OUR MINES.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4495, 1 June 1883, Page 2

OUR MINES.

NEW PEINCE IMPERIAL. The manager telegraphed this morning: —" Retorts on the fire with 32300z5. of amalgam. No. 2 reef shewing in face of crosscut at No. 3 level.—G, S. Clack." The following telegram was posted this afternoon at 3 o'clock:—" Gold showing freely in No. 1 reef at No. 3 level.— G-. S. Clabk." Only one shot has yet been fired in the reef, and there is no sign of the footwall, so the quartz must be of considerable size. The finding of gold here is of importance, asit proves the payableness of the reef from No. 4 level to No. 3, a distance of fully 100 feet on the underlie. The retorting at the Alburnia mill to-day produced 1140ozs. retorted gold, of which 6750zs was from the Bcwt. of specimens and picked stone treated, and 4650z5. from 375 loads of general dirt. A total of 55 loads of quartz was treated at the Golden Crown mill, yielding 68oza gold. The total retorted weight of gold for the past month's work is therefore 1208 ozs, and the melted weight 119iozs 6dwts, from43o loads. The general dirt averaged over ljozs, and the specimens gave the excellent return of 15kwtsperTbi '

DEEP LEVEL CROSS. . Cleaning up and retorting took place today at the Herald battery for the yield of 364|ozs. retorted, or 3570z5; melted gold. About 300 loads of general dirt, and 50 pounds of picked stone, have been treated, nearly all of which came from the stopes on the crossreef above No. 4 level. The general stuff shaped regularly, and the return is very satisfactory, though it would probably have been better had not the stopes near the big slide, where the best crushing dirt is obtained, been at a standstill the greater part of the time on ac* count of the flow of water. They are now, however, in hand again. The winze on the hangingwall portion of the crossreef is being sunk, but the junction of the hangingwali branch is not yet to hand. The leader is small, but colors of gold are seen in breaking. It is not intended for the present to start operations from the Winding Association shaft.

QUEEN OF BEAUTY. The drive at No. 10 level on the main reef is now in about 15 feet past the winze, and the cross-reef or slide which cut off the main lode at No. 9 level is just coming in on the left hand side of the drive, The reef is about 3ft. wide, and though no gold is seen in the quartz, it is shaping at the mill for over 2ozs per load. Driving has been started on the Queen of the May lode, which is looking very well. Cleaning up and retorting will take place on Monday. Tenders were received to-day for driving 50 feet seaward oh the reef at No. 10 level as follows:—Preece and party (accepted), 25s 6d per foot; Harris and party, 30s; and Williams and party, 32s 6d per foot. Work will be started tomorrow morning.

THAMES GOLDEN CEOWN. The company is at present only using five head of stamps, the remaining 15 being employed on New Prince Imperial quartz. A trial lot from the first leader cut in the intermediate crosscut between the 100 and 170 ft levels is being put through. $he erogiQttt at the braoe )ttel

for Heriral's leader is in an excellent class of country, and the reef should be to hand tomorrow. At the 170 ft level the eon tractors are driving west on the No. 3 reef. It is about 3 feet wide, and carrying good bright mineral. Two trial lots from here have been treated, and gave a return of about 6dwts per ton, which is fully as much as was expected. Since work was started the reef has improved considerably in appearance. A leader about 18 inches wide, and well mineralised, is showing in the dig. It is striking towards the main reef, with whioh it will junction a few feet ahead. The.junctions of several other leaders should be met with in driving, and about 50ft ahead of the face the No. 2 battery-level reef strikes into the lode in hand.

BRIGHT SMILE. The manager yesterday obtained 15 pounds of good specimens from the reef in the low level. Crushing has been started at the Queen of Beauty battery.