MINING MATTERS.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1835, 9 June 1874, Page 3

MINING MATTERS.

Manukau.—ln this company's mine ' very good progress has, during the last | week, been made with the drive pa the course of the roef, especially in the south end, which has now approached to within lO'feet of tho shaft, la this faco the reef has recently gained strength considerably, and besidis there has been a large accession of mineral which pro-, mised well for gold. For some time previous there has hot been much gold showing in the face in this end, but on Saturday there was good gold showing, and yesterday, at the time of our visit, although' there was no gold actually visible, there were most promising indications. In fact it was quite apparent that rich gold was in the vicinity, and such is doubtless the case. The air in this end is now getting pretty warm, and no wonder either, when there are three men working abreast in the face in • order to push the drive into the sh aft, : which must be accomplished before stoping can be carried on to aoj large extent. In the opposite end, towards the Cure boundary, the drive has not mido much progress during the last few days. The reef had become rather split up-divided by mullock bands—and the quartz, although of splendid quality, especially on the footwall side, was small in quantity. But in the face at present the reef is making strongly from : the' centre, and tho footwall vein contains a brilliant show of gold. The air is also pretty close in this end, but the manager of the Core having undertaken to start the cross-cut for this lode from his mine on Monday next, the manager of the Manukau has agreed to continue the drive ahead. ' By this means communication will soon be opened in both ends, and the mine will be thoroughly and effectually ventilated. As we stated before, there'only remains ten feet to drive' to the shaft in one end and 3G feet to drive to the Cure boundary in the other. Those* measurements were ascertained by surveys made on da.urday, and measuring from the point at. which gold was struck in the bottom of tho shaft to tho face towards the Cure in the north end, the length of the run of gold as already ascertained is 143 feet, or half the length of the mine on the course of the lode.

Caledonian.—"Retorting for the Caledonian took place yesterday after a week's run, during which 87tons Bjwt stuff have been reduced. The return was a moderate ona of slozs of gold, but the reason why the average this week is so low is because a quantity of mullock which had to be taken out while another block on the intermediate level was opening had to be taken out, audit was decided to crush it, although it was kuown to be of very inferior quality, so much so indeed that before any of it was sent to the mill a quantity' was stowed away in the stopes. In the other parts of the mine there is no change. No quartz hag yet shown in the east cross-cu;, nor has there been any noticable improvement in the No. 2 reef on the bottom level.

QtJBBN .op the Mat.—Crushing for the Queen of (the May. was commenced yesterday morning with the full force of the Una battery, 25 head of stampers, and although, the run up to the present has been too short to allow of anything like a correct estimate of the probable yield, there was yesterday a show on the tables which gave promise of an average yield of from three-quarters of ouuco to the ton. Pome oven estimated the show as being worth a higher average than this, but the stuff is new at the mill. There has been gold visible through some of it which appeared coarse, and which may and probably will be detained in the boxes. Until, therefore, it has had a longer run it will be difficult to form a correct estimate of the worth of the stuff. Indeed, its escaofc worth will not be known until such time as a cleaning up and reporting takes place. . .' ■■ ,

Albion,—Kelly's Teibute.—Another crushing has been 'commenced at,the Priuce Alfred battery for Catran aud party,tributers of Kelly'sold claim, who have already about 60 tons ready for the mill, although it was only quite recently that their last crushing was completed. This stuff, however, came readily to hand. It is composed of mullock from the company's old workings, which is being taken out between two other lodes. Coming so easily to hand a low average will pay handsomely, and it is probable that the quartz in the lodes will compensate for the poverty of the mullock, and mako the total yield a handsome one. Obown Piunce.—The Crushing for the Crown Prince at the Manukau battery will bo finished to-day, but there is no expectation 'of more than a moderate yipld, although a. fair proportion of the stuff has beon taken out of the •winzes sunk to meet the new level., In these, as our readers are aware, there has boen a goad rich show of gold, and bettor results were naturally expected from the general stuff. _ With the specimens, the total yield will doubtless be a handsome one. There has boen no damage to the.mine from the recent influx of fire damp and water, nor are they likely to in any way impede the progress of the company's works. Lincoln Castle.—The Tinker's Gfully wire tramway was put into use yesterday for tho purposo of bringing down a trial crushing of about 12 tons of quartz from the Lincoln Castle mine to tue battery. This lode, as our readers are already aware, is opened near the surface of the mine. It U from 2 to 3 foot wide; as rogards quality it looks well. A little gold lias been visible in and if tho trial 9rusWn^tiA,rns.o«li\jell { ~ w,il{ be a,

large section of it available for working and crushing. Usd White and Blue TfIiBUTE.-Mr Skidmore, tributer of tho No. 1 _ section of tho Eed White and Blue mine, has commenced forwarding another crushing to the Manukau battery, where ten head of stampers will be started to work on it this morning. There are about 50 tons ready for tho mill, and it is expected to yield about the usual average of f of an ounce to the ton,

Hose and Shameock Tbibute.—A retorting for the tributors of the Rose and Shamrock took place yesterday at the Ballarat and Clunes battery and a yield of 79ozs lOdwts of gold, which when melted was reducod to 78ozs 4dwts, was obtained as the result. There were, we aro informed, in all 90 tons put through the mill, and out of this quantity 25ozs ldwt melted gold had formerly been obtained. It is estimated that if the whole of the blankottailings had been treated prior to this cleaning up, tho yield would have been increased by at least 30ozs. Point Uussell Thibcte.—A parcel of 43-j- tons of stone has just been crushed at the Prince Alfred battery for Teasdalu and party, tributers of tho Point Eussell mine. Eetorting took placo yesterday, and a yield of 31ozs 17dwts was obtained as the result. The averago is not equal to that obtained from recent crushiugs, but a portion of the stuff crushed consisted of trial parcels from various portions of tho mine.

' New Caledonian Tbibute.—A crushing of 47 tons of general stuff from the New Caledonian mine was completed yesterday et the Flora Macdonald battery, when a return of 38oza 2dwts of gold was obtained as the result. A parcel of specimens picked out of this stuff and crushed some time ago at Spencer and Hall's test battery yielded 29ozs, making tho total return from the entire crushing 67ozs 2dwts, which gives a good payable average. Old Whau.-There were na fresh finds in the Old Whau mine yesterday. The timbering up of the level to the face will be completed to-day, and driving towards the junction will be resumed. To-day, also, work will be commenced on the Black Angel reef at the adit-level. It will be recollected that some time ago preparations for this were made, .but the work was postponed until other operations requiring immediate attention were effected. The monthly meeting of directors will beheld to-day, at which wo anderstand Mrßorthwick willresigahis position as mine manager.