OUR MINES.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4249, 14 August 1882, Page 2

OUR MINES.

MOANATAIRI,

The manager reports for last week as follows :—" Tunnel level: The reef underneath main slide basnot been taken down during the week. The country on it is a very good settled sandstone formation. The contractors are making good progress in No. 2 N.W. crosscut. Tunnel level, S.W. of No. 1 N.W., crosscut: A little gold is frequently seen in the drive, but it is too little to separate from general stuff. The lead is very irregular in its course and dimensions, causfd by small crosscourses. The n?en who were ris ing on the above named lead from stopes above 80ft level, have been shifted to tunnel level (where the air is much better) for the purpose of sinking and communicating with their rise. All Nations' stopes, 80ft level: Colors of gold are generally seen when breaking the leaders, but only a little of the stone is rich enough to bag. No. 9 hangingwall lead, als» Morning Star leaders, as well as stopes ia Heldt's section, have produced small parcels of picked stone during the week. Nonpareil crosscut, 215 ft level: A small promising lead has been intersect.d since my last. The air has been very light here for some days past. I therefore removed two of the men, who are now cleaning and repairing the Central Italy drive (westerly) which is 42ft above tunnel level. The battery will commence next week (Monday) 20 heads on company's, the remainder on tributers' stuff. —J. G. Vivian." THAMES DEEP LEVEL TRIBUTEThe reef has not yet been met with in the crosscut at the 500 feet level, but a nnmber of stringers have been cvt 5 so the main body of quartz should not be far away. In order to reduce the water to allow time to mend the clack valve at the sCoft chamber, pumping will.be carried.on below the above level for a day or t wo. The bucket from the 609 ft level was brought to the surface to-day for examination, THAMES GOLDEN CROWN. The general stuff all round showed a slight improvement on the plates last week. One of the leaders at the 100 ft level has also shown more gold during the past few days, and has also yielded a little picked stone. This will, no doubt, account for the slight rise which took place in shares in this mine, last week.

ALBUfiNIA. The most important work going on at present is the drive at the Whau level for the leader recently cut by McLean and party. The manager expected to have about 100 feet to drive, and up to the present 30 feet has been traversed.

Three shifts of men are engaged in the work, and the rate of progress will be about 15 feet per week. Since driving was started, the country has shown a considerable improvement, and is now of a very favorable class for gold. The drive is believed to be on the course of the reef, bat the only sign of it at present is a clayey formation, which, however, may mike quartz at any time, and if it does, the manager is very sanguine of getting good gold. The reef in McLean's workings is about 18 inches thick, and is 16 feet in the hangingwall of Dixon's reef, underlying rapidly towards it, so that they may be expected to junction some '30 feet lower down. The drive being put in by Mr Eadford will give 70 feet of backs, and there is also a large block underneath the Whau level, so that a large amount of crushing dirt can be obtained if the reef proves to be any good. The leader is saiji to be identical with one worked with splendid results in tlie upper workings, and as the point where McLean is working is in the line of the principal patches of gold found in this locality, there is every rea«purto£sujßi>Oße i" will prove good, especially where it junctions with Dixon's reef." McLeans crushing yielded over sozs to the load. The other works .in progress at present are on the footwall leader. A winze was started upon it at the 116 feet level some time ago, and is now being continued. The manager has also opened out a drive westward on the leader, but broken country having been met with, he has now stai-ted stoping. When the winze is do en to the 160 feet level, a large Mtitfk will be opened up, and, as the last crushing gave 16dwts to the load, it is expected to be payable. ' :