OUR MINES.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4528, 10 July 1883, Page 2

OUR MINES.

NEW PRINCE IMPERIAL.

The general dirt coming to hand from all portions of the mine is shaping well, 136 loads treated last week yielding 6950z* of amalgam. Altogether 2|cwt. of specimens and picked stone have come to hand this month, most of which came from the stopes on No. 2 reef west of the winze, thbngh the eastern stopes in hand continue to. look well, yielding a few pounds of good picked stone occasionally. In the stopes weßt of the break the hanging wall leader and No. 2 reef, which were together^ the level, hare separated, and the latter is looking much better. At No. 4 level, the No. 1 or Mariner's reef continues Tery large, being in places 10 feet from Wall to wall, all of which goes for crushing dirt. Gold is seen freely in the footwall portion, on which the drive is being pushed forward to meet the winze from No. 4 level. The contractors are making good progress with the latter work, and are down over 90 feet in excel lent country. About three weeks'more should see it through to the level. IKe" following manager's report shows. the amount of work done on No. 2 reef at No. 5 level since 27th March:—The main drive has been extended from the crosscut westward to the break 115 feet, and from break to boundary on footwall branch 88 feet, and hanging wall branch 74 feet, making the total distance on the footwall branch 203 feet, and on the hanging wall branch 189 feet. The leading stope upon both is now within 15 feet of the boundary, second stope 20 feet behind it, third stope 20 feet farther back, fourth stope just through the break; the fifth or highest atope has yet 10 feet to go to reach the break. Each stope being five feet high, makes the total height taken out at highest point 25 feet above the back of tbe drive, leaving still 72 feet of backs up to No. 4 level. On the eastern side of crosscut the main drive has been extended 100 feet, leading stope home to face, second slope 20 feet back, third 20 feet behind Hecond, fourth 20 feet back, from third, and fifth 10 feet in from winze., * As each stope is carried home to the boundary, the men will take up another at the winze, as has been the cese hitherto. On the: No. 1 or Mariner's reef the main drive at NO. 4 level hasrtfrtff 'aritett"<Slft the reef for a' distance of 200 feet, all of which hasbeen good payable dirt. There are good stopes in hand over this drive, the highest of which is 20 feet above the level. ■'.' * DEEP LEVEL GROSS. ; Th& crossreef, where cut in the drive on the hanging wall portion of No. 2 reef at No. 5 level, is about three feet wide. No gold was seen in cutting through it, but the quartz is well mineralised. The men have started to open out on it towards the winze being sank from fto. 4 level, and about 20 feet of driving will take the face the required distance. Driving in the opposite direction, ar towards where the junction of the footwall portion j of No. 2 reef should be met with, will, be j Btarted shortly. Ten head of stamps are ' still employed constantly at the Herald mill*,- but as soon as the croasureef is opened up, the output of quartz will be sufficient to keep a larger number &oiog. The general dirt is shaping a little better than last month. • '■' ■t • QUEEN OF BEAUTY. ,- ■ Tenders were opened to day for sinking ai winze from No. 9 to No. 10 level, and tfcat of Boyle and party, at 18s 8d per foot, was accepted. Work wag started this afternoon. In outtiog a hitch fora piece of timber in the floor 6f the drive at No. 9 level to day, at a point a few feet ahead of where the rich show was visible id the .roof last week* the manager obtained about lOlba of fair picked stone. , A few stones ware also obtained from the i stopes. A portion of the reef in4he , uorthern drive at No. 10 level was broken ■ down to-day. The quartz looks better

than on the shaft sid* of the break, but no gold was seen. ALBURNIA. Cleaning up took place at the mill this morning for the return of 44ozs. 13dwtg. gold. A total of 65 loads were crushed, the whole being obtained from the stopes on Dixon's reef above the intermediate level. Tn the mine there is uo change, the stopes looking about the same as usual. The low level is now in 35 feet past where the cap of the first lode is showing on the surface, so it should be to hand soon. The conritry^g favourable, and the. cross leader being driven on carries good minerals in places, NEW NORTH DEVON. The drive on Dixon's. reef at the intermediate level is now in about 80ft. from the boundary, but the reef has been mullocky for the last few feet. About 40ft. more should take the face to theexpeoted junction with the Sons of Freedom lode, but as the latter body of quartz is dipping 'away from the reef iv hand the distance may be greater. The, trial lot of 13 loads was finished to-day for the result of 4 ozs gold. ' :. ■ GOLD EETUBNS. Qurbn of BBJLtrTjr.—Connolly ane^ party's second retorting yesterday produced about 30ozs of gold, the total melted return being 2590zs ldwt. The amount crushed was 36 loads of general dirt, and 1371bs of nicked stone; and the whole parcel was taken from the leader in the footwall of the Queen of the May reef, just above No. 8 level.