OUR MINES.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4224, 15 July 1882, Page 2

OUR MINES.

QUEEN OP BEAUTY. J Colors of gold are seen pretty fje-* quently in the reef at No. 9 level, but to other change worthy of note has takjn place. In the winze at No. 8 the ref continues to improve as it goes down, a d yesterday some good specimen stone wts found in breaking down, concerning which the j;>anager telegraphed :£ "Getting rich specimen stone out tf winze.—Geobgj Black." This speedilr became known about town, and share) advanced from 12s 6d to 14s, and to->daj there were buyers at 14s 6d, with sellers^ 15s 6d. The full importance of the discovery is not evident at first, but when it is remembered that even at the time the - company was getting rich dirt from the same reef above No. 8 level little or no picked stone was found, it is evident that a great improvement has taken place in the reef. The stone is also coming from the hanging-wall of the reef, while in the workings above the footwall portion . has always proved the richest. It is of course possible that the richest gold is now in the * hanging wall, but from the above fact it is . more probable that when the reef is cut through richer gold than that just obtained will be obtained. The gold in the stone obtained yesterday is not in large dabs, but is more generally distributed than is usual in picked stone on this field. A larger quantity of mineral is now visible in the stone, and the go^Hs mixed with it. Silvery mundio sfill i predominates, but copper is also freely seeu. The reef was not broken down today, the contractors being busy timbering. The bottom of the winze is now about 570 feet below the surface-—unquestion-ably the greatest depth at which payable gold has been found upon this field. This alone should encourage prospecting at the lower levels, while the discovery of good gold in the New Prince Imperial at a depth of 330 feet is another refutation of the theory that the low. levels of the Thames have been duffered out. Ibk**' both the mines mentioned above gold is getting much richer as the workings are carried lower down, and in the Queen of Beauty, it is stated by a gentleman who has been connected with the mine for a number of years, that the " show " of the precious metal now being obtained is the best he has seen in the mine. The manager estimates that it will take another month yet before the winze is down to No. .9 level, but it is probable that the drive at No. 9 will be in the required distance before that time. The manager called for tenders for stoping the main reef between Nos. 6 and 8 levels, but received no applications for the work. NEW PBINCE IMPERIAL. The reef lately cut in the shaft continuing to show gold when broken down, the quartz is being saved for crushing. The wages men engaged removing the manager's office to make room for the engine house are makiDg good progress. The poppet legs have been delivered at the mine. The are fine solid sticks of timber, and should do good service for some years to come. It was rumored that the manager intended to sink the shaft another 20 feet, making the distance from the surface 350 feet, but this has not yet been definitely decided. GOLD RETURNS. Ettbanci Hill.—Bennett and party have completed a crushing for the return of Bozs ldwt melted gold. Moanataibi.—Williams and party have banked 2ozs 14dwts gold.