MINING MATTERS.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1802, 1 May 1874, Page 3

MINING MATTERS.

Golden CHF.-»Thore has been a very evident improvement in tho quality of the lodo in tho 260-feefc level of the Golden Calf raiuo witlrn the last few days, and yesterday in particular there was a very nice show of gold through some of the stuff taken out of the drive in this level. Tho gold is (laky still, and contained in a sort of compressed clay, of which the lodo is mainly composed; but from the frequency with which gold is now visible there is very good reason to believe that the men are now coming on the same heavy run of gold which was worked in tho upper levol of tho mine. The crushing is also showing a very decided improvement. When first started, tho show made was moderate enough, but now it is equal to a very fair average yield. Besides the work on the main lode, the manager is now driving a cross-cut to intersect somo quartz stringers which, when cut through in tho shaft, were found to contain good rich gold. Amiok.—Tho operations which were commenced some time ago by this company have not yet resulted in any important find, but they have hitherto been iimited to one work, nauioly, the extension of the Caledonian main level through the ground, and nothing has yet been done in the other works comprised in the plau of operations sketched out, to which we alluded a short timo ago, The crosscut is nosv in 50 feet inside the boundary, and has hitherto been driven through a nice kiudly ountry, but no quartz has yet been met with. The country is now becoming harder, as if there was a bar coming in, and it is j usfc likely that at the back of this bar some of the lodes which lie at the hanging-wall side of tho main reef may be found, or perhaps tho change in the face is only caused by the near proximity of some quartz lodes. Tho next work which will be undertaken is the driving of a cross-cut from ■ tho bottom of the old Hazelbank shaft through Kelly's ground. This .will be the highest of the new levels, and is for the purpose of projpectiug Kelly's claim to a further depth, and opening up new sections for fcributers.

Uaiißdojtun.—The rise from the bottom level towards the strike of the No. 2 winze, which is intended to afford ventilation and give thorough communication between all the levels of this miners now up 27 feet, aud it would appear that at this height the foot-wall of the No, 2 reef has come to hand; meanwhile, the drive north on this lode is continued from the main lorel, and there is now a large face of quartz 14 feet wide to hand. The stouo looks by no means unpromising, but there is not any gold showing in it. i'he general crushing is showing up remarkably well, but the imin portion of the gold comes to hand from the intermediate level, where a good leader is beiug worked on, and where there is a large block of quartz now beiug worked along the foot-wall between the No. 1 winze and the old Ofcago winze. This body of quartz is 2| feet thick, and shows gold .pretty freely, so that it is.at least good general crushing stuff. Operations for this company have also been started from the old Hazelbauk shaft, where the raou are now employed putting up a rise on the lode which has been worked by the tributers to the Caledonian boundary. A second rise will bo started as soon as there is room, aud yesterday the old windingrope which worked in this shaft wa3 rein )ved, and replaced by that which has hitherto been used in the main engine shaft. This is being replaced by a new one,

Cube.—ln this mine, besides tho work of sinking tho winze on the foot-wall reef, to which we alluded in yesterday's issue, tho manager is also opening up a section of the No. 1 reef, near tho Manukau bouudary, and in this gold was visible yesterday, fhe block is 40 feet in length, aud of considerable depth and height, and there is good reason to believe it contains payable crushing stuff. At all events, the prospect met with yesterday was decidedly encouraging. The sinking of the winze first alluded to is making very satisfactory progress, and there are now to hand from it 30 tons of crushing stuff ia the hopper aud in the mine, besides which a good section of the lode is stripped ready for breaking down. Cbown Peinoe,—The drive on tho course of the No. 3 reef has now been extended to the new engine shaft, with which communication was effected yesterday. The chief object of the drive on this lode was to mike this communication, and thus secure a thorough and effective ventilation for the present workings of the mine, and this has been satisfactorily accomplished. But in doing this work another desirable object has been attained. The No. 3 reef has never before been prospected to any extant. When first cut through in the main drive, it was mulloeky in its formation, and did not look at all so promising as the No. 1 and No. 2 reefs. Consequently, although a large amount of work has alroady been performed on tho two latter, nothing has been done on the former beyond a little driving. ,: This new drive has, however, prospected it to some extent, and has developed it into a well-formed quartz reef averagiug about 15 inohes in width, and containing a very good show of gold. Soveral patches of specimens have been taken out of it, and yesterday in ' breaking through there was a nice show of gold,in the lode. In the main shaft also, a nice quartz vein averaging about three inches has been carried down for some distance, showing gold all the way. This is evidently a feeder into or a branch of tho No. 3 reef.

OoLiiutf.— The manager is still stripping the reef in the face, but to-day he will commence breaking down quartz. There not being at present much room f >v stowing mullock, and only one pass through wuicli to send mullock and quartz, tho manager finds it necessary lo strip for soma distance before breaking down the lode, but after the fust stope is carried along all the mullock will be required for filling, and only the quartz will have to be sent do m, thus obviating tho difliculty which is at present causing some dolay to the breaking out of the lode stuff.

/VLBUtttfU.—The nows from this mine yesterday was very one auragiug. f hero was a very good show of gold through the atouo bwkoa out of. the new reef, but; (ho

manager was again obliged to stop the battery on account of want of water. Sons of Freedom.—ln this mine the manager is extending the main drives on tho 90-feet and 150-feet levels, and stoping a little above the 40-feet level, and although not breaking out much quartz at present, there is a fair show of gold in tho stuff coming to hand. Besides the works on the reef two • cross-cuts are being driven at the 90-feet levol, one into tho foot-wall, and the othor into the hanging-wall. A curious bend which the lode took in this level led to the impression that instead of the main lode some branch had been followed, and this idea was supported by the fact that there was no corresponding bend either in the levels above or in tho main adit below. These cross-cuts are for tho purpose of discovering tho true lode, if it is not in hand, and of further prospecting the surrounding country.

Albion (Keuy's Tbibute).—Another parcel of about 50 tons has been crushed at tho Prince Alfred battery for Oatran and party, tributors, who under tho Albion Company aro working Kelly's old claim. Crushing was finished late last night, but retorting has been postponed until to-day. It is expected to average 20z3 to the ton.