OUR MINES.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4498, 5 June 1883, Page 2

OUR MINES.

MARINES.

The No. 2 reef in the western or seaward drive at No. 5 level was broken down this morning. Colors of gold were seen through the quartz, and thr^epounds of stone showing good colors and dabs of gold were picked out. A pleasing feature about the reef is the large quantity of excellent mmeral which it carries, and from this cause, and alsjLtnat the quartz is dirty, it is hard tjtfmfe, gold . without breaking the stone; Jcntetpresenco of this \ mineral is a good sigbVCas above No. 4 level wherever the reef .made pa'ches of mineral specimens andpicked stone were in close proximity. The reef lias been shot down for abut 16ft in length, and is of its usual size, an average of 9 inches. The country is a. good, firm, white sandstone, and the lode is well defined and solid. No niore quartz will be broken till a permanent roadway has been laid in both drives, and a drain cut for the water to run away in. The water does not come out of the reef so much-as from two or three small water courses; None of the reef has been taken down'in the hillward drive, which is in 32ft. For the first 10ft the reef is a strong body of quartz, but a break then crosses the drive, and the reef seems to have been heaved, as the only quartz seen beyond this break is a small mullocky leader about 2 inches wide. The country here is good ground for gold bearing reefs. As soon as the rails are laid'the drives will be timbered up, and •stopiu^^tartfid from each side of the winze. DuringTl^%'asi»day'or two the manager has had men engaged cleaning out a.crosscut north from the chamberV;':..*,,l?his' is nearly completed now, and drfrifig will shortly be started on the hangingwall leader towards its junction, with the specimen lead. As soon as r a hYvpperful of quartz has accumulated; the manager intends to have it treat-ed at one of the mills, so as to definitely see .what if is worth.

LONDON. The No. 1 reef will be broken down tomorrow morning. In the eastern end it has {a "good dip northwards, but seaward it would be hard to determine its underlie till it has been broken. In the latter place a much better class of country is coming in, with mineral veins striking into the reef, which is a strong body of qua-rtz,?and looking well. the stringers in. which the stone was obtained yesterday have struck into the main lode, which is about two feet wide here, and carrying excellent minerals. Its course is a little to the north-*o'f north east, but in the face it seems be bearing round strongly to the:'northward, or towards where No. 2 reef will be met with. If the two lodes continue their present strikes, the junction should not be very far ahead. _■