MINING.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 279, 30 August 1872, Page 3

MINING.

United Pumping Association. —The new cover having been fitted to the air pump, bailing was started on Tuesday night, and by noon on Wednesday—that is alter about twelve hours’ work—tin*, water had been reduced to below the cistern, Ibis of course is the heaviest part of the work, as the shaft is such an enormous size Imre, and the bottom portion beingsmaller is much more easily emptied. Last night nearly the whole of the water was out. The engine-room and the fittings have all been finished oil in a very neat style, the whole being painted and varnished —in fact, the room is quite handsome, and everything is as clean as it can be. The cataracts arc now both fixed, so that the huge engine works itself without any necessity for an engineer to touch the gear at all. \esterday, at mid-day. the water was down over 20 feet below the cistern, but it was found impossible to get down the shaft on account of the quantity of gas. The air pipes will, however, be fitted up by to-day, and then they will be able to go below and sec how everything is. Caledonian. —Yesterday shares were in demand, and an advance in price took place, owing to the report that gold had been found somewhere or other. Upon inquiry, wo find that the third winze, which wc before mentioned as going down from the low level, has been started at again, and on Wednesday night, whilst the men were engaged in cutting out a hole in which to fix a large prop, some very nice golden stone was broken out. This looks well, and we trust that the gold will continue downwards. In the No. 2 stopes on the main reef, close to the shaft, some excellent golden stone was also found in the vein, next to the footwnll. The manager lias also now started to work from the Otago winze on the main reel', back towards the No. 2 stopes, and in these workings some good specimens were found yesterday, one large lump of stone showing a handsome band of gold through it from end to end. Altogether the manager reports that the aspect of the different workings js very satisfactory. Thu total amount of melted gold now in bank to the credit of the company for the past five weeks’ return is 4,2550 z lOdwt. Old Wiiau. —On Wednesday night the hard bar of ground through which the low level adit was going was penetrated, and a good soft working country was met with. As it is, only some 60 feet or so from the face of the drive to the reef the intervening ground will not take long to get through. Bright Smile. —The new lode in this mine is indeed proving itself to be of great value. Where being driven ou at the 145-feet level it is six feet thick, and in the stopes above there is also from four to six feet of . good crushing dirt. The stone is of a nice clean description, and is easily treated at the batteries, where it gives all round over an ounce to the ton, which is a first-class yield for the size of the lode and its easy working nature. There are at present 30 head of stampers going on the stone, and the manager will he able to keep 20 bead constantly employed for a long time to come without any exertion at all below ground. The strike of the lode at present towards the north-east is for the City of London and Queen of the May claims, and so on into the Queen of the Thames, but it would be premature to say anything at present as to its course or value so far ahead. In the other direction it goes right through the heart of the Bright Smile ground. The new shaft about 100 feet away from the old one is now‘down to a depth of 35 feet at which the bed of rock has been met. This proves that the opinions expressed some time since that the surface country had been met with in the low level drive seawards are not correct, as where the bed rock now is in hand is about 100 feet above that level. What was met there was, in all probability, the cross course which runs across the flat towards the Imperial Crown mine, and which acts as a water channel, and drains the whole of the district in that direction. NoNTAREIL. —Good specimen stone was taken again, yesterday, from the branch veins and other workings of the mine. There are on hand now altogether over 300Ibs weight of specimens since the last crushing. First of August. —This is the name of a new claim lately taken up between the Great Surprise aud the Oriental for the purpose of working the lode of the former, in which the shareholders are sanguine of getting gold.

Little Lizzie. —The shareholders of this claim have evidently got hold of a very nice run of gold, they having on Wednesday taken out a pocket of about 501 bs of nice specimens. Queen of the Thames.—A meeting of the directors was held on Wednesday afternoon at the company’s office, when a call of Is per share was made. The company hare now in hand nearly £3O; and as soon as sufficient funds come into start work will be proceeded with without delay. It was stated that the prospects of the company had now been considerably improved by tbe finding of the new lode in the Bright Smile mine, which strikes right up the hill towards this company’s property. Coronet. —A parcel of stone from this mine was crushed at Souter’s battery, aud cleaned up Wednesday. There was agood quantity of stuff put through, from which soz 9dwt of melted gold was obtained. Nearly the whole of tin's gold was from the first three truck loads of dirt sent down, which was taken from the reef in hand. The balance was simply debris, which had been lying about for a very long time, and which the battery manager informs us made really no show at all when going through. The reef stuff sent down may therefore be considered well payable. Middle Star. —The manager lias sent down 15 or 16 tons of stone to be crushed at Souter’s Machine. It is from the block of ground just lately opened up near the surface, and from which the rich specimens were taken. It ought to yield very well, even without tbe gold of which it has been already robbed.

Ruby. —The Inspector, Mr W. Rowe, says in his last report to the Directors of this mine, that the last contract let lias been satisfactorily carried out. The country, he states, is still rather hard, but improving. Two or three small leaders have been passed through within the last few fathoms, in one of which gold hae been obtained, and the appearance of the stone is most satisfactory. There is no doubt now but that the crosscut is approaching a lode. Herald Battery. —The Junction No. 2 tribute part/ arc now crushing a parcel of stuff with ten head of stampers at this battery, and this will be tbe last stone put through for some time. On the completion of this crushing the boiler is to be taken out, and thoroughly overhauled and cleaned, the bricks for building it in again being already on the ground. Alterations too will be made in the battery room, and amongst otliei improvements we understand that a large number of lierdans will bo erected in addition to those already up. No more time than is absolutely necessary will be occupied over these alterations, a great portion of the necessary timbers being now in readiness to be placed in position. In a short time from this wc hope to see not only this battery but also its big neighbor, the Imperial Crown, in full and constant work. Long Drive Tribute Co.—Mr Walker lias lost no time in getting tilings in readiness for conducting operations on an extensive scale. Two chambers have been cut out close to the main tunnel in the Company’s ground, the hoppers and all being fixed ready to receive the dirt as it comes down from the rises. A tramway lias also been started from the present existing one to the Herald battcrv to connect it with the Imperial Crown machine. It will be along the land side of the beach road until opposite the battery, and will then branch off to it. By this means the crushing dirt can be delivered from the mine to the stamper boxes with only once being handled. Black Angel. —Now that the engine has been started to work, the sinking of the winze proceeds satisfactorily, and gold is seen in good quantities, some very nice stone being taken out on Wednesday, and in fact by each shift good prospects are obtained. The lode is some 3 feet thick or more now, aud when tiic winze gets down to the proposed depth 100 feet, splendid blocks of ground will be available for stoping.

Ballarat and Clunics Battery. —This battery will be started to work again on Monday morning next on stone from Dixons No. 1, and also from tho Rose aud Shamrock. The' latter claim has now got their hopper and everything ready, and a party of contractors are at work breaking down stone. As wo reported on Wednesday gold was found in the stone in very fair quantities. Alburnia. —A report was current on Wednesday that a favorable change had taken place in the appearance of the country of the low level drive of this mine. The manager was absent in Auckland, but we learn on the best authority that a great improvement has taken place, and that the grotind is now much softer. This is good news, as the reef may soon be looked for if it continues.

Great Surprise. —The winze which was started from the surface levels on the reef to meet a rise being put up from the low level is getting on well. It was in this winze that tho gold was obtained on Saturday in a four feet reef, and near to the junction of a leader with main reef The lode can be traced for a long distanco on either side of the present workings, and there is a largo section of it in the claim.