MINING.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 276, 27 August 1872, Page 3

MINING.

West Coast. —Retorting for this company took place yesterday at Souter’s Batter}', when a return of 31oz lOdwt of gold was obtained from nearly 33 tons of quartz crushed. A report of the annual meeting will be found elsewhere. Caledonian. —The return for the past week amounts to 5600 z lOdwt of gold. This, not as much as the previous return, is yet about equal to it in proportion to the quantity of stone reduced. During the week the 22 head of stampers were idle for over 48 hours, which would naturally make a great difference in the amount of stone crushed. News from the mine is still satisfactory, and no change of consequence has taken place. Souter’s Battery. —This battery is now in full swing crushing for the Bright Smile with ten head of stampers, and with five head for the Coronet claim, Moanataiari. This mine was sold a short time since, and the purchasers have since been working it, and this is the first crushing. The stuff is "not making much of a show at present. United Pumping Association. —At six o’clock yesterday morning a slight accident happened, which necessitated the stoppage of the pumps for about 24 hours. The cover of the air pump was broken, and a new one had to be fixed. There must have been a flaw in the one which came over with the gear, but such is the construction of it that it would he almost impossible to find it out. The engineer informed us yesterday afternoon that lie would be ready to start again at an early hour this morning, so that no great rise in the water has taken place. When the - pump stopped thero was only about ten feet of water left, and if they start again this morning the shaft can be emptied again in a few hours. The pumps are in splendid working order, and capable of doing an enormous quantity of • work. The air boxes are now being made for the shaft, and will be ready in a day or two. The coutract for sinking the shaft has been let to Wills and party, the lowest tenderers, who will get to work as soon as the bad air is cleared out. Prince Alfred Battery. —This battery is now fully employed. Ten head are still on Bendigo Independent stone ; six are at work for the Belfast (Albion) tribute, on a parcel of about 30 tons ; and the other six head are crushing for the Inverness, who have already got about 40 tons delivered at the machine ready to to put through. Inverness. —The gold resulting from the last crushing was supplemented by 3oz more from the silver, and the whole when melted gave a bar weighing 114 oz 16dwt 12grs. Good stone is still being obtained from the upper stopes in pood quantities, and also from the workings below the tunnel level.

Manukau Battery. —The Nonpareil now occupy 20 head at this machine, the Bright Smile having given up ten on Saturday last. Kelly’s tribute will probably finish crushing on Wednesday next, and the battery will then be taken up by Souden’s Tookey tribute, who are waiting for it.

Prince Imperial. —This company bad a retorting at the’ Waiotahi Battery yesterday, after about 95 tons of stone had been put through principally from the No. 1 reef. The yield was a poor one, amounting only to 340 z 15dwt of retorted gold. Una.—The low level drive is now in for a distance of 470 feet, and softer country lias come in than any yet passed through. This is supposed to be the edge of the channel of good ground through which the Pride of Karaka shot of gold runs which run is calculated still to be 50 feet ahead of the face of the drive, and will probably be reached in the course of a month. A great amount of dead work is now being done in different parts of the mine, which adds greatly to the expenses of working. In the No. 2 level a long drive is being put in to cut the right band branch of the main lode, which was crosscut also some time since by a drive entered from the left branch. This branch is a fine lode, and carries good stone, and there is a fine block of it standing intact between the No. 2 arid the intermediate level. A good deal of dead work is also being done in the upper levels of the May Moon workings, from which nearly all the stone crushed last week was taken. The battery returns may be expected to show an improvement as soon as ever the stone from the right branch commences to go through. Little Lizzie. —This claim, from which we have recorded one or two gold returns lately, and of which we were unable to find the exact locality, is, we find out, a claim which was lately called the Easter Monday, on which we reported not so very long ago. It seems that it has been abandoned as the Easter Monday, and taken up again by two men under its present name. The ground is part of the old Lone Star claim, and has frequently been taken up and abandoned. The two proprietors have got a small leader in hand, on which they appear to be following down a shot of gold, and with great success. Last week they obtained no less than 350 z of gold from tiie specimens they picked out of the general stuff taken from the mine during the week. They have a small berdan, and crush their own stone. There are three drives in from the surface to the leader, and so far down as they have gone good prospects continue. Cyclops. —Good news may be expected by the shareholders in this mine in a few days, as yesterday it was expected that they would break through into the winze, with the main low level drive. A most excellent show of gold was obtained going down in the winze and for several feet back, whilst driving along the lode gold was frequently seen. Preparations are being made for a trial crushing. This will take place at the Vulcan Machine, and a road is now being made down to it, so that the quartz may be sent down as soon as it is broken out.