OUR MINES.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4510, 19 June 1883, Page 2

OUR MINES.

QUEEN OF BEAUTY.

The manager yesterday started two men to look for the continuation of the main reef beyond the slide at No. 9 level. He had been informed that while the timbers were being put in at that level,! just after the reef had been driven up to the slide, a leader was oat on the right hand aide. The men started to work here, and after removing the slabs, cut into the sandstone, and speedily unearthed a body of quartz carrying excellent" indications. At first this seemed to be running with the slide,' but' it soon turned to the left, and at the time of my visit this morning its' strike, so far as could be judged from the small piece stripped, was exactly the same as that of the main reef—s little to the east of north. It was broken down for the first time last night, and 401 bs of good picked stone were seonred, while 6 or 71b8 more eime to hand this morning when breaking some loose pieces of quartz, leaving gold still showing. The men are now stripping, and the lead will not be broken again for a day or two. It is from 18 inches to 2 feet wide, well mineralised, and carries the gold in the solid quartz. The portion broken down is not more than 3 feet by about 5 feet. This lode is undoubtedly identical with the new body of quartz lately discovered at No. 10 level, and as it is, the manager inform,! mo, intact from No. 4 level downwards, it will be seen that the discovery of gold in it is an important one, as no one knows what extent of payable ground there may be on ahead, especially as good dirt was taken out on the south side of the slide from the surface down as far as it has beeu worked. The point where the gold was got last night is not more than three feet from where work was stopped. At No. 10 level, the manager has now 9 ojr 10ft of the reef beyond the slide stripped. Th« dig is in excellent country, and the reef cßries a clean hangingwall. The quartz is showing in two or three places, and carries good minerals. Ine leading stope has been advanced to the end of tbe drive on the Queen ot the May reef, and the new reef is showing on the loft hand side, above where: it is in the level. It is a good strong body of quartz here and the minerals are excellent. The Queen of the May reef here is about 2 feet wjde, and Tookg well, carrying a quantity of brigM-.Mural. As soon as the drive on the;Bi»w reef is fairly under way the manager igtgßdsto advance the drive on the Queen of the May lead. The second stope north frofti the winze is up to tbe slide, and the reef is five or sis feet wide and looking well. Southward the leading stope has been carried withiu about 30 feet of the. shaft, and it is not intended to take it any farther, pp as to leave tbe country round the abaft undis turbed. The second stope is now about 40 feet from the wiwe. Southward of

thf chamber tbe contractors have driven 50 feet, and a fresh distance of 50 feet, at £1 per foot, or 5s 6d lower than the last contract, has been let to them. The drive is now in excellent country, and the reef is a good solid body of quartz, about 18in. wide, and looking as well as it does in the atopes. The crushing at the mill continues to shape as well as last reported.— The manager telegraphed "this afternoon: —"601bsmore of picked stone to hand:— G^Ei. Wiison." This parcel was bagged | while breaking down a small, porttoa of the reef near the floor while squaring up the drive preparatory to stripping the reef. NEW PKINCE IMPERIAL. " The crushing of the 9 cwt of specimens to hand was finished to-day at the Alburnia battery, and the amalgam jrill be retorted to morrow morning. ,:' NEW MANUKAU. The crosscut from the leader, which whs supposed to be the one the wioiewaa sunk on by Mr Smith, of the Waiotaki, has been put in 20 feet, and the ri|?ht leader was cut last; tiifbt. It ia about seven inches wide, ( and looking well.for.gold. Only, a mall portion has yet been broken down, IT Drtv-. ing wilf be started on, it both wifcyjb and ome end is sure to break into the winze before long. . • QUEEN OF ENGLAND. The. crosscut for the specimen leader, at No. 3 level, is now ia 30 feet in favorable country, and about 10 feet more shodld ettt the leader. Both the eau and west drives on the main reef/ afe Ming continued, and a trial tot\iff lwii^\Mtved for crushing. In the jreiterli end the country hat improved lately: A break hns crossed the face, and beyond it the reef arpears to be split, the main tody being heaved a few feet to the right, ant/ the footwall portion carrying straight o*. GOLD BETttittS. Moawataibi.—Quaelly and ptrtyv tribaters, have banked 41bM»i6d#»s gold, the result of a crushing ,0f.24 load* at the company's* mill. . ■ ■, -:•