OUR MINES.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4504, 12 June 1883, Page 2

OUR MINES.

NEW PRINCE IMPERIAL. The stopes west of the winze, above No. 5 level, continue to look well, and in breaking down the reef here yesterday and today a hundredweight of picked stone and specimens were bagged. The good show of gold close alongside the break has not yet been touched. * DEEP LEVEL CROSS. The portion of. the No. 2 reef in the winze on the Imperial boundary continues to look well, colors of gold being seen each breaking. The winze will probably be deep enough to hole through to the drive at No. 5 level, as soon, as it is advanced to it, but when as the Imperial men reach the boundary the winze will be stopped, and communication effected from below, which will save hauling the dirt to No. 4 level. The crosscut at the 640 ft level is still in a capital class of country. The small leader, showing in the face looks well, and in places carrie* good minerals; THAMES GOLDEN CROWN. The crosscut at the brace level has broken through into the old stopes on Herival'B leader, but it will be a week yet before the manager will be able to start work on quartz, as a drive will have to be carried ia through the old stopes and the passes repaired. This leader varies in size, being sometimes 2 feet wide, and at others only a few inches. The stopes already opened up are about 200 feet in length, and another block can be opened up eastward. The backs are about 80 feet, and the block lengthens out as it ascends. The small leader in the bangingwall of the Cure No. 5 reef at the 170 ft. level continues to look well, and a few pounds of picked stone have come to hand from here lately. There is no change to report in the other workings. —The manager reported on Saturday : — "At 170 feet level, the leader, which I mentioned in my last, has now janctioned with the main reef, making a compact body of stone four to five feet thick, and so far very promising. At same level in Cure section I started .men to open out small leader running between Nos. 4 and 5 reefs, which is between 3 and 4 inches thick, and a drive has been, extended 20ft along its course. It has shown a little gold every breaking down, and 151b. picked stone has been saved. During the week 15ft has been driven on Dagg's leader, which averages 18 inches in thick* ness. At brace level, Herival.leader was met this morning." QUEEF OP BEAUTY.

The drive northward on the continuation of the main reef will be pushed on as quickly us possible, and as soon as it is advanced a few feet, driving will be resumed on the Queen of the May lode, which is iookiug well in the face. The leading stope south is now about 70 feet from the winzo, and the reef looks well. In the face it is a solid body of quartz, and a small dig is being put in, so thai the quartz will shoot out better, but all along - the rest of the stopes only the reef, whith carries clean and regu'ar walls, has been taken out. The second stope was started from the winze this morning. The block now in hand is over 100 ft in length, the reef averaging about 3ft in widih, and the whole of this is shaping regularly at the mill for oyer two ounces of gold per load. No work is going on at present at .No. 9 level, the crosscut for the new reef cut at No. 10 level not yet having been started. The manager reported yesterday as follows :—" Since my last of the sth June, No. 10 level, going seaward, the contractors have driven a distance of 25 feet. They have broken a portion of the reef dowD, The reef is about 18 inches in thickness, of a flinty nature. I don't ex pect it will improve at this level until we are in 50 feet. The main drive going northward is in now 37 feet past the winze. The Queen of the May lode continues to be about the same sizo, 2§ feet in thickness, with good mineral indication's. About 3 feet back from the face we cut a lode 18 inches in thickness, showing the best mineral indications I'have seen at this level. The lode is striking off to the northward, with the same underlie as the main reef, and from the quantity of water it was making,. and. its mineral indications I believe it will prove to be the main reef. It has evidently been thrown oft' eastward 20 feet by the slide. I believe we will be able to cut it by driving a short crosscut on No. 9 level. The leading stope going southwards is in a distance of 90ft, and about the same size, but improving in appearance as we go towards the shaft. The stope going northward is in 20ft, and is three feet iv thickness, looking well. The crosscut. No. 2, is in now 25ft; it is in good white sandstone, but very hard country. The crushing at the battery is going for over 2ozs per load, but now that I have the full force goipg the berdans will ouly be able to grind about one-third of the blanketings, and as we get nearly all of our amalgam out of the blanketings, I|would strongly recommend your getting about 10 more berdans.— C.H. Wilson."

GOLD RETURNS. v

Adeiaid*.—-The proprietors of this claim ha?e|finisfaed a crushing, taken from the City of Manchester reef, at Bull's mill, for the return of 54r>zs 3dwts gold. Moanataibi.— Rowe and party, tributers, have banked 43ozs 18dwts gold.