OUR MINES.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3943, 18 August 1881, Page 3

OUR MINES.

CALEDONIAN

At the No. 1 level, the drive east from the crosscut on No. 2 reef is going ahead as fast as can be expected. The reef was not broken down to-day, as the manager intended, but. a piece or two of stone showing gold was obtained yesterday.' A nice-looking leader, about nine inches thick, has come into the face of the drive, and the manager thinks it will junction with the main reef soon. A few colors of gold have been seen in it. No. 2 reef he re continues to carry a large quantity of mineral of a favorable character for gold, and the stone is extremely hard. The quartz from here is being stacked for crushing. The rise is up twelve feet, but the reef, which is eight or ten inches thick, has not been broken down for the last day or two. A great improvement has taken place in the west drive, where the country is becoming much more defined. At the No. 2 level, the Young American leader, in the underhand stope, continues very much the same. A few colors of gold are seen, and some of the quartz from here is being saved for crush ing. Work here is also being carried on on a small leader, stringing from the Young American. It is a nice looking leader, and shows colors of the precious metal.

OLD GOLDEN CALF

The manager has stopped work in the

stopes, and is getting ready to start two drives on the reef at the No. 2 level. In the first drive the reef is split into two,

the hanging wall portion being about 6 or 8 inches thick and the footwall a little ' '"""larger. From the position of the two por- . tions of the reef, they will probably junction in a few feet, when they should form a good sized lode. Gold is frequently seen in the stone, it being in some places coarse and leafy. In the other drive the reef is split into three portions. The hanging-wall appears the best, and from it some capital specimens were got a day or two ago. The footwall portion, which is about two feet thich, is mainly composed of white quartz, and ?is very hungry-looking. These three portions of the reef appear to be coming together, and it is very probable they will do so, when they would form a body of quartz fully 4 feet thick. It is estimated that the hanging-wall portion of the reef would, 1 if crushed separately, yiold 2ozs to the load, while the footwall would not give more than 8 or lOdwts, but by crushing the two together both will pay. An immense amount of quartz is now obtainablevand the manager evpeets to be able to keep 20 head of stamps going 12 hours per day constantly. The quartz being crushed,-, according to the manager of the battery/,'' is improving in quality. ....... KUEANUI HILL. The manager of the above mine reports as follow^ : —Poverty Section : The crushing has yielded so poorly during the week that the men have been withdrawn. Long Drive: The arrangements for breaking stuff in open cutting from the bluff are now completed and ten or twenty stampers can be easily supplied from this source. All : The general stuff from this par| of the mine is being put through ten stamps and showte# return of over an duncei per ton. '^Battery: The stamps started on Monday last; twenty head on Company's quartz, ten on tribute, and ten on Goldsworthy's Moanataiari tribute quartz. 'Tributes : r>o finds of any importance have been made during the week, Ja&es, of the Kuranui section is now crushing, and will have a very fair yield. The others are tery poor. NEW NOETH DEVON. The quartz from the intermediate level appears to be of a similar quality to that lately taken out. The manager says he ifr now down about six feet on the reef, which appears to improve and show more gold as they go down. From indications, it is expected this will prove a payable block. The crushing'stuff appears to be shewing'up for about a ounce to the load. ,

GOLD RETURNS. New GoiDEif Abbow (Tairua). —Mr Comes banked lOozs sdwts gold from this mine to-day. **'" Eubantti Hlll..—A crushing of 18 tons for Le Manquais and party gave 20ozs gold. ,