OUR MINES.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4293, 4 October 1882, Page 2

OUR MINES.

QUEEN OP BEAUTY: There is nothing fresh of importance to report in connection with the 'mine. Stoping is going on as usual on the main reef above No. 9 level, and good crushing dirt is coming to hand from here. The re ji is about 12 ft thick. Cleaning -up and retorting took place this afternoon, but the return was not to hand in time for publication. About 3C3ozs was ex* pected, and r.s this is for only 10 days' crushing, il is a good yield. Tenders were opened to day for three contrr.cts fordriving, two at No. 9 level and one at No. 7. Mr C. Hart's tender waa accjpted for driving west on the main reef at No. 9; Mr Robert East's for driving on the same rf ef at No. 7 level; and Mr P. Hayes' lender wf.s the lowest for driving on the Queen of the May lode'inside the crosscut. THAMES DEEP LEVEL TRIB'JTB.

The water yesterday was down 96 feet Selow the 500 ft level, which leaves only 44 ft to taks it to the floor of the 640 It level. The.manager estimates \hat if all things work smoothly this will be accomplished in five weeks' time.. That work done, il is generally supposed that the directors will at ouco" push on the south drive, and thus test the southern portion of the field at the deep level. The fires will-probably be lighted to-tnorrow in'the*-' two'toilers alongside the winding engine: By this means the work of the other three boilers which supply the pump will ba" materially lightened. ""• .-.'-...,

CALEDONIAN. . -,•'- ---' The prospects tbf this mine have im- -.< proved consi-'erabrjf'of lale, especially .at No. 2 level. At thi*.point the manager is working on what he:believes to be the old footwall specimen leader, and a number of smaller veins in the foot and h&r>giu3<. . wall of it. These were first- opes»& out upon from a winze sunk to a depth 3&about - 12ft., and a drive eastward from this winze is now in about 30 or 49 feet. About 3j._ feet of crushing dirt is being taken down, and the result of the late crushing'proved - it to be worth fully 2ozs per load!- As this method of working is rather expensive, ~ the manager is now putting in a drive on. - the leaders at the No. 2 level from the; Cure crosscut., The face is now in about-: 40ft, and a short distance will ...bring ; it to the winze. The face will.then beT " advanced till it is orer the face of the drive from the bottom of the winze, the r block.intervening underhand stoped. The| winze will then be sunk deep- enough :-tot~V open out an intermediate level, and the block ai*ped out in the ordinary way. . Xttfthe drive referred to fully sft. of crusJMV&it - is'being taken out, and gold is ahovmg lit ~ . several places in the roof. - A few^jSfieked stone are got every day, and sotnettmer rich specimens are also bagged. The drive at No. 2 level now going east willbe pushed on as long as solid country is met with, and it is probable that a drive will be taken back westward.on the leaders from'the Care crosscut; It is uncertain how much ground isatandingabpvethedrive,butitis probably unworked up to the intermediate level. This would give a splendid block to work oat. Below No. 2, however, the ground is all solid, so there should ben large and? good block to work here. TJteNbs. land 2 reefs are also untouched here, and should these leaders dip into the latter, it

is probable they 'will make a patch of gold. The winze on No. 6 reef at the intermediate level has been stopped, and the men are now driving ahead on a ■ mineral vein which dips into the reef. The manager is in hopes that he will get some gold at the junction of these two. .The face is in tight country, which makes

progress slow. The reef is very hard, 1 but carries some good mineral, and does not look unpromising. At No. 1 level the Ked Queen crosscut is being extended by a party of contractors. Work was only started last Friday, but fair progress has been made. -The country is tight. This crosscut should intersect several of the Waiotahi reefs. At the top of Captain Richards' rise, the manager has started to drive back eastward on the

, No, 2 reef to pick up, if possible, the same, class of quartz now being worked by the manager of the Golden Crown. The drive now being put in by Mr Hicks will be about 25ft below Mr Dunlop's drive, but they could easily be connected - by a rise, which would ensure good ' ventilation. At. present the face is not more than Bft from the crosscnt, aad the drive is' on the hangingwall of the reef, but the manager will alter its course so as to reach the footwall, which is the richest portion in the Crown workings. The class of country is all that could be desired, and the reef also looks well. . carrying good minerals, though no gold ' has been seen in it yet. A trial parcel has been broken from the No. 1 reef

where.the old drive was broken into from the drive at top of Capt. Richards' rise, and will be treated as soon ns possible. The reef is of very large size here, and if the parcel onlylyieldß half an ounce per load it will pay handsomely. The reef in the rise from old stopes continues to look well, producing picked stone every breaking down. The manager will shortly start - stoping on this reef from the top ,of old atones, and thus work the block economically and thoroughly. It is a pity that this company has not a battery of its own, .for there is an abundance of quartz which would yield from lOdwts to an oudco per load which will not pay to work as the company is at present situated. For instance, there is the No. 2 reef in the Otego section, where it is of such immense proportions. It is worth nearly an ounce per Wd, but would not pay unless the company had their own mill. Several other reefs would also pay with crushing power cheap. PINAFORE.

The manager reported for last week :— No. 1 level: Good progress is being made cleaning out and repairing. Two days will complete it home to the face, when crosscut ting for the reef will be started at once, and through a good country for gold. In the quarry there is no change to report, the men having been engaged in sending the stuff to the hoppers. No reef has been broken down in the stopes in the back of the intermediate level for four days. This will be resumed in .a day or two, when the

stuff is removed to the hopper. Crushing will be started on Tuesday next, at the Herald baijtery, with 10 head of stamps, when I hope to have a payable return. REUBEN PAKR.

The manager reports: Since my last we have opened out on the load, both ways: we have driven about 6 feet. We still Bate a very nice "header, 1 but I have not seen any gold in it. . Eastward, we have driven a distance of 14 feet. The lode has been ne:rly pinched out. Until the last 2 or 3 feet there is some stone showing in the face, and a heavy flow of waterT so I expect the leader is making. This is the end nearest the tributers' old workings, where they got their, best gold, and the reason we ere pushing this end ahead is to get underneath their workings, where I expect to get some gold. I may mention the leader on both ends is in good country, with a heavy stream of water. If we should get gold, I will let you kno^ by wire.—S. Dhtdek. GOLD RETURNS.

J£ Caiedouian. —Williamsapd party have treated 3 loads at the Herald mill for the return of 16ozs 4dwts melted gold.