QUEEN OF THE MAY.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2619, 31 May 1877, Page 2

QUEEN OF THE MAY.

In company with the manager and Mr Garvey, one of the directors, I paid a visit to the mine this morning. On reach* ing the bottom I found that sinking is proceeding, and though the ground continues tight pretty fair progress is being made. The depth is now about 15 feet. We first went to the drive going east into the Queen of tfie Thames section, on the foot-wall lode. That leader here averages about one foot in thickness, but it varies a good deal in size, being sometimes as small as 6 inches, and as large as 18 inches through. Gold was to be seen in several places in the face, and I was in-., formed by the manager that some 301bs of specimens were obtained from this face last night. These specimens I was subsequently shown, and must say that they were as good, if not better, than any that I hare seen come out of the mine. The quartz was colored both, blue and white, and the gold was chiefly 3een in little patches of white prian..'^ : :Tlie}'Sp6ci« mens contained fine gold. The lode is well-defined, having a good clear hanging wall and footwall. The indications of soon cutting another reef in the drive alluded to some days back are becoming stronger and stronger. Little streams of water are issuing. from the hanging wall of the drive in various places, and this morning -several black veins were; to be seen in the face of the drive running inta the hanging wall of the footwall lode. Judging from these and other indications, there is little reason to doubt but that there is a strong body of quartz in the immediate vi6inity of the drive. If this turns out to be a large reef it is highly probable that its course will be the same as the rest of the main reefs in the Waio-Karaka dis-

trict, viz., running north-east and southwest. Now, the Queen of the May reef is an exception to this rule as it runs east and west as nearly as can be, end if the above conjectures are correct the drive on the footwall lode is sure to cut the reef if it is there, to intersect. The water issuing from the face renders the levels very wet after baling has been neglected for a few hours. In order to properly dra'n the level and keep the water out of the shaft the manager has started a winze at the western end of the mine. The hanging-wall reef has a very healthy appearance at present, and is evidently improving both in quantity and quality as the drive goes eastward. Gold is frequently seen in the breaking down. The men employed sloping are blocking out good crushing dirt. At "the battery the crushing is looking well, and there will, be a good return at the next retorting, which will take place on Saturday.