OUR MINES.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4321, 6 November 1882, Page 2

OUR MINES.

NEW PRINCE IMPERIAL,

The second stope, No. 1 section west, WEis within 3 or 4ft. of the break on Saturday, and the manager was continuing it to day. At last breaking down a haul of picked stone and specimens came to hand, which with the parcel obtained on Friday night made up a cwt. Gold \t as left showing in two places. In the west drive, the reef has been broken down right up to the face, and the men are now extending the dig. Good colors of gold were freely seen, and a few pounds of capital stone also came to hand. No quartz will be broken from here for a day or two. The leading stope west from the break is being continued, and will in a few feet be over the place where oewt. of specimens were obtained about a fortnight ago. Eastward the drive is being pushed ahead. The reef continues of good quality, colors of gold being seen when breaking: The reef in the leading stope No. 2 section west was broken down this afternoon, and the face where the gold is showing is about 15ft from the.break. The result of the breaking will be seen by the following telegram :—" 3ewt specimens from leading stope, No. 2 section, west. Rich gold still showing.—G. S. Clahk." There is yet about 6ft to break down before the leading stope is over the point where Mr Clark got scwt specimens in the drive. A fine show of gold is visible in the back of the leading stope, close to the break, and good gold is also showing in the reef in the drive going west and in the second stope, No. 1 section, west, which is how within 2 feet of the break. THAMES DEEP LEVEL TEIBUTE. The manager was able to get up to the face of the south drive at the 640 ft. level on Saturday. I visited the mine this morning, and was shown through the workings. The partition between the air and pump shafts at the 640 ft level has been repaired, and the air boxes laid within 20ft of the face. A good current of air comes down the former shaft, but a good deal of it escapes from the joints in the boxes, and 1 the daught is not so good as it will be when this is remedied. The drive is in capital repair, and as it is mostly through hard country only portions of it are timbered. The road is good on the whole, but here and there the rails are loose or the sole-pieces have sunk. Men are now busy repairing these defects cleaning out the drain, so as to allow the water to gel away freely. The bulk of the water is at present coming from the large reef cut in the face, the rest of the drive being comparatively dry. This reef is fully 20ft thick, striking east and west, and under* laying very flat towards the north. It is composed of kindly looking blue quartz, somewhat vuggy in places, but carrying favorable mineral throughout. It has evidently been cut through, as the face of ! the drive is almost dry. Several small veins are showing here, all of which carry good minerals. The country is a white sandstone and in the face looks much better than it does 100 ft back. It also shows a good deal of bright mineral, though I did not notice any of the- black veins which are considered such a fine I indication of gold, on this field. Nothing has been done on this reef beyond just cutting through it. The tace of the drive is in fully 850 ft, which would bring it about under the Queen of Beauty battery. QUEEN OF BEAUTY. Mr George Black, the inine manager, reports in a memo, to Mr D. G. Mac Don nell that the men have started sinking in the bottom of the shaft. The main reef in No. 9 level looks extremely well going towards.. Piako, showiDg large patches of bright mineral with good indications of gold. He has started 5 head in the battery on No. 7, west; 5 head on No. 9, west; and other 10 on the stopes. CALEDONIAN. Cleaning up and retorting took place at the Herald mill this morning for the good return of 102ozs lOdwts gold, which was reduced on melting to 100ozs7dwts. The amount crashed was about 62 loads. GOLD RETURNS. Hape Cbeek—McKurdy and party have crashed three loads at the Alburnia mill for the yield of 6ozs 3dwts gold. Moanataiei.—A parcel of 10 or 12 loads for Green and party yielded 7ozs 7dwts gold. Adelaide —The usual monthly crush-, ing from this claim has been finished for the good return of 1430zs lodwts gold for which about 40 or 50 loads were treated.