MINING MATTERS.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1778, 2 April 1874, Page 3

MINING MATTERS.

Multusmn-Pabto Tribute.—A crush ing of 18 tons of general stuff was completed yesterday at. the Bright Smile battery (late Vickery's), and a fine yield of 87ozs melted gold was obtained as the result. In addition to the general stuff, there were 2301bs of specimens put through, from whioh 93ozs retorted gold was obtained, thus making the. total return 1740zs melted gold-one of the best returns ever obtained from this mine.

Cbown Peikce.—There will be a cleau: ing up and retorting for the Crown Prince to-day at the Bright Smile battery, after about a fortnight's crushing, but the return will only be moderate, although a small parcel of specimens was _ put through the mill last evening, and willno doubt in Borne measure assist in swelling the aggregate return. On the whole, however, the return will not be much above a payable average. Buck Angel.—There was an important find yesterday forenoon in the Black Angel mine in the new reef to which we have referred recently. On the previous day the manager started to put a rise up on it near its junction with the main lode at the point at which gold was first struck i& it, and yesterday he broke down some of the stone which was stripped. The result was most encouraging. A candlebox full of good picked stuff, containing about 30lbs of specimens, came to hand, and a good show was left in the,lode. A singular feature in regard to this gold is the spot at which it was found. In the first instance when gold was discovered in this lode it was in the hanging-wall, while the gold which came to hand yesterday is from the foot-wall side of it. The lode appears to increase in size in the rise, and as there is a height of 77 feet to rise on it before the next level is reached, there will in all probability be a large block of a rich and valuable reef to open up, at least so it would appear from the rich indications now to hand. A parcel of Bor 9 trucks of the stuff taken out while driving on the course of this reef was put j through the mill and completed yesterday. This finishes the present series of trial crushings, and retorting will take 1 place to-day. Wo doubt the discovery of this new lode is an important event, not onlyas regards this claim in particular, but it will also have a material effect on adjoining mines, livery new development of a reef system of such importance as that which pervades the Black Angel and. adjoining mines cannot fail of a generally beneficial effect, and at present when there are a considerable number of important discoveries following quickly on each other a feeling of renewed confidence in the resources of the field is engendered, Each discovery such as that made in the Black Angel mine helps to support and invigorate this feeling of confidence, which of itself is the mainspring of successful mining. The fiad alluded to above was followed up by a further haul of very rich stona when the remdider of the stripped portion of the resf was broken down, and upwards of ISOlba of fiae rich specimens cime to hand during the evening, in addition to the parcel first found.

Bisd-in- Fland.—lq yesterday's issue we had to report; the intersection of the main reef in the bottom level, bat then there was no gold visible, although the indications were very promising. ?esterday gold was actually founi in the reef while the meu were squaring up the drive, for they hare not yet comnuncel to open out on it, and, it was pretty certain that gold would \a found in the vicinity, the sight of it had a good effect on the shareholders and others interested. It was a good augury for the worth of the lode in this level. The show of gold was rather a good general one than any rich display. There were good patches, or rathe.blotches, of gold on several stones In fact, the show was similar to what was usually obtained from the wiaze when it was being sunk. $o time will now be lost in driving on the course of the reef towards the winzes. One of these is so near, that only a drive 17 feet in length is required to get in unier it, but as the winze is only down 48 feet, a rise from the level will be necessary to connect with it. The other winze, which is in the opposite direction, is a considerable distance off, so that even the drive which connects those two winzes will open up a large extent of ground for stoping. ihe prospects of the mine are cartainly good, and although it may not turn out quite so rioh as others in the same locality, it will, we have no doubt, ba developed into a good payable mine. . Albania. —The gold lodged in the banc on ; behalf of the Adburnia Company was yesterday melted into ingots weighing 3320zs 16iwts, showing a total loss of about lOozs. Crushing has not been resumed, as' there is no water in the Old Whau.-Beyond a continued richness there was no new feature in this minejesterday. 4 fine p'roel of about 20bs rich picked stuff, and a sin ill quantity of specimens came to hand in the course of the day, but the crushing at the company's battery is sadly retarded in consequence of the scarcity of water in the creek. There are now only 5 head of stampers at work. Pumping AssooaTiON.—The new lode met with a day or two ago in the crosscut towards the Tookey shaft has been out through. It is 18 inches thick, and is heavily charged with minerals.