MINING MATTERS.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1850, 5 September 1874, Page 3

MINING MATTERS.

Central Italy.—Retorting for the Central Italy Company took place yesterday at the Manukau battery. The yield was fully up to expectation, and amounted to 1390z« of gold before melting. When melted it was reduced to a bar weighing 1360zs 4dwtß, and as the result of about 120 tons crushed the yield is a good payable one ■

Morning Stab Tribute.—A crushing of 18 tons of stone was completed yesterday at the Prince Alfred battery for McGregor and party, tributes of the Morning Star mine, but the return was a moderate one, only amounting to lOozs lOdwts of gold. Minukat/.—There was a rich show of gold in the upper level of this mine yesterday, particularly in the south face, from which 501bs of rich specimens were taken out. Iu this level the reef has now been driven on to within about 40 feet of the cross-cut or slide, and for the remainder of the distance it is likely to prove very rich. The manager is about to drive 20 feet south past the slide in the bottom level, and then drive a cross-cut west, in order to recover the lode which is supposed, we might almost say has been ;proved, to have been hove to that side when broken by the cross-course. 'I he operations in the Waiotahi mino have to a great extent proved that it has not been hove to the left-hand side, so that if it is to be recovered at all it must be by the means which are now being adopted for that purpose. Albuenia.—A strong body of quartz was struck last evening in the continuation of the Whau adit drive through the Alburnia claim, but it has only just been touched, and very little is yet known with regard to it. Probably to-day's operations will further develop it. But at present it looks well so far as the stone is concerned, and is evidently a reef of considerable size. It was struck just at the boundary under the corner peg, and is in fact partly in the Whau ground at the present level. Its course is the same as the main reef, and from its. position the manager thinks it is that lode. At all events the overlie of this reef would be in the Whau ground, and its underlie ! in the Alburnia. In other respects there is no change in the aspect of the mine since our last report. Inverness Tbibute.-—Schofield's tribute of the Inverness mine has again turned out a good paddock of stuff, and crushing will be commenced for the party to-day at the Prince Alfred battery. The stuff has been taken out close to the spot from which good crushings have already been obtained, and a good substantial yield is anticipated. Albion Tbibute -Kelly's.—Catran's tribute of Kelly's old claim has not allowed much time to elapse between their crushings, for they have again started forwarding stuff to the Prince Alfred mill, and will start crushing with 12 head of stampers as soon as the crushing for. the Point Russell tribute, which now occupies the battery, is completed. The stuff which Catran's party have recently been crushing from this mine has not been rich. Indeed the average of recent crushings has been considerably under an ounce, but as the stuff is obtainable in large quantities and with little labour, such an average pays them better than would a higher average under ordinary circumstances. Tweedsibe Tbibute.—The tributers have completed. the erection of their engine, and will get up steam to-day, in order to test it before starting to pump out the mine.

Cbown Prince.—The system with which the new level of this company's mine has been r developed evinces the greatest care and forethought by the manager, who has evidently kept in view the great necessity for economic as well as systematic working. In order to effect this no penny wise and pound foolish economy has been used. The levels have been driven, secured, and drained thoroughly, and well laid with good iron rails. Good trucks have been provided, and the gearing connected with the shaft are all of first-class description; but although the outlay has been necessarily large at the first, it will prove in the end to be the-wisest and cheapest

system. Indeed, the workings of the mine, so far, are really creditable, and so far as the reefs have been opened up they have, we are glad to find, fully sustained the high opinion of their value which has been entertained. The No. 1 reef is the largest and in every respect the most important of the three reefs opened in the mine. It has been driven into a considerable extent at this level, but stopiug has only just been on it, and although 20 head of 'stampers have for some past been kept employed upon stuff from this and the No. 2 reef, there is very little quartz yet extracted from the level. Its course

from the croBS- cut intersecting it has been driven on in a north-east direction towards

the Exchange Company's boundary for a length of 84 feet, leaving a further distance of 92 feet to drive before tho boundary is reached. The reef in tho faco at prosont

is pinched into a smaller spaco thai usual. Its avorago width was 4 foot but in this faco it was only only 2j

feet wide yesterday. Ilowovor, it in known that this reduction in size is only temporary, for wliou Iho drive extends 14 foot furthor Iho No. I winze will bo broken into, and in thisi winze, which, it will bo rouolloutod, ourried very rich stone from top to bottom, the reef is fully 5 feet wido. South-wont of the cross-out the rocf has boon driven on a leni>tli of 80 foot, and hero Iho slide which, in tho upper lovol cut oil' all tho lodes, was reached Owing to tho stroug wostcrly dip of this slide n length of 60 feet was gained on tho roof in this level as compared with tho upper lovol, so that tho advnntago is vory groat, especially as gold showed freely _ through iho reef right up to to tho slide, or at least to within a few feet of it. But indeod it is only on rare ocoosions that any part of tho reef in this level has been broken down without showing gold in greater or less quantities. There are only two stopes yet started on this reef, and in the stopes the lodo looks quite as well as, in the level, and contains us large a proportion of that bright mundio which in this mino invariably accompanies gold. Tho

No. 2is not so.largo as the No. 1, but it is as rich, and has also been driven on to a considerable extent. The reef averages 16 inches in width. Its course is parallel with the No. 1, and the distance between them at the level is about 50 feet, but they underlie in opposite directions, thus increasing tho distance between them in "each new level opened. In tho south-west or seaward direction the lode has been driven on 100 feet, or to within 20 feet of tho point at which the slide is estimated to cut tho lode. In the north-east, toward the Exchange, it has been followed 80 feet, and lias maintained a remarkable regularity in size and apparent richness. Gold was carried right through from faco to faco, and the lodo is heavily impregnated with tho bright mineral before alluded to. There are three stopes being carried on this reef, and on every occasion when tho lode is broken gold shows There was a considerable portion ot the reef stripped in the stopes yesterday at the time of our visit, which will not be broken down until to-day, and tho manager entertains good hopes of getting some rich stone out whon the next breaking down takes place. Good gold was to hand when the reef was last taken down. Very littlo work has been done on the No. 3 reef, but a small chamber was excavated on it which exposes a portion of the lodo. In this face gold was visible yesterday. On tho whole the prospects of tho mine as shown in this level fully roach the expectations entertained. Tho stuff is crushing for a fair general average, which will no doubt soon place tho company in a good financial position. The first cleaning up and retorting for the company since the present level was opened will take place on Saturday week.