MINING MATTERS.
Waiotahi — The manager of tlio Waiotahi mine hiving excavated tlio chamber at tlio bottom of the No. 2 shaft, started driving on the Manukau reof yesterday. A portion of the lode was broken down in cutting out the chamber, but although the class of stone was very promising there was no gold showing, but this is no criterion of tho quality of the reof. Indeed there is every reason to believe that tho lode is a good auriferous one even at this point, because, although no gold has been visible in the chamber, there was a very fair show on the hangingwall sido of it when it was cut through in the shaft. No doubt when it is 'further developed ila worth will be more appreciated, A. crushing will be commenced at thfi company's battery as soon as there is sufficient stuff on hand to give a fair trial of the worth of the reef where it traverses this company's mine. Crows Prince.—Although there are no special features of interest in this mine since our last report on the workings, it is nevertheless satisfactory to find that gold shows freely from day to day in the two main lodes upon which work is carried on. Stoping has been going on for the last few days. The reefs maintain the same average size, No 1, 4 feet, and No. 2, 18 inches, and on each occasion that stuff is broken down from either, gold in greater or less quantity is apparent. During tho last few days some valuable additions have been made to the contents of the specimen chest. There are 20 head of stampers steadily employed on the crushing, which is yielding a fair average, but there will be no cleaning up or retorting before next Saturday, and before that takes place the valuable lot of specimens and picked stuff now on hand will be put through, and will largely augment the yield from tho general crushing.
Coliban.—There is a very fair prospect in the new block of tho No. 1 reef, which is now being opened up by the drive towards the Watchman boundary. This drivo is now being extended from the block from which the last crushing was stoped out. The ground ahead is all intact, and as we have already stated, the prospects are very fair. Gold shows freely through the lode, which is on an average nearly a foot in width, and yesterday some good rich dabs of gold were noticeable in tho stone broken out of the face. There are no rich specimens coming to hand, but the lode appears to be composed of stuff which will yield well when crushed.
Alburnia.-A retorting for the Alburnia Company took place yesterday after a short, broken crushing, but the average of the stuff is considerably higher than that crushed last month. The amount of gold obtained from the retortidg which took place yesterday was 281ozs, and we understand that a further parcel is to follow.
.long Drive Tribute — Retorting took place yesterday at the Kurauui battery, after a small crushing, for a yield of 42ozs of gold. This yield was the result of several trial crushiiigs from the low-level, and the average is about an ounce to tho ton.
All Nations.-Cleaning up and retorting for the All Nations Company also took place yesterday at the Kuranui battery, and a yield of 92ozs of gold was deposited in the Bank of New Zealand a3 tho result. The crushing is not complete, but in consequence of the stoppage of tho battery it was determined to clean up. The average is a very fair one. Golden Calf.—The excavation of the chamber at the 336 feet level of this company's shaft has been completed, and the cross-cut from it towards the Just-in-Time reef is already in about 15 feet. But driving will be stopped temporarily and the sinking of tho shaft resumed in order to get a good deep well formed. However, if possible, after the sinking is fairly started, the driving will also be resumed by at least one shaft, so that no time may b ■ iu getting up to tho reefs in quickly possible. Cube.—The manager has started rising on tbe black leader and on the hangingwall leader, and will commence to rise today on the Manuka reef within a few feet of the boundary where connection was formed with the Manukau workings. As our readers are aware, there were three lodes intersected in the cross-cut driven to intersect the .Manukau reef, '''he first of those, which is called the hanging-wall leader, is a 6-inch vein upon which little work has hitherto been done. The second was the foot-wall vein of the Manukau reef upon which the drive alluded to has been carried, and the third is the black vein which was intersected 30 feet further into the foot-wall side of tho lode. The \lanuka_u reef lies very flat, while the black vein is nearly vertical, and those will no doubt form a junction higher up, but tho hanging-wall vein appears to be a distinct l ido so far. A little gold was found in. tho Manukau reef near the boundary, and in tho black veia also a fair show of gold was met with near the cross-cut, just at the place where the rise is being carried up. Tho manager has made arrangements with the Manukau Company and obtained permission to truck tho stuff from the Cure workings through tho Manukau level. In the course of a few
days operations on all the lodes will bo fairly in progress, and the manager feels sanguine that the lodes will improve in size and quality in the rises which will be put up on them. Cm of London.—The manager has started to drive on the No, 4 reef from the junction with No. 1, and has already got some distance along its course. The reef is very much smaller at this face than in the other drive from the City of York boundary (to meet which the drive
is now extended), At the latter place it contained 12 feet of crushing stuff, but was rather broken in character. In the now face it is only two feet wide, and although so close to the juuetion, where it might-naturally be supposed that the lode would be disturbed, it is, on the contrary, well defined. CENmL Italy. — Crushing for the
Central Italy Company will be completed on Thursday next, and so fur as may be judged from the quantity of amalgam which has formod ou the plates and the general appearance of the crushiug there ii araplo reason for believiug that the result will bo a handsome and satisfactory one There is a good lot of specimen .stuff on hand which will swoll the return to a considerable cxtont. The stuff crushed is altogether from tho lower levels of the mine.
Moifmuni. — Crushing for the Moauataiari Company is suspended at present, but tho stoppage will bo only a very temporary one of about four days. I'he reservoir is being cleaned out, and other necessary repairs are being effected, but the plant will be at work again as usual in tho course of a fow days. Piio stoppage will of course cause a decrease in tho result of tho next fortnight's crushing.
Kuiunui Battery.—Tl)h battery is also stopped ia osdec to have tho reset-
voir cleaned out, and tho boilers clcancd and inspected. Advantage has been taken of the discontinuance of the Queen of Beauty crushing to effect this, and tho machinery will at the same time be overhauled and repaired where repairs are necessary.
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/THA18740902.2.13
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1847, 2 September 1874, Page 3
Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,274MINING MATTERS. Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1847, 2 September 1874, Page 3
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
No known copyright (New Zealand)
To the best of the National Library of New Zealand’s knowledge, under New Zealand law, there is no copyright in this item in New Zealand.
You can copy this item, share it, and post it on a blog or website. It can be modified, remixed and built upon. It can be used commercially. If reproducing this item, it is helpful to include the source.
For further information please refer to the Copyright guide.