MINING MATTERS.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1909, 3 December 1874, Page 3

MINING MATTERS.

Ktjbanui Company.—Eetorting for the Kuranui Company took plasu yesterday at their own mill, after 150 tons of stone bad been put through the mill, and a return of 81oz8 15dwts gold was obtained as the result. Ihe out-turn from this mine for some time past has not been large; far from it. In fact, for years past it has only been because of the persevering prospecting and fossicking which has been carried ou by the manager that the returns have been kept up. But the present levels are now exhausted, and it is rumoured that the company will shut down those worltß shortly, pending some further arrangement for the development of the deeper levels. This has not been officially announced yet, but we presume it is true nevertheless, for there is no doubt the present levels which have been so profitably worked for a long time are very nearly exhausted.

Golden Calf.-The crushing for the Golden Calf Company, including the specimens, was completod last evening at the Prince Alfred battory; but the retorting does not take place until to-day, as the grinding of the headings was not finished up in time for a final cleaning up last night. The return will bo a very handsome one, and we are informed thai the average will not be less than sozs to the ton. The whole of the stuff has been tak,en out of the 1 now lode, from whioh the preceding parcel put through was also obtained, In, the drive towards, the

main rpcf there is an excellent class of country, and -numerous quartz stringers, but the lode itself is not yet to hand. It must, however, now be in close proximity to the face of the drive, for the estimated distance is almost driven at which the survey plan fixed the locality of the reef.

"V ango-ard,—The reef to which we alluded yesterday as having been cut through was further opened, but whether the whole of the reef is yofc to hand |is a moot question. There is no defined wall inside, although there is soft stuff, but the lode itself appears to be splendid stone, and a small lump of it which was pounded up and washed, showed several specks of gold. The reef, although intersected in the Vanguard workings, is not in that company's ground. Owing to the peculiar situation of the company's ground their main shaft was sunk on a corner of the Bird-in-Hand claim, and the cross-cut, after extending past the boundary of the Bird-in-Hand, passed into a corner of the Queen of the Thames ground. It appears to have been in the latter that the reef was cut, but the matter will be settled to-day, for Messrs Wright and Bayldon have made a careful survey, but it is not yet plotted on the plans. There a|p ars, however, to be little reason to doubt but that the lode which has now come to hand is the same which outcrops in the Karaka Creek, and so far as can be judged from its strike it will traverse a section of the Vanguard through which it will strike into the Bird-in-Hand ground. It will also traverse a large section of the Queen of the Thames ground, and should it prove to be a payable lode it will prove highly important to all these companies.

Aibubnia.—The gold banked by this company was melted yesterday into a bar weighing 1940za sdwts.

Long Dhive.—This company's gold was also melted yesterday into a bar weighing 1330zs lldwts. Watchman.—Crushing for the Watchman Company was started on Monday at the Moanataiari battery, and after a few hours' run the stuff commenced to show well on the plates, but soon after that, one of the cogs of. a spur-wheel broke, and this caused a stoppage to the crush-. ing. It was, however, resumed last night, repairs having in the meantime been completed. There is not a very large parcel on hand, but the stuff is apparently of good quality, and should yield as well as the last parcel put through for the company, and if it does they will have good reason to be satisfied. Manukau, — The crushing for the Manukau Company at the Tramway battery since the start was made on Tuesday evening has shown up on the plates for a yield fully up to the usual average. In the mine works are progressing vigorously since the filling in of the stopes was finished, and the reefs, particularly the mineral vein at the 150-feet level, to which we have frequently alluded, as showing gold very freely. There are very good prospects before the company, and should no other stoppage take place, they will have another very handsome yield, probably a dividend also, before the holidays. Queen of Beattty.—ln regard to the No. 2 reef the discovery of which at the bottom level we recently alluded to, we have little further to add. It has been penetrated for a considerable depth, and is to all appearance a fine auriforous lode at this level, but it has not been cut through yet. The No. 1 reef is Hot yet to hand at this level.

Pcmping Association.-Pumping continued steadily yesterday, and the whole plant worked splendidly, but during the stoppage a very large quantity of water has accumulated in the shaft, and of course all the workings at the 400-feet level are filled. In fact the water has risen a height of 71 feet above that level, and the shaft beneath.it for a depth of 60 feet also remains to be pumped out. Bat from the steady manner in which the water decreased yesterday we are quite sure that the present week's operations will go far towards clearing the mine of water.

Cbown Pbince.—ln this mine operations are progressing as usual on theNos. 1 and 2 reefs, but work has ceased on the specimen leader for' the sufficient reason that all the payable stuff which it contained above the present level has been exhausted. Only one block of the No. 1 reef is now being stoped—that against the seaward end. Here the re<f varies in width from 3 to 5 feet, and being easily worked, although rather wet, it turns out the largest proportion of the crushing stuff from the mine. The winze on the No. 1 reef is down 40 feet, and the lode at the bottom is 4 feet thick. There has a great change for the better taken place in the class of country at this depth, and as gold has been frequently visible all the way down in this wiuse it may reasonably be expected that when the block is opened for working a better class of crushing stuff will be available than that which is now coming to hand from the stopes on the same lode. The No. 2 reef varies little in size. It is from a foot to 15 inches thick in the three blocks which are being worked. There is no doubt the class of stone in this lode is superior to the No. 1, but it cannot be taken out in iu such quantity on account of the small size of the reef. Other works are now being started in the mine, which may, and probably will lead to important results. The manager intends to start driving from the chamber at the present main level towards the Prince Imperial boundary. There are three known lodes to intersect, and others may be discovered. The first to come to hand will be that which was cut through in the shaft some time ago, which is probably a branch of the N0.3 reef. This dipped away out, of the shaft to the westward, but it showed gold at the time, and may prove to be well worth following up. There is another lode which was cut through in the main cross-cut in the upper, level. It did not show gold at the point of intersection, but in other respects it looked promising. Nothing has since been done on it, but at this level the manager will give it a fair trial. There is, however, a lode of still greater importance near the Prinoe Imperial boundary, which strikes into the claim from the Old Beach claim. This was formerly worked from the t )ld Whau shaft, and is said by the Old Whau shareholders to have contained good gold. The extension of the drive will not only prospect all those lodes, but will further prospect a section of the mine in which little work has hitherto been carried on.'