MINING SUMMARY.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4556, 11 August 1883, Page 4

MINING SUMMARY.

The most noticeable feature daring the past month in connection with mining has been the dullness of the sharemarket. This rich hauls of specimens bagged from the New Prince Imperial this week have had an enlivening effect on the shares, but previously they were standing at about 43a. and even when 2 pwt of specimens was' reported, it did hot affect them. Bright Smiles have been active, and are in demand at good prices. ; Darts have also risen to 7s. The directors hate made another Is call, which it is expected will give them enough to open up No. 2 reef at the new level, when is confidently expected payable quartz will be found. A demand set in a fortnight ago for Hand of Friendship shares, which rose quickly from Is 6d to 3s 6d, but they are now easier again. Other Thames stocks have been dull of sale. Te Aroha shares have been in active demand, and Premiers were sold a day or two ago as high as 16s. A large slip took place on the County water-race on July 25th, stopping the batteries, and also the Qaeen of Beauty pump, for four days, while it was being repaired, but fortunately none of the mines had to cease operations. New Prince Imperial: This mine continues to look exceedingly well all through, as the rich returns testify, and the field as a whole would be dull indeed without it. Daring ,last month 16cwt fof rich' specimens were secured, all from the western .stopes above No. 5 level. These yielded 16530z5, and the return from 637 loads of general dirt made up the total for the month to no less than 2600 ounces of melted gold. This enabled the directors' to declare a 5s dividend, and a good return is -still in hand. The , Alburnia battery of 22 head of stamps has been leased for 12 months, and an additional 15 head are also being employed at the Golden Crown mill. A more powerful winding engine has been ordered, and should be in position before long. The stopes above No. 5 level, on the No. 2 reef, have looked better this week than at any other time since the block was opened. On Monday 9c wt of specimens were secured from the 7th stope, and on Wednesday another 6cwt came to hand from the same place, leaving a splendid show of gold in the roof for fully' 16ft in length. 'The return for this month promises to eclipse all the yields since the company commenced work, as good hauls of specimens are sure to be bagged as the stopes advance. The block in hand is not nearly half worked out yet. At No. 4 level the Mariner's reef is in hand, and yields most of the general dirt. It averages about five feet in thickness, and shows gold freely throughout. Deep Level Cross: The return for the month was payable, 160 loads of quartz and 2201bs picked stone and specimens yielding 289|ozs gold. Ten bead of stamps are still employed, and the dirt is shaping well. 1251bs specimens are on hand so far. The manager now finds that he has only been working on the footwall portion of the crossreef at No. 5 level, and intends to intersect and open up the bangingwall branch as quickly as possible. The body of quartz in hand is about 18 inches in width, well mineralised, and showing colors of gold each breaking down. The hangingwall branch where last broken in the winze sunk upon it from No. 4 level is of good size and payable. The block is over .100, feet in height, io the company has plenty of work before it. The footwall branch is beiag driven on arid stoped. It has not looked so well in the drive lately, being split up, but from the stopes good general dirt is obtained, with occasional patches of specimens. The south crosscut* at the 640 ft. level is being advanced, but no new leaders have been cut. Hand of Friendship: This claim adjoins the Imperial on the northern and eastern sides, and the cause of shares ;rising was the fact that the Imperial drive on the Mariner's reef at No. 4 level was within 90ft. of the boundary. It is not however, that the reef will pass through the Hand of Friendship ground at this level, as it is steadily bearing round to the eastward, as it did in the upper levels. Queen of Beauty : The manager took advantage of the slip on the water race to put in a new turbine at the pump. It is now working satisfactorily. The pump is a-' double lift one, worked by Water and steam power, but the manager thinking the single lift which can be worked by water power alone, would keep the mine dry, the experiment was tried yesterday, sod

resulted successfully. This will effect 1 a considerable saving in coal. The i return for last month is small, 218ozs i from 295 loads and 12Olbs picked stone ' i but this only represents a little over a fortnight's crashing. The men, during the stoppage, were employed prospecting in the upper levels, and fair success was met with, and they have now resumed tfork at Nos. 9 and 10. At the latter level the drives north and south on the main reef are being pushed ahead. The quartz looks well in both faces, but shows no gold. The stopas here are producing a large amount of crushing dirt, in which gold is seen occasionally. At No. 9 the northern drive is in 70 feet from the slide, and the leader has shown gold all the way. A winze was started where gold was got in the drive, I and the first sft yielded 1201bs of picked stone. The stopes above this level are yielding good crushing dirt. At No. 8< level the crosscut to intersect the Bird in Hand and Vanguard reefs has been started. The first mentioned should be to hand in about 240 ft of driving, and as payable gold was got in it at No. 6 level, 100 ft above No.B, the manager feels surehe will be able to open up remunerative ground. Mariner: The trial crushing from No. 2 reef at the bottom level not proving payable, the manager has discontinued work on it for the present. No. 3 reef is now being driven on seaward at the same level. It is of large size, and has shown a little gold. A winze has also been started at No. 3 level on a leader which is untouched under foot, and which yielded payably overhead. London: The winze on No. 1 reef at No. 3 level is now down over 20ft. The hangingwall leader has produced a few pounds of

picked stone nearly every breaking down, fully 50 pounds baring in all been secured from it. The main reef is about 2ft wide, and shows colors of gold. Between it and the bangingwall leader are : a number of small veins of quartz, which also show colours of gold. The drive eastward on the No. 2 reef is now in about 80ft., and for the last 50ft. gold has been seen freely. A. leading stope is in progress, and in it the reef is looking well. Crushing has been started, and trial lots from I>oth Nos. 1 and 2 reefs will be put through. Queen of England: This company has discharged all the hands, and the western drive on the No. 1 reef at No. 3 level is being continued by contractors, who are making fair progress in good country. The reef has improved in appearance since work was started, but no gold has been seen in it yet. Thames Golden Crown : The seaward drive at the 170ffc. level is being continued. The junction of Nos. 1 and 2 reefs has been met with, and the lode is now 3ft. wide and looking well, carrying good minerals, though showing no gold so far. A trial of 15 tons from the small leader at the same level, but in the Cure section, gave the satisfactory return of 17ozs. gold. Herival's leader, above the trace level, is also yielding renumeratire crushing dirt, but as only fire head of stamps are engaged at present, the tonnage for the month was small.—Caledonian : The manager has now over 100 loads of general dirt on hand, and has started crushing with 10 head of stamps. A payable return is expected. The dirt has all come from the drive, stopes, and winze on the Bed Queen crossleader at No. 1 lerel. In all three places the leader is looking well. The winze is now down 60ft, and the quartz has averaged a foot or 15in the whole distance, colors of gold being seen freely, and occasionally a few picked stone being bagged. There is now no doubt but that the block between Nos. 1 and 2 levels on this reef, which is entirely unprotected sare by the winze referred to, will prove payable, and the manager will lose no time in crosscutting at No. 2 lerel, and opening up the ground. A considerable distance will hare to be driren. New Manukau: The manager is still prospecting No. 5 reef at the 360 feet level, but the results ,up to the present have not been very encouraging. Waiotahi: Another good return of 368^ozs of gold from 250 tons quartz has been banked for the month. Moanatairi: In order to reduce expenses, the directorj have stopped all dead work and discharged a number of the men. For the present only the most likely places are being worked. No. 9 reef is being driven on above tunnel level, and is yielding payable dirt. No. 2 reef at the 80ft level is also being driven : on, and yields a few pounds of picked stone occasionally. A large number of blocks have lately been let on tribute, and it was rumored that the directors intended to | work the whole of the mine in this way, bat nothing definite is known yet. Euranui Hill: Barry's reef has been cut in the northern crosscut from the prospecting shaft. It is about 9 inches wide, and has been driren on 32ft, but no gold was seen. Trial crushings hare been taken from this reef and also from Hunt's lode at the same lerel. They X will be treated when crushing takes place, and should they prore payable, the shaft will probably be sunk another 50ft, and the Albion 80ft level connected with it. This would provide an outlet for the water, and the reefs could also be worked much cheaper. Work is still being carried on above the 80ft level, and No. 9 reef is also being driven on at the tunnel level. It is a Urge body of quartz, and looks promising. Trial lots from it will be put through shortly.—Moanatairi Creek : In this district three companies are working. The Neve North t)eron is rising on Dixon's reef above an intermediate level; and two or three colors of gold have been seen. The Alburnia has let most of the upper portion of the ground on tribute, including the block recently in band on Dixon's reef, and is now prospecting at a level lower down the creek. The Reuben Parr, after driving through a lot of hard country, is now in good ground, and a reef, supposed to be identical with the Daunt* less lode, is being prospected.—Waiotahi Creek: The Bright Smile continues the favourite in this district, aod shares have been steadily rising. No crushing has taken place since last mail in consequence of the road being so bad that the quartz could not be carted to the fiat. - The dry weather during the past few days has enabled' the drays to start work and crushing will be commenced at the Kuranui Hill battery next week. A good return is expected. The manager has lately had to keep the men stripping as he had no room to stow the quartz.^ lSOlbs, specimens have been bagged this week, making a total of 4751bs on hand. The ! Extended Company, which adjoins the Bright Smile, has again started work. The New Columbia is rising to connect the Buby tunnel, which is just above the lerel of the County road, with the intermediate level. This will greatly facilitate the transit of quartz to the battery, and. will also test the ground at a low level. The' Hibernia, which adjoins the Wgio«-

tahi company's ground, has started t sink a shaft, from which they will carry on operations. —Karaka Creek: Iv the Seymour the manager has driven about 40 feet on the reef cut in the chamber at the 180 ft level. It averaged about a foot in width, and showed colors of gold. A slide crossed it near the present face of the drive, and heaved it to the left. The manager has started to cross-cut for the Lueknow reef, which should be to hand next week. The Adelaide pro prietors are driving on the reef, and obtaining payable gold. The Bo'eky. Point holders are pushing ahead the low level to cut the Adelaide reef.—Hape Creek: The Dart pumping machinery j started on the 17th July, and the water was all out of the mine in 46 hours, having been reduced 200 ft in that time. The No. 1 reef is now being driven on eastward at the bottom level, and a crosscut pushed forward to intersect the No. 2 reef. The crosscut is in good country, and about 100 ft more should see the lode in hand. —Otunui: A little work is still going on is this district, though quartz cannot yet be conveyed to the mill. The Oriental Amalgamated Company has obtained 43oza gold from 481bs of specimens. In the Upper Country, Te Aroha is at present claiming the most attention. Excellent prospects are being met with all over the field, and as the tramway between the mines and the battery should be finished in three months at latest, it will not be long before the reefs will receive a thorough test. At Owharoa the Smile of Fortune is turning out playable crushing dirt. Waitai: The manager of the Martha Extended has banked a remunerative return, and 20 head of stamps are kept constantly running. The directors contemplate erecting an additional 10 head shortly. At Waitekauri there is nothing fresh to report. Karangahake: The battery was to have started last month, but a heavy storm blew down some tresselwork, which has caused a further delay. The mines are looking well. t