MINING MATTERS.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1913, 8 December 1874, Page 3

MINING MATTERS.

Golden Age Tbibute.—A small parcel of lOcwt of picked stuff has been crushed for the tributers of the Golden Age at Spencer and Hall's test battery. The crushing was finished on Saturday, and a portion of the amalgam, which produced 6ozs 2fdwts gold, was then retorted, but in some unaccountable manner 16ozs of amalgam bad disappeared. No person was able to account for it, but yesterday it was discovered placed under a tub, under which it had no doubt been put for safe keeping by the tributer who cleaned it up, and lie subsequently forgot where he had stowed it away. This amalgamwas retorted yesterday, and added 6 >za Bdwts to that already on hand, making the total return 12ozs lOclwls 12grs gold from the small parcel treated. Pumping- Association. — Excellent progress has been made with clearing, the water out of the workings since the start of the pumps after the recent repairs, and at 9 o'clock yesterday morning the water was all out of the 400-feet level. Of course it was here that the great body of water had accumulated, The drives, chambers, and workings generally extend for a great distance, making huge reservoirs in which the water accumulates, and besides this the water forces its wayjback into the country from which it had previously drained There only now remains the 60 feet of the shaft which had been sunk of the new contract to bale out. There is no open ground below the 400-feet level, and no water except what is contained in the space of the shaft, so that although there is for this depth only a 12-inch lift at work,, we have no doubt that by this evening the mine will be as free from water as usual. Caledonian.—Up to yesterday morning the water in the Caledonian shaft had drained off, leaving only feet in the bottom; and as this seemed to be going off more slowly than was desirable, the manager started to bale it out. Yesterday afternoon all the water was out, and the contractors resumed the sinking of the shaft. Queen of Beauty.—The gold banked on Saturday by the Queen of Beauty shareholders was melted yesterday into ingots weighing 9690z5. Waiotahi.—Crushing for the Waiotahi Company was resumed yesterday at their own battery with a force of 10 head of stampers. The stuff at the mill on this occasion i» all from the 3-feet reef, and the manager expects it to yield as well as the last lot put through, which our readers will recollect was a very handsome average. At present there is not any stuff being broken down from the Manukau reef, and the manager does not intend to resume operations upon it until such time as the two shafts are connected. Imperial City.—Crushing for the Imperial City was also resumed at the Waiotahi battery yesterday with 5 head of stampers. There i's not a very large amount of stuff in paddock-probably about 30 tons—but the quality of the stuff is considered equal to the best of | the lots previously treated, Gold has shown pretty freely while it; was being

broken down, and we have no doubt the crushing will pay handsomely. Fbal.—A good show of gold was met with in the Ural (late Hand-and-Band) mine yesterday, in the workings from the old shaft on the lode which had previously been worked at a higher level. This lode is of good size, and the gold has made in the hanging-wall side of it. It is evidently dipping into a large reef which was cut at the bottom of the shaft. They will junction shortly, and there is a Hood prospect of a run of rich, nr, at least, payable stuff being found at this junction. There were about 20!bs of picked stuff, including a few nice specimens, taken out yesterday, The gold is fine, and nrxed with minerals, and the quartz itself is of good appearance. Nolan's ''andleii&'it Thibcte.—'The crushing for these tributers at the Imperial Crown battery has not yet been completed, but so far as it has gone it has not shown up for more than a moderate yield. There were 80 lons through yesterday, butbeforethecrushingis finished there is a parcel of about 301bs of picked stuff to be treated, the result of which will in some degree, increase the average. Exchange.—The crushing for the Exchange Company was finished yesterday, at the Imperial Crown battery, but the treatment of the headings and blanket washings was not finished in time for retorting, and this has consequently been postponed until to-day. Wjssr Coast.—The half-yearly general meeting of the West Coast Company was to have been held yesterday, but at the lime appointed there were no shareholders present, and the meeting lapsed I s ' o doubt the. reason for this apparent want of interest is that no operations are now being carried on by the company. The mine is let on tribute, and the tributers will have a crushing this week, which they expect will pay well. Moanataiabi.—The gold lodged on Saturday night on behalf of the iVfoanataiari Company was melted yesterday into a bar weighing 2750 a* lSdwts. Biud in-Hand.—This company's gold was also melted yesterday, and reduced to 103ozs lodwts. It only lost 2ozs. Crown Prince. -Crushing for the Crown Prince was finished last night, and retorting will take place to-day, but the yield will only be a moderate one.

Dauntless and Sink-to-Kisb Titibote.—There has been a parcel of 45 tons crushed at the Prince Alfred battery for Sawyer and party, tributers of the .'Dauntless and ir'ink-to- Kisa claim. Two tons of this lot were from a crossleader, and the remainder from the lode which has already turned out such a number of handsome returns. The yield upon this occasion was a very handsome one, amounting to lßlozs sdwts melted gold, au average of nearly 3ozs to the t-n.

Old Whau.—Yesterday the connection between the winze sunk from the adit level in the Black Angel reef and the level continued through the Old Whau mine, from the 116-feet level of the .Black Angel to meet it, were connected. The reef at the connection is 8 feot thick, and looks well, both in foot-wall and hangingwall, but in the centre the stone is rather loose. - lthougb the connection is now made, the reef is not yet opened for working; but this is in consequence of the stoppage of the Black Angerwindingengine, while repairs to the flue are being effected. These repairs will be completed by about 1 hursday; but there are at present some 50 or 60 tons of quartz stowed in the level ready for hoisting, and until this is raised to the surface the manager will have no opportunity of breaking out more qturlz. However, it is intended to start a force of 20 head of stampers to work on Monday next. A good shoiv of gold was found yesterday ia the main reef above the adit level, and about 25lbs of pickpd stuff and specimens were taken out. For some time past there Ims been a good show of gold in these stopes, and the manager calculates on a good payable block under the last level, 'lhe main rise has broken through to the Burface, but the remainder of this week will be occupied in timberiug it up, and after that the manager will commence to send stuff down from the blocks near the surface. The rise, we may add, is now through to the surface, and it will be kept open as a pass for timber, mullock, and quartz to the adit and all the intermediate levels in future. '