COROMANDEL.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 251, 29 July 1872, Page 3

COROMANDEL.

(from our own correspondent) Saturday July 27. The Golconda. —The winze in the chamber of No. 1 tunnel lias been sunk to a depth of 60 feet, and opened out on that level on the leader, and followed for 38 feet, a little gold being seen occasionally, but the water coining in so strong it-was deemed advisable to let it stand for a short time. In the meantime a cross-cut is being put in 70 feet further ahead on No. 2 leader to prospect it for the shot of gold. No. 2 tunnel has been extended a distance of 350 feet, and No. 1 leader followed a considerable distance along to the face, where it is now 18 inches wide. A trial prospect this morning gave a fair show of gold. A rise is now being put up from this level to the cross-cut in No. 1. It is expected the passage will be through in a few days. The Golden Pali have started to open out from the shaft at 60 feet, and expect to cut the lode shortly. A lot of very nice specimens were found at the tip head, having been thrown there iu the mullock some time ago.

The Murphy’s Hill have completed their tunnel through to the old workings, and came across the main iode, which it appears was not known before. It is supposed all the other leaders traversing this ground—some of which gave such good returns— are merely tributaries of this lode. A small shaft is to he put down from the surface to connect the tunnel, so as to allow all the quartz lying on the top to he passed down, and so along the tramway to the battery. This will effect a great saving in carting. It is intended also to open up the reef from the drive at once.

Neptune. —The return from 18 tons of quartz crushed at the Nil Desperaiidum Battery was soz lodwt. The Little Angel are sinking their winze, aud carrying what is supposed to be the Harbour View leader with tuem. Pride of Tokatea. —A cross-cut lias been put in from the main tunnel aoout 70 feet, where a leader—said to lie tne All Nations —lias been crossed, and will he driven upon at once. It is about eighteen inches iu width, and good looking stone. At 25 feet in, a branch drive lias been taken some distance along a leader, and is now being stoped. At about 130 feet iu the lower tunnel they are rising on the specimen leader—which is about nine inches wide —and sloping aut. About five tons of stone are now at grass. A little gold is seen from day to day as the stone is being broken out.

Ravenstock. —The lower level iu this claim has been extended 20i) feet, aud it is intended to drive it under a winze sunk upou a leader from the surface, where good prospects were obtained. A crosscut has also been put in from the tunnel, aud large bodies of stone cut, from which a little gold has been obtained. At 15 feet from the face of the tunnel the manager is opening out ou a large broken up lode, with the view of ascertaining the strike and underlie. The upper level is still being continued, and is now iu 240 feet. A number of stringers have been cut in passing, ah underlying the same way, from which the mauager infers that a good sized lode is not far off. Water is making very fast at the face, necessitating close tunnelling to the face. The country is very easy.

Peep o’ Day. —A change for the better lias taken place in the nature of the country, the main tunnel is now passing through. It is supposed they are now withiii,jlO feet of the reef, originally worked ou from a shaft at a higher level, aud expect to get something good when it is cut at the lower level. At 100 feet iu a cross-drive is being pushed forward ou the leader, which is very much narrower at present than it lias been. A favourable change of strata lias taken place here also. In the upper level driving on the branch leader from the Swedish Grown is being carried ou, ami a fair show of gold was observed iu breaking the stone out. The Masonic main drive oil the Coromandel side of the range is now in 110 feet, and going through hard couutry mixed up with quartz, which induces the manager to infer he is not far off the large reef seen cropping out ou the surface. At 80 feet in a leader was cross-cut running diagonally, and a cross-cut was put iu at 45 feet to intersect it, aud driven 10 feet along it. From the stone taken out prospects' were tried, but nothing obtained. Uu the Kennedy’s Bay side of the range a leader lias been opened up from the surface, and a temporary winze is now beiug sunk upon it to enable the manager to judge of the best position for a lower tuuuel. Some very fair prospects iiave been obtained by washing.