MINING MATTERS.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1806, 6 May 1874, Page 3

MINING MATTERS.

Manukau.—Those who visited the Manukau mine yesterday must have been, astonished at the show .of gold ia it. It was no rich patch showing in one corner, or one patch of the reef; It extended for a length of 20 feet along a seam in the foot-wall in which gold showed so rich in quality and quantity as ia the Caledonian best days. For a distance of 15 feet from the face the show of gold was very rich. In a seam, which was sometimes as wide as 12 inches, gold showed richly, and towards the main face it became even richer, and extended down through the lode in such a manner as to ,have no doubt regarding the continuance of this wonderfu 1 shot of gold. Most of the show is in the roof of the drive. The reef itself is as we have formerly described it, except that in the south face it is becomiug narrower in dimensions. There is a well-defined hanging-wall leader standing at an angle of about 45 decrees as clear as can be, and it is quite apparent that in this direction the lode lias entirely separated itself from the No. 2 reef. In the northerly direction the lode has split into two veins separated by about six feet of sandstone. The footwall vein is composed of very cleau quart 2, through which there is no very great quantity of mineral, but the hanging-wall vein, which is striking directly for contact with the No. 2 reef, looks well, and there is little doubt but that at the junction of the two lodes, wherever; tlv*fc occurs, there will be a good patch of gold. We have, never. at any tiuw sqodl %

better show of gold in any mine since the Caledonian rich shot of gold was worked out.

Cube.—The general crushing for the Cure Company, which has been com<menced at the Manukau battery, showed up yesterday on the plates for a fair average yield, better than was expected from the show of gold made by the stuff itself, or the appearance of the plates after the first twelve hours' run. It is quite evident that this block of the footwall reef which has been opened in the winze workings, to which we have so frequently alluded of late, will not only pay for working, but will prove very remunerative. Albion — Povebty Tbibute. — A crushing was completed yesterday at the Prince Alfred battery. There was only 30 tons of stuff put through in all, and the yiold amounts'"to'427ozs gold. There were only 800ozs of amalgam, and no person thought that during the present frosty weather it would yield such a heavy percentage of gold. The yield exceeds the most sauguine expectations, but the'specimens were richer than was expected. The gold will bo melted today, but is not likely to lose much in the process. Bed White and. Blue.—Another of the Red White and Blue tributes, that belonging to Brown and party, has commenced to make ready for crushing, and are now about to send down a parcel of 50 tons to the Imperial Crown b lttery. Of course it is difficult at present to judge the worth of the stone, but it will in all likelihood yield a good payable average. \

Buck Angel.— The manager of the Black Angel has the hoppers again full of quartz, and will start crushing this week, Tho stuff is mostly from the brown reef, above the 116-feet level, which on the last occasion yielded such an exoellenfc average. There has, besides, been a very good show of gold while it was being broken out, and the prospects of the stuff now on hund are certainly fully equal to that recently crushed., There is also a parcel of stuff from the blue reef at.the bottom level, which ought to yiold well considering the quantity of gold which has been visible through it. Old Whau.—At present there is ao crushing going on for the Whau. Company. The company's own battery is idle for want of water. Crushing has been discontinued at the Mauukau, and a start has not yet been made at the Moanataiari, the branch line' from the nuin tram tray not being yet completed to the Moanataiari Company's shaft, through which the stuff is to be sent down to che level of the Kuranui main- tunnel, and from thence to the mill. The construction of this branch line is a work of considerable cost, for the cutting necessary for procuring a level is large, and as the greater portion of the ground is newly formed, it is found necessary now to secure the sides with timber, and make the cutting into the form of a tunnel. The men are making a very fine job' of it, and will finish by about Thursday, after which crushing will be immediately commenced with a force of 20 head of stampers, the number which has been engaged by the company for a period of three months. In the mine there is little new to report. The workings are being secured and reduced to perfect working, order, and the paddocks and hoppers are now as full of quartz as thoy can hold.

Watchsun Tbibute. — Long and party, the tributes who, uader the Watchman Company, are working the old Virginia City ground on tribute, hare evidently not b'een disheartened by the result of their recent crushing, for they are now getting ready with a larger parcel of about oO tons, on which they will make a sttrt at some of the mills next week. Tbey are working a good strong lode in the spur of the hill which projects into the Moanataiari Creek; which looks promising enough to warrant the perseverance of the party. •

Horn of Freedom.—Crushing for the Sons of Freedom has been commenced at the Mauukau battery with a force of 10 head of stampers, but it is impossible to tell ( yefc how the staff may turn oat. It consists of quartz from ad the workings in the mine mixed indiscriminately. In some there was a moderately good show of gold. In other portions of it there was none at all, but the nunager wants to make hinnelf acquainted with the different portions of the mine, and the worth of the reef in each part of the claim, After the present crushing he 1 will be better able to judge of the relative richness of the different portions of the lode/; and although the-present oruihing miy ,not prove very rich, there may be improvements expected in future ones.