MINING.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 269, 19 August 1872, Page 3

MINING.

Caledonian.— -The yield for the past week bas exceeded expectation*, and is a firstclass one, amounting as it does to 7650 z 12dwt lOgr of gold. We have not ascertained the exact quantity of stone put through for this amount, hut the battery was kept constantly employed all the week, so that 350 tons will he the probable amount reduced. The repairs to the winding engine are all completed, and work will go ahead as usual from to-day. Moanataiari. —Another spl mlid fortnight’s yield iu to hand again from this mine in spite of the three days and a half Bliort crushing at the battery, The yield amounts to I,llouz of retorted gold, winch proves that there is no falling off in the quality of the stuff, but rather an improvement. There is no change of moment to report in the workings of tho mine, but everything is proceeding satisfactorily in (lie way of opening up the lower levels. The two accidents which are recorded elsewhere are fortunately not likely to be attended with serious consequences. Nonpareil. —A clean up and retorting took place for this company at the Manukau Battery on Saturday, with the excellent return of 3040 z of gold. For this yield about 220 tons or a little more were reduced, so that the average is a good one, the stone coming from so many different lodes. The now vertical leader in the hanging wall of the main reef continues to turn out well and to yield specimens. Crushing will be continued with ten head for the present, with every prospect of being able to increase the number shortly. Bright Smile. —After four weeks’ crushing at the Manukau Battery a clean up took place on Saturday, and a return of 4560 z of gold is to hand. I’his proves the quality of the new reef to be excel-li-nt, the return being about to the ton, and it can be considered a fair test of its value. The quantity of stone obtainable is such that the company continue crushing this week with 20 head of stampers, and w ill be able to keep them going for some time. Lowe’s (Tookey) Tribute. —A splendid crushing for this tribute was finished on Saturday at the Manukau Battery. They had 10 head of stampers at work for about 11 days, the quantity of stone put through being about 110 tons, which gave the magnificent return of 5570 z 19dwt 12gr i f melted gold. There were a lot of specimens as well as general stuff, which yielded well, the whole parcel averaging about soz to the ton. They will shortly be ready for another crushing. Kuranui .—The fortnightly return is to hat.d, and is the best that they have had for some long time past, owing principally to the good quality of the stone from the low level, where the specimens were found a short time since. The yield amounts to 3750 z lldwt of melted gold from about the usual quant ty of stone, besides a parcel of specimens. Queen of Beauty. —The amount of gold obtained for the past fortnight’s crushing is 1530 z. Of this, 79uz were from the stone put through at Bull’s Machine, and 740 z at Vickery’s. The stone was not very rich, but nevertheless the return is a very good one. Golden Crcwn. —This company lodged 440 z lldwt of melted gold on {Saturday, being the result of a parcel of stone crushed during the past lortniglit for the company at their own battery. Point Russell. —The crushing for this company at the Kurantii Battery did not turn out very well, 30 tons of stone having yielded only 12oz 17dwt of melted gold. Russell Company. —The Lady Bird lode is being worked on in this mine at present to the north-east side of the gully, and into the Little Nell ground. It has improved very much in quality lately, the past fortnight’s work from it having yielded 470 z 17dwt of melted gold. The Little Nell ground is now part aud parcel of the Russell Company’s property, and is being worked at a low- r level than it ever was in former days. This hill is now being well prospected from both sides. From the Tinker’s Gully side in the reef above mentioned, and from the other side by the Yankee Doodle people and it is turning out well so far, with every prospect of something better being found when they further develop it. The Missouri Company, too, have better prospects than they have had for a long time past. Weston’s Machine. —A crushing of 23 tons of stone for the' North Pacific at this machine did not yield very well, giving only 3joz of gold. The El Dorado com mence a crushiug this week of about 400 tons of stone, and as the tributers time is up next month, this will be the last crushing they will have. The company themselves will, we believe, work the mine for the future. Italian. —The lode in this mire where driven on towards the Nonpareil, has made out to 2 feet thick, there beiug a seam of solid quartz in the centre of it which looks very well, with bands of mullock next to either wall. Cube.—On Saturday, about one hundredweight of specimens were broken out of the golden vein by a shot which was put iu, and gold is now visible nearly 20 feet away frem the spot ' where it was

first discovered. This is most satisfactory, and goes to prove that the golden stone is increasing in size as opened on. The crushing at the battery, too, is improving very much since they have got on to the good stone from near the gold, and it is now looking up for l£oz to the ton, with every prospect of a further improvement. Middle Star.—The manager has now on hand 2131h5. of specimens from the leader opened out on, all of which he has obtained duriug the week. Some of the stone is very rich indeed, and altogether the manager calculates that it will yield over l£oz. to the lb. The leader (No. 3) appears to be that one originally worked by the Shooting Star people up to the boundary of their claim, and stone from which yielded as much as 40ozs. of gold to the ton. At this point it branched off from the main lode, and took a separat • course, until it reached the 60 feet level in the Middle Star mine, where it was risen upon by the original shareholders, until it was lost, and was found lately by the present manager on the footwall siih*. Owing to the rotten nature .of the ground, it was found impossible to work it from below, so he came up to the surface and opened out on it, being able to secure the ground properly by this mode of working. When tnis surface cutting is complete I a drive will he put in to the boundary, and a rise put up there in order to work the whole block out, which is calculated to contain over 200 tons of quartz. There is at present in paddock about 10 tons of stone, which is expected to yield from one and a-half lo two ounces to the ton, and when 20 tons are grassed a trial crush ug will take place at Webn’s Battery stripping the lode and timbering is being proceeded with, and breaking down will be s'aried to-morrow. There is another leader running parallel to the No. 3 lode, which the manager purposes opening out on. Tliis leader was cut in the old Shooting Star shaft, and is suppmo 1 to join the main r'ef.someh were near the run of gold. The low level adit is now in for a distance of 443 feet, and is still in very hard country. A vein of nice-looking quartz lias been cut within the last few feet, which carries a large quantity of water with it, leading to the belief that a change of country is close at hand. When completed this tunnel will rank amongst the best pieces of work on the field. A contract has been let for sinking an air shaft. Fifty feet has been let, and will be sunk from the Watchman level, at the point where it is now passing over the Middle Star adit. This contract will be started on during the week.