OUR MINES.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4329, 15 November 1882, Page 2

OUR MINES.

QUEEN OF BEAUTY,

The manager has started to sink to open up another level which, judging from the success met with at No: 9, should prove "a very rich one. The proposed cistern at No. 9 has not yet been fixed; the single column has simply been extended to the bottom of the well hole. The work of sinking must necessarily be a slow one, as the men will have a lot of water to contend with, and the shaft is large. So far not more than 5 or 6 feet have been sunk.' The country is of a favorable class, and a vein of quartz about 2 inches wide, and carrying good minerals, is showing in the bottom. The drive seaward on the main lode at the bottom level is now in a little over 70ft, in a good though tight class of sandstone. The reef is at- present fully 7ft thick, and is composed of veins of quartz intermixed with mullock. It carries a large amount of dark mineral, and also bright silvery mundic and copper. The whole of the quartz is sent to the battery, but it is not shaping for a large return. The contractors for driving on the Queen of the May lode at this level are in fully 70ft. The reef is about a foot thick, and carries a fair amount of favorable mineral. The country in the,face is becoming tighter than it has been hitherto. Tbe drive east on the course of the main reef past the cross-reef is now in about 130 ft from where the latter body made its appearance. What is evidently the formation of a reef has been carried in the whole distance. This ia about 2ft, wide in the

present face, and has a distinct hanging and foot wall. Here and there it makes into solid quartz, which contains good minerals for gold, though none of the precious metal has vet been obtained. The country is a white sandstone, with a few mineral veins running throuh it. It is from this drive and the one on the Queen of the May reef that most of the water is now issuing. The stopes on the main reef are looking much better than at my last visit. The reef is, if anything, a little smaller, but looks better all through, and shows more gold. The precious metal ischiefly seen near the winze and eastward of it. The centre stope is within about 15 feet of No. 8 level, but on either side there is yet about 30 feet in vertical height to take out. At No. 8 level the only work in progress by the company is a cross-cut south from the chamber towards the Bird-in-Hand shaft. This is in about 60 feet and in good country to drive through. Some small veins of quartz have been met with, and one about 3 inches wide was cut last night. This has not shown gold, and is rather white in appearance, but carries a quantity of bright mineral. As the ground passed through by this cross-cut is entirely unprospected if a gold-bearing body of quartz is met with there will be a large supply of quartz available.... No. 7 level: The drive west on the mam lode having been extended to the old workings of the Piako company, stoping was started. The block in hand is 174 feet in length, and 70ft in height. The old company sank two winzes from No. 6 in order to open it up. The first one of these has been cleared and repaired, and creates a good current of air. The second is now being put in order, and when completed the block will be thoroughly opened up. The reef in hand is about 2ft wide, ami carries a large amount of both dark and ■bright mineral. Five head of stamps are employed on it at the battery. Below No. 7 the reef is intact, seaward of the shaft, with the exception of drives on it at Nos. 8 and 9 levels. NEW PRINCE IMPERIAL. The show of gold is the same as was visible on Saturday last. Since then the men working in the west drive at No. 4 level have been advancing the dig, which is now in about 12 or 15 feet. The small stope over the drive has also been advanced a few feet. The second stope west from the winze has been carried right up to the reef west of the break, and the, reef stripped to a height of 5 or 6 feet r<sady for breaking. In taking off some stringers of quartz which composed the hanging wall of the reef good colors of gold were seen, and gold! was showing in them in two places tp-jday. Both east and west of the shaft stoping is in progress. Eastward the reef-carries more dark mineral, and shows gold when broken. It varies in size, but the average would be about two feet. The eastward drive is stopped for a short time till the leading stope is in over it and the timbers in position. To-day this stope was within about 3ft of ihe face, but the reef has not been broken down for some feet back. GOLD RETURNS. Caledonian.—Lewis and party have crushed 12 loads at the Herald battery for the yield of 26ozs ldwt melted gold. ■•■