen to these reports, which, as a rule, emanate from some persons who have shares to get rid of The downfall in the price of the stock during yesterday is sufficient to account for the little game attempted last night. Golden Calf.— Very little stone has been as yet knocked down from the reef where met with, but all that has come .out looks very well indeed. The size of the lode has not yet been ascertained, the men being engaged yesterday in squaring up the drive.

Albion. —Owing to the United Pumping Asociation having stopped pumping, the water in the Albion shaft has risen several feet above the floor of the chamber at the one hundred and ninety feet level, from which they were going to open out to prospect the ground. As the Association, however, expect to be getting up steam in the course of a week or ten days, there is a chance of the Albion being able to start to work again without much delay. Prince Imperial.— Retorting for this company took place yesterday morning at tl:e Waiotahi Battery, and the gold was afterwards melted into a bar weighing forty-three ounces five pennyweights. For this yii Id fifty-three tons of quartz were put through the mill, the return from this parcel not being equal to the last, wh ch gave over an ounce to the ton.

Moan/taiari.— ln our report yesterday on this mine we mentioned that a strong stringer had been met with, but which being found to dip the wrong way was thought to be a branch of the main reef. Tin’s stringer lias, however, proved to be soun-tliing of consequence, as it opened out to full ten or twelve inches when opened on a bit, and from it were taken some really first-class specimens, several pounds weight being taken from a small portion of the stone. The vein is now supposed to he a branch of the No. 9 lode, which is expected to he met with in a few feet more driving, and which from the proximity may be expected to turn out richly. The gold lias been struck at a distance of one hundred and thirty f et in f oni the tunnel, and from the spot where it is intersected is just about one hundred and eighty feet away from the main slide This shows that a fine block of ground which can be easily worked is now at hand, aud taking into consideration that excellent gold was got in the two winzes which are already down on tin’s lode from the one hundred and thirty feet level, together with the show obtained yesterday, the prospects of the company having a rich block of ground in hand seem very bright. It will be remembered that this lode has not been worked on for some time, as the wiuzes were swamped out at a time when they were taking splendid gold out of them. About a ton of picked stuff, which had accumulated during the fortnight, was crushed on Thursday, and the returns, which will be to hand to-day, may be expected to be a very good one. The manager is making a trial of one ton from the newly-found vein, the result of which will most probably bo known by Monday.

Watcuman. —The contractors who are putting in the low level for this company have certainly proved themselves good workmen. They have driven no less than one hundred and sixty feet since the third of last month, and that, too, not through the softest country on the field. This puts the drive in for a total distance of three hundred and thirty-four feet, and it is yet ninety feet before the bouudnry of the Watchman will be reached. At sixty feet in from that again, survey places the strike of the Sons oE Freedom lode, which is the one being sought for. This level will give splendid backs on the lode to work out. Sons of Freedom.— The crushing continues without interruption at Souter’s Battery, and still shows up very well. The winze also is progressing well and quickly. The crushing occupies ten head at the machine, and the other five are, strange to say, pounding away at the Daughters of Freedom stone. This is the name of the late Star of the Thames ground, which has been re-formed into a company by the purchasers. The stone now going through is a trial from one part of the reef. The result will shortly be known. Inverness. —The prospects of this mine have decidedly brightened of late, and if they continue as they now are we can certainly expect good returns from this mine. The lode down below the lower level in the slopes looks exceedingly well, and the precious metal is to be seen in sufficient quantities to stamp the stone as highly payable. The winze has been carried down to a distance of seventy feet below the tunnel level, which brings it to the corner of the All Nations claim, and within seven feet of the boundary line of the Company’s ground. Above the tunnel, too, tiling have taken a turn. Mr Hansen lias put up a rise close to the slide, aud here he has found a nice good looking lode, in wbith good gold is seen frequently. Judging from the appearance of things, both above and below, leads to the conclusion that a shot of gold is iu hand, aud if it runs as it seems to do dow there is an immense

section of the lode still intact from the tunnel to the surface, some three hundred feet high, which can all be worked to advantage from the different levels. There are some thirty tons of stone on hand from the stopes above the tunuel level, which will be put through as soon as the crushing of the lower level stuff, which commences on Monday, is finished, and we shall look anxiously for the result, though there is little' room to doubt its not turning out very well. City of London. —The siuking of the shaft is proceeding apace. It is now down about twenty feet below the old level, and is still in veiy fair shooting ground. Cenral Italy. The manager has started a drive on the lode at the two. hundred and sixty feet level towards the south side of the mine. When he started on the reef there was not a spec of gold to be s en. but upon opening out on it-he lias found some very nice golden stone, and the lode keeps a very healthy apptarame. Bright Smile.—Now that the law-suit is settled for good, the prospects of this mine must be looked on as very bright. It seems that tiiey have now got another reef in hand called the No. 3. This, when first seen, was a small vein not a foot thick, but it lias now been followed for a distance of sixty feet, and lias expanded into a fine strong reef three feet thick, in which good gold is frequently seen. They have been crushing stone from this lode all along, and it has proved payable. This is a most important addition to the value of the mine, which now contains these known lodes, all goldbearing and payable in hand. Crushing at the Manukau will be continued after the clean-up to-day, as the maun er can keep up a sufficient sin ly of stone for the purpose. Whau. —The contractors are getting on well with the low level tunnel going in for the Whan reef from the Black Angel adit level. They are now one hundred and seven feet in beyond the Sons of Freedom lode, and are in good country again. Fora few feet, a hard belt came in, but lias fortunately now given place to good working ground again. The party of men who have the contract have certainly worked excellently well from the start, and, if the ground continues good, they will soon finish their contract, which is for two hundred and fifty feet. Waiotahi Tribute.— The return from the crushing of thirty-six tons of stone for the Waiotahi tributers is to hand and is much less than was expected, being only thirteen ounces fifteen pennyweights of gold.