OUR MINES.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4356, 16 December 1882, Page 2

OUR MINES.

BART. As soon as the dam in the crosscut at No. 2 level is completed, the manager will call for tenders for sinking the main shaft a further depth of 80 feet. This he will be able to do before pumping machinery is erected, the winding engine on the ground being powerful enough to lift both water and stone from that depth, 210 feet. He will then cross-cut for Nob. 1 and 2 reefs, which lie to the west of the shaft. The first mentioned should be met with close to the chamber, but a distance of about 150 feet will have to be'driven before No. 2is intersected. This body of quartz is the main one traversing the mine, and averages between two and three feet in thickness, though sometimes much larger. At the present bottom level it is about 200 feet from the shaft, striking N.N.E. by S.S.W. The late tributers drove on it about 150 feet each side of the. crosscut, and stoped a block fully 260 feet long up to - No. 1 level. Southward it was payable right up to their boundary, though somewhat spilt up in the face at present owing to the proximity of a slide. The reef has never ** been driven on through this, and it is quite possible that; good gold will be metwith in it when prospected, as the best gold on this field is generally found on the top of the slides.' North of the cross-cut the reef was payable for over a hundred feet in length, the best gold obtained from the whole block being got in the north drive. About 50 feet back from the face at this end the reef divides, the hang* ing wall portion striking off eastward. Very little has been done on this, but the quartz looks very promising, being of the kind which generally carries the best gold in the mine. The No. 1 reef- at the bottom level is about 50 feet from the shaft, is a good sized lode, and has a course almost exactly similar to the No. 2. A considerable amount of driving and stoping has been, done on it, but only - portions were remunerative. The manager is of opinion that this reef is identical with the Tweedside leader, which gave excellent returns near the surface. About 20 feet south of the crosscut a footwall leader branches off, but Mr Stone thinks they will come together again northward; East of the shaft a crosscut was put in to cut the Alfred leader, which yielded rich returns near the surface, but has not been much worked below. It will thus be seen that the hopes of the company centre chiefly on the No. 2 reef, and it is. pretty certain that the block on it between Nos. 2 and 3 levels will be a very;remunerative one, as it has greatly improved in quality so far as it goes down. SOUTHERN CROSS. Driving and stoping is proceeding as usual west of the winze on No. 2 reef. The face has been advanced about 35 feet, gold being seen the whole distance, and a tew picked stone coming to hand. The - men will start next week to get ready for continuing the winze on the boundary, the manager having received instructions, i to keep this going as long as there is air enough. This will test the value of the reef, and when the No. 5 level of the Imperial shaft is connectpd with, it is uot improbable that motive power of some sort will be erected, and the winze continued to the 610 feet level. Crushing was started with five lieaJ of stamps at the Moanatairi miil this afternoon. THAMES DEEP LEVEL TRIBUTE., The contractors are now in o'rer 50 feet, and the country continues of a very favorable class for gold. The manager will probably commence driving seacard upoa the reef lately passed through before long, but not until some alterations have been made in the air boxes near the shaft. For about 100 feet ia length these are smaller ia size than the rest of the distance, and at Christmas time it is Mr Coutts" inten» tion to enlarge them. This would greatly increase the current of air, and make the supply ample for both drives. GOLD RETURNS. Aibubnia.— -Rosa and party hive crushed four loads for 7ozs Isdwts gold. Caibdonian—Williams and party have^ treated four loads of general dirt and 221bs picked stone for the return t>f2oi>zs? 16dwts gold. f

WEEKLY GOLD, RETUEtfS. ' ■ oz, d\vt. fjrAlburnia (Ross' tr) 17 15 0 Do. (Whitaker's tr) ... 63 10 0 Coliban ... 74 8 0 Caledonian (William's tr) ... 30 16 0 Don Pedro (Kneebone) ... 39 18 0 Dart (Greenrille's tr) ... 3-117 0 Golden Hill No. 1 (Te Aroha) 810 0 Kuranui Hill (James 1 tr) ... 537 10 0 Do. (Mills* tr) 11 0 0 Do. (Grubb'str) ... 48 4 0 Do. (\sh'str) 2 16-0 Do. „ (Le Manquais' tr)... -\ 52' \ 1"; 0 Moanatairi (Gutbrie's tr) ... 710 0 Queen of Beauty (Connolly's tr) 180 .0 0 Beuben Parr ... 13 18 0. Smile of Fortune (Farmer's v . tribute) 27 Q 0 Waitekauri No. 2 (Morton's tr) 308 161, 0 Total ,„ ,„ 1418 19 #