MINING MATTERS.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1856, 12 September 1874, Page 3

MINING MATTERS.

Twenty .third op June.—A parcel of 10 tons of quartz lias been crushed at the Prince Alfred battery for the shareholders of the Twenty-third of June tribute. It was finished up yesterday, and the result after melting was 7oza 2dwts gold.

Una Tribute. — A small parcel of melted gold, weighing Uozs 15dwts, was banked yesterday as the result of a crushing of about 15 to 20 tons of stone for the tributers of the Una Company. Old What;,—The gold resulting from the crushing of picked stuff fjr the Old Whau Company at the Moanataiari battery was banked yesterday. The amount was 46ozs, and this, with the gold previously lodged from the general crushing, was melted yesterday at the Bank of New Zealand into a bar weighing 201ozs gold. In regard to the mine itself there is no new feature calling for special mention. Bird-in-Band. -On Thursday night the course of the reef at the bottom level of the was driven on up to the winze a distance of about 8 feet from the point •of intersection. The reef stuff stripped in this drive has since been broken down, and is found to contain a fair show of gold. The winze is now fairly openod into, and driving on the course of the reef will be pushed forward with all possible despatch in order to open up the reef for stoping so that crushing may be resumed. It will be opened up in both directions from the shaft, and in the course of a week or two stoping wilt be progressing.

Bright Smile.—The course of the new lvef has now been driven ou a length of 14 feet, aud the encouraging indications which were perceptible when the lode was first intersected continue as strong as over. The show of gold in it yesterday was a very fair one. The reef also so far maintains a regular width of 18 inches, and is remarkably well do-, fined, much liure so indeed than the lodes in this mine are generally, and it is quite evident that this new reef will prove a valuable important acquisition to the property of the company. The general crushing during theweek has been showing up for an excellent return. The sinking of the main shaft was resumed oil Thursday night afier having been stopped for nearly a week on account of a strong inflow of water, but the pumps have succeeded in breaking the strength of the inflow, and now they are only working at a moderate speed. In this mine, as in many others, it happens sometimes that after sinking fjr some time without much trouble from water, broken country is perhaps met with, and there is suddenly a strong iuflow of water from the sides and bottom, but after a time the water which here finds vent exhausts itself, and then the sinking can be carried on as beforo. It was so in this instance, and for noarly a week the pumps have been worked at a speed of from 12 to 15 strokes a minues, and now that the crevice is drained tlio speed is reduced again to eight strokes a minute, and sinking may bo carried ou for a good depth before such another occurrence takes place. The present depth of the shaft is 46 feet. The country is good, and the contractors can progress at the rate cf 10 feet a fortnight through it, so that beforo long the necessary depth will bo reached at which to open the new level.

Caledonian.—lt was'rumoured yesterday that gold had beeu struck in the No. 3 reef (the new roef iutersected in the east cross-cut), and of course the news creatod some sensation, I he circumstances of the find so far as we have been able to gather, aro as follows: — Yesterday ono of the workmen employed driving on the course of the reof reported that he had struck gold, and brought four small pieces, each not larger than a shirt button, to the manager. Gold showed in three of' them, but a careful search was afterwards made in tho faco of the reef by the manager and foreman, but no further gold rewarded tlwir seiu'ok. There ia

not, however, any reason that we can observo for doubting tlio genuineness of the find,such as it is, and the quality of the reef is certainly promising. It may be that this is the precursor of a more important discovery, The importance of having gold found in this level ia in itself very great, for so far as wo can recollect, no gold has yet been anywhere visible at this level before yesterday, al though a great deal of work has beon carricd out there on the reefs and in crosscuts.

Crown Prince.— Retorting for the Crown Prince will not tako place to-day. It has been postponed until Tuesday in order to have a full run of four weeks for the first retorting from the neiv lovels. There is good reason to believe that although tlio average yield will not be very high, a good payablo yield will be the result of the present crushing, and the general average will at all events be superior to any of the crushiugs taken out of the upper levels, . Losa Drive,—Gold was struck yesterday in the Long Drive mine at a depth of CO feet below the beach level in the workings which' are being carried on there, but at present there is not much known respecting tlio lodo in which it has beon found. It will bo further opened up to-day. The main leader becamo broken just over this level, and it is quite possible that the quartz now in hand is tlio continuation ot that reef, or at loast a portion of it,

Lincoln Castle — Tho cross-cut towards tho strike of tho Twenty-third of June reefs from 'the Sons of Freedom adit is making good progress through fair working country. It is now in 60 feet, and a further distance of 30 feot is expected to reach the reefs.