OUR MINES.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4457, 18 April 1883, Page 2

OUR MINES.

NEW PBINCB IMPEEIAL.

At No. 5 level the western drive is in 70ft from the crosscut, and about 50ft more should take it up to the break, where such rich gold was obtained at and above No. 4level. There are about sft.of the reef stripped, and gold is showing in the footwall where a piece of the quartz has been torn out. The reef where last broken down is showing about afoot wide of good solid quartz, very similar in appearance to that at No. 4 level. It is not very heavily mineralised, but showed gold freely in breaking for the last 10ft. A small footwall leader about 1 inch in width is showingin the drive, and from this a few pounds of specimens hare been obtained. A little gold is showing in the roof of the drive. The country continues a good while blocky sandstone. Eastward at this level the men have not been working in the face since my last visit, but have been carrying aloug a leading stope from the winze. This has been done up to a point a few feet east of the the crosscut. The lead has looked well, showing gold when broken, and producing a few pounds of picked stone. A nice little haul was bagged yesterday afternoon and a good show left in the face of the stope. The stone shows a quantity of ruby silver. At No. ,4 level, the manager on Monday obtained 401bs of good specimens from the No. 2 reef, while digging a small hole to allow the water from the Cross stopes to ran away. The hole was made where a watercourse intersected the reef, just below the point where 2cwt of specimens were bagged when the drive was being put in. Good gold was left show* ing in the reef on the side of the hole, and also in the bottom. The leading stope on the No. 1 reef, or Mariner's, is being taken along from the Cross boundary, and the drive securely timbered with stulls and slabs. The reef looks well, and2olbs. of specimens came to hand in taking it down where the gold was showing on the footwall last week. The eastward drive on the same reef has been at a standstill while the leading stope was being brought through the dead ground at the heave, but as this, work is now j completed, work will be pushed ahead. The manager to-day started to crosscut from No. 3 chamber for this reef. When it is to hand a winze will be sunk on it to the drive at No. 4, and good ventilation thus secured. Eastward of the shaft at No. 4 level, the drives on Nos. 2 and 3 reefs, and the leading stopes following them, are being pushed on as usual. The latter reef continues about a foot wide, and shows gold on being broken, but the former has widened out to 2|ft, and shows colors of gold on being taken down. A pound of good picked stone was got here yesterday afternoon. The country also looks more favorable. The main body of quartz carries a good percentage of -bright mineral, and two smaller leaders in the footwall also look well. The stopes above No. 4 level are looking about the same as usual. At the battery 17 head of stamps are kept fully employed, and the quartz is shaping for a good return.

DEEP LEVEL CROSS. The winze on the Mariner's reef at Wo. 4 level is stopped for the present, as the leading stope is being carried along the drire above it. It is down about 6 feet, and the reef is fully 4 feet wide. The quartz looks well, and showed colours of gold when broken down. A few good picked stones were also obtained from the southern end of the winze, where a little gold was left showing. The stopes on the cross reef continue to look well. The reef averages about 20 inches, except at the junction with No. 2 reef, where it is being shot down 9 feet wide, most of which goes to the mill. Gold is seen all along the stopes, and occasionally small parcels of picked stone are bagged. At the 640 ft. level several more small stringers have appeared in the face, but none of them have yet showed gold. The country here is exceedingly similar to that at No. 5 level of the Prince Imperial, and if pieces from the two places ,were pub side by side, it would be difficnlt to tell one from the other. A rumor has by some means been spread that these veins of quartz are the No. 2 reef, but calculating from its underlie hitherto, there is a considerable distance yet to drive before it will be to hand.

HAND OF FEIENDSHIP. The country in the eastward drive at No. 3 level of the Imperial shaft is firmer, but the lead is still very mullocky. It is about 2 feet from wall to wall, but consists chiefly of clay, mixed with a little rubbiy quartz.

DABT. The No. 1 reef was met with in the crosscut at the bottom level at a distance of about 15 feet from the chamber. The quartz showing in the face would average about 9 inches in width, and good dabs of gold were seen in breaking it down. It is well mineralised, and also carries a good percentage of floury looking quartz, which is considered to be a good indication for gold. A couple of holes were drilled in behind the reef and quartz touched, so the manager is of opinion he wil find another branch of the lode inside the one now in hand. The crosscut will therefore be pushed on a few feet, after which the men will start to. drive west on the reef towards the junction of the specimen leader, which should be about 20ft distant. A good deal of water is flowing from the reef, but this is easily kept under by the buckets. The winze from No. 2 level has touched the No. 1 reef, and a portion of it was broken down this morning. It is a foot wide, carries favorable minerals, and showed a few , colors of gold. The quartz is somewhat mullocky, but this is characteristic of the reef. The water which issues from it is not enough to cause inconvenience. The winze will be continued on the hew reef, the specimen leader being left on the I hanging wall. The ladders have all been placed in the pump shaft, the cistern is in i position below No. 3, and the men are ' now lowering the pipes. The water from the reefs at No. 3 level will be run into the cistern, thus rendering it unneessary, for the present at any rate, to have a draw lift to the bottom of the well hole. GOLD BETUKNS.

Kubanui Hul.—Gordon's crushing of 9| tons gave 16ozs Bdwts gold, and two lots of 4| and 3 tons respectively for Le Manquais and party gave the returns of 7oza 6dwts and 2ozs gold.

Dabt.—Papa and party have crushed a parcel of quart? for the yield of 6ozs 19dwtsgold,