OUR MINES.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4219, 10 July 1882, Page 2

OUR MINES.

QUEEJN OF BEAUTY,

The pumps were slopped on Saturday to change the backets, and to effect one or two slight repairs. The water in consequence accumulated, and tbia morning the ! pumps were working 7 double or 14 single strokes to the minute, and, judging by the fine stream of water being forked out, they will soon reduce the aqueous element to its former level. At No. 9 level the drive eastward on the reef is in about 50 feet from the chamber. Another 50 feet will bring the face under the winze, but the junction of the main reef and the Queen of the May reef should be met with before then, as it is underlying in a westerly direction. The country coming in in the bottom of the face is of an exactly similar nature to that met with at No. 8 just before the gold was found—good sandstone and hungry look-. ing quartz, carrying a quantity of iron. A trial crushing is going through the mill now from here, which will be completed in a day or two. At No. 8 level the winze is down about 27 feet, No more good stone has been met with, but a trial lot of 18 tons is now being treated, and the manager believes it will prove richer than the last. The trial lot of 10 loads from the main reef seaward of the shaft yielded 4ozs 7dwts gold, or about Bdwts to the load. This is scarcely payable, but as there is a large block of the reef standing here, extending over to the Fiako shaft, and as high as No. 6 level, it is encouraging, for there is no knowing wbat may be met with in turning the ground over. The winze from No. 6 level to the tributers' drive on the Queen of the May reef has broken through, but the hole is so. small that as yet the ventilation is not much improved. Tt is probable that the battery will be stopped tbis week and overhauled, it being the manager's intention to start crushing continuously in a week or two. MOANATAIRI. The manager reports as follows for the week :-—" Nonpareil section : The new crosscut at the 215 ft level has been extended by about 60 feet towards the Nonpareil shaft. At this point, a leader 8 to 12 inches thick has been intersected, and old stopes discovered. The lead has been worked to some extent (formerly) east of crosscut, but so far as we can see, nothing"has been done west of it above or below the level. Some of the quartz in the leader referred to has a favorable appearance for gold. We purpose extending the crosscut to the Nonpareil shaft, and communicating with passes, which are 50 feet above tunnel level, before opening out on any leader we may intersect in the crosscut in band, as we shall then have much easier exit for quartz and refuse than at present. Tunnel level: The leader in drive S.W. of N.W. crosscut has not lookod so well the last few days as it did, it being much disturbed in. consequence of broken country. The drive underneath main slide at tunnel level has been extended 18ft 8m during the past fortnight. The reef is lft thick, and continues to look very promising for gold. 80ft level: The quartz in No. 3.reef showed occasional colors of gold when last broken. Redan section : The road is being stripped both at and below SO feet level. We have obtained 50 of picked stone from No. 9 hangingwall lead and Morning Star stopes below 50ft level during the week. The full force of stampers will start on company's and tributers' stuff on Monday next.—j. G.Vivian." OLD GOLDEN CALF. The manager cleaned op last week at the Queen of Beauty mill for the return of 38ozs lOdwts gold, for which the large quantity of 70 loads of quartz, from the stopes on No. 6 reef, was crushed. THAME3 DEEP LEVEL TRIBUTE COMPANY. The pumps continue to work steadily, an 3 the water is kept in check at the 503 feet level. The ladder way between the 400 and 500-feet levels has been repaired, and the manager started to day to put in a crosscut in a northerly direction to intersect No. 1 reef. There is about 70 feet to drive, and it will probably be fully a month before the reef is cut, es the country is still shooting ground. In the meantime, work will be suspended in the winze on account of the water, which will uo doubt disappear when the reef is tapped below. The clack valve has not yet been repaired, nor wiU it be till the crosscut is in some distance, so that the water will have room to rise during the necessary stoppage. THAMES GOLDEN CROWN.

Retorting 'ock place to-day for the yield of 1460zs 17dwts gold, which is the p.oduct of about fire weeks' run at the battery. GOLD RETURNS. Hapb Cbeek.—Greenville and party have treated a trial crushing for the return of lozs 13dwts gold.