The Prince Imperial Mine.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4336, 23 November 1882, Page 3

The Prince Imperial Mine.

[Fboma Cobbespondent to the Hbbald, . .' Nov. 22.]

Early this morning I had an opportunity of visiting and inspecting the various workings in the above mine, and was courteously shown through by .the manager, Mr G. S. Clark. Speaking generally the mine looks well throughout the workings below the No. 3 level. At present the great centre of attraction is, of course, the drive west of the shaft going towards the Southern Cross boun dary. From the shaft to this boundary the Prince Imperial Company have about 230 feet, on the line of the lode now being worked. Of this some 195 feet .have already been driven, and, excepting the last 20 feet, viz., that broken down on Friday night, the lode maj be pronounc d very good the whole distance. It seems somewhat strange, but still there can be no doubting the fact that the Tery portion shot down on Friday, and which raised the expectations of the . shareholders to such a great pitch, is the poorest that has been met with sines opening out No. 4 level. From the shaft to the present face the lode will average about two feet thick, but in places, and these, apparently, the richest in the precious metal, it opens out to five feet of crushing stuff. From the break back towards the shaft gold is showing along the floor of the drive in more or less

quantities for a distance of thirty feet. Near the break it is especially good. Overhead in the stopes, at tin's point, the lode looks rery promising, and good gold shows for some distance back from the break. Judging py the appearance of the quartz the whole of the general dirt here mast be heavily charged with the precious metal. Again, seaward of the break the lode looks remarkably well, both on the floor of the drive and in the stopes over head. From the fact that good gold was got on this break above No. 3 level there is every reason to believe that the present gold, varying,; more or less in richness, will carry right through to that level, about a distance of over 80 feet above the present stope, and produce a large quantity of specimen stone. Dur ing my visit a shot fired in the leading stope. disclosed nice gold, and a further breaking; down at this point will, no doubt, produce a quantity of specimens. All along these stopes, besides the main lode, there are several small loaders, cne on the footwall especially which frequently yields nice parcels of specimens. Although I hare spoken of the portion broken down on Friday night as the poorest west of the shaft, it must not be supposed that the reef there is barren. Far otherwise. It is small, and does rot produce the quantity of gold that the other portions do, but still the quartz is good grade crushing stuff. Further west again, and in the present face of the drive, there is a decided improvement both in the appearance of., the lode and the surrounding ! country, and it is more than probable good { geld will be met with here. Again, in the Southern Cross winze, the same description of country as in the Prince , Imperial western face is showing, and today nice colors of gold were met with in this winze. On the whole it may be said that the block of ground west of the shaft to. the Southern Cross boundary, and above No. 4 level, will prove a very valu able one, yielding no small amount of gold, and many months of profitable labor. The.present crushing is proof of the richness of the quartz at No. 4 level, while the fiist crushing the new company had taken from the top of the winze, and ' immediately below the floor of the No. 3 level (thirty loads of quartz), gave 84ozs melted gold. Eastward of the shaft the quartz, although not so rich, is still of excellent quality, and sufficient of itself to give considerable value to the mine. The lode in this direction looks well, and occasionally produces parcels of fair specimens. Some distance east of the shaft the No. 2 lode branches off into the hangingwall of the Beach leader, and as nothing of the kind is observable on the No. 3 level, the manager is of. opinion the former stands intact to No. 2 level. This week the general crushing is show" ing up remarkably well. Yesterday a start was made on the specimens. The first six bags put through the single stamper produced 800ozsofbard squeezed amalgam. It is anticipated that the total yield for the month will not be less than 25000z8 of gold, possibly 30000z9.

In the above remarks I have in no way referred to the Mariner's reef, bnt here I cannot belp expressing the opinion that ■when opened up at this level it will prove to be quite as rich as tbe lode now in hand. There are other indications too, • but which in a telegram would take too long to explain, which tend to the inference that either in the western corner of the New PriDce Imperial, or in the Southern Cross mine near this point, there is a valuable deposit of gold.