MINING MATTERS.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1908, 2 December 1874, Page 3

MINING MATTERS.

Bed White and Blue Tbibute.— A crushing of 69 tons of stone, which was completed yesterday morning for tho tributers of No. 3 section of the Red While and Blue, yielded 50ozs lOdwts retorted gold. In melting it lost an ounce, and was reduced to 49|ozs. The return, although rather under tho last average, is nevertheless a payable one, and has given satisfaction. .

GoldenCalf.—Crushing for the Golden Calf has been started, and from the show of amalgam which it made on the plates yesterday, there is no doubt whatever but that the yield will be a very handsomo one. There is a good parcel of pickcd stuff and sppcimcns to be put through the mill before the termina'ion of the crushing, and this will add very materially to the general return. L

Central' Italy.—The drive on the reef has not yet broken through ,to the rise, but the lode looks far.better ia the face at present tlian.it did in the first instance. A little gold was visible in it yesterday, not exactly in the main body of the lode, but in stringers connected with it; in fact, the show was similar to that which had been repeatedly met with in the rise.

Monarch. — The crushing for tho Monarch claim (McOleary and party) to which we alluded in yesterday's issue, has more than met the most sanguine expectation's of the shareholders, for out of the 22 tons put through a splendid yield of 75ozs 13dwts gold was yesterday obtained and banked. The amalgam turned out splendidly. ; Previous to an average of 2ozs to the ton would have proved entirely satisfactory, particularly as'a large proportion of' gold' had ' previously been taken out of the same parcel in a specimen crushing which took place at Spencer and Hall's 'test battery .about six weeks ; ago.. .'This produced 37ozs gold, thus making the total return from this comparatively small parcel 112ozs 13dwts. Not bad certainly for an abandoned claim. We are informed that there is a large quantity of the same reef, which looks to be apparently as rich as that which has just been treated, available for working. ■■. • 1. 1 \

Sons of Bondage.—Such is the name which.has been given to the old Yale of Avoca ground by McGuire and party, the new occupants by whom it is now being worked. They yesterday completed a trial crushing of 35 tons, at the Alburnia battery, and from it obtained a return of 340z9 18dwts melted gold, or an average of an ounce to the ton. The gold was of poor quality, but as the stuff which they are working is easily taken out, such an average as that produced would pay well, particularly if crushing power was more readily available.

'Candlelight Tbibute. —These tributes are .working another of those claims, on the Waiotahi Spur near the dividing range which were once deemed very valuable mining properties, but which subsequently became almost abandoned. Tlie Candlelight has never been abandoned by the company, but for a long time past no work has been done in it except by tributers, but these latter have from time to time had some good payable crashings. Another will be commenced to day at the Imperial Crown battery. There is a good quantity on hand, and the tributers calculate on a good profitable yield. As gold has been visible and the men are thoroughly acquainted with the class of auriferous stone in the mine and district, they are not likely to be disappointed.

Albubnia.—Retorting for the Alburnia took place yesterday at the company's own mill and at the Herald battery, and the result has proved far more satisfactory than was anticipated. At the company's own mill there were 120 tons of stone put through for a fiue yield of 1320z5, and at the Herald battery the retorting produced 63oza, but we are not aware what quantity of stuff was reduced for the return. The total yield is 1950?3, and this is, we believe, considerably over what was expecte.'l.

Long Deive —At the Kuranui battery' yesterday cleaning up and retorting took place for the Lorn; Drive Company, and a total yield of 140ozs gold was tho result. There were 160 tons of : stone, put through, so that the average is less than an ounce' to the ton. A portion of this stuff was from the All Nations section of the company s mine, and the remainder from several portions of the old Long Drive workings. The All Nations' stuff yielded a fair average, but that from the Long Drive was poor, and reduced the general average considerably.

Vanguard. —A discovery was made yesterday afternoon in the Yanguard claim when a reef was met with in the cross-cut. It was penetrated in the face, and shewed a width of 2| feet of stone in a well-formed and clearly-defined reef. The cross-cut is now iu from the chamber between 50 and 60 feet. Previous to the lode coming to hand there was a marked improvement in the country, wliieh "at present looks promising as a channel of ground in which gold is likely to exist. Of course very little can yet be said regarding the reef which has just been met with, as it has only been penetrated in the centre of the drive, and ha 9 not been fairly cut througn, but as it is the first quartz which has been met with in the mine, and the prospect is, so promising there is every reason .to believe that N the fiud is one of importance. The company started into existence as a prospecting company. There were no lodes from otber mines which could be reckoned on as traversing the ground, but there was good reason to believe that parallel lodes to the Bird-in-Hand and Bright Smile did exist, and that which has just been I found is evidently one of them. Pumping Association.—The whole of the repairs having been completed, and everything connected .with the cylinder and gear adjusted, steam was got up yesterday, and at 4 o'clock in the afternoon pumping was resumed. Everything worked smoothly and perfectly, and after a low strokes the water flowed out in a heavy stream, supplying water to several batieiies, the managers of which promptly availed themselves of the beneficial stream. The amount of labour entailed by the operations which have been carried out since the stoppage caused by the breakage of the pump rods can scarcely be estimated by those who are not intimately acquainted with the works, but day and night the manager and men have been arduously employed, aud were it not for the perseverance and energy displayed, it would be several weeks before the pumps would be working instead of being as they are now iu full swing again. The manager was indefatigable, and ho was well supported' by willing workmen, and credit is duo to all for.the rroinulilude and energy with which the work whs performed. Exouinge.—We are glad to notice an improvement in the Exchange mine in the stop- s which are being carried: up paa;' the junction of Nos. 1 and 2 reefs. The hij\hei;t of these stapes is now 50. feet

above the level, and in each succeeding stope since the junction was met there has been an improvement, but it was only within the last few days that it became marked. Yesterday the class of stone was very good in the high stope, and there was a nice show of gold. A few pound? of specimens came to hand in the course of the day. The winze on the main reef is down 40 feet, and the manager has commenced to open ,out a block. The drives have already extended a short distance at either side of the winze, and a leading stope has .been started. The reef is about 3 feet thick, and although the country surrounding it is soft enough, the quariz itself is very hard; but it shows gold in small quantities, and appears to be good payable crushing stuff. Crushing for the company is now going on, with 10 head of stampers, at the Imperial Crown battery; but up to the present it has only shown up for a moderate average. Now that a better class of crushing stuff is. coming to hand, an improvement may be looked for, and probably before the cleaning up takes place next week there will be sufficient good quariz to make the entire crushing 'as' satisfactory' as the last.

Caledonian,—Most of the contracts at the main level of the Caledonian and Albion mines have been completed, four drives having reached the bounderies of the Hazelbank and Tookey claims, and one the Golden Crown boundary. The drive north on the No. 3 reef is still continued. but at this level fully 1,600 feet of driving;has.-now been carried on,,and no; payable quartz discovered.' So far as the ' Caledonian is concerned, this level has been proved worthless, and probably operations will cease there entirely in a short time. The sinking of the shaft will, of course, be continued.