OUR MINES.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4565, 22 August 1883, Page 2

OUR MINES.

FEW PRINCE IMPERIAL.

The only driving going on at present at No. 5 level is the continuation of the crosscut; past the No. 2 reef, two men being employed here. The face is in good country, and several small leaders varying from one to six inches in width have been passed through. They are striking in a north-westerly direction, and . gold has been seen freely in cutting ' through them, a few picked stone also being bagged. The precious metal is sometimes in the solid quartz, and at others in vugs in the shape of honeycomb gold. A little of the latter description was showing in the face to-day. The eastern stopes on No. 2 reef are looking about the same as usual. On the western side of the winze No. 5 stope has been carried up to the Deep Level Cross boundary. No. 6is about 40ft past the break, and is producing good crushing dirt. Gold is showing in the roof in several places. In the seventh stope, which is within a few feet of the break, the reef is still split up, and is seven or eight feet wide. Gold is, how* ever, freely seen in all the branches. In the eighth stope, the reef at the time of my visit was stripped for about five feet in length, and everything was in readiness for breaking down. A capital show of gold is visible in the face, and in the roof gold is showing almost continuously for a length of fully five feet. The portion stripped was taken down after the visitors left, but only a small parcel parcel of specimens was bagged. No. 4 level: The eastern drive on No. 1 reef is being pushed ahead as usual, and the reef continues to look well. In the face it is about 4 feet in thickness. The stopes are producing a large amount of good general dirt. DEEP LEVEL CROSS. The drive on the footwall leader of No. 2 reef is at a standstill for the present. The leading stope it, a few feet past the break which heaved the leader to the right. As was the case in the level, the leader is split up here, but shows good minerals. The second and third stopes are looking well, in the latter there being a solid body of quartz fully 18 inches wide. Gold is also showing in the roof in two places. During the past week 601b3 of specimens have come to hand from i these stopes. The fourth stope was commenced last night. The leading stope on the footwall branch of the crossreef has been carried up to the face. The socond and third stopes are in progress, the latter having just been commenced. The leader in both is looking well. The hangingwall branch of the reef has been driven,on northward about ten feet. It is 2ft. wide, and carries good minerals, but no gold has been seen in it so far. The south crosscut at the 640 ft. level has lately been in tight country, but a more congenial class for gold has now come in, so progress will be quicker. The manager estimates that in three weeks the face will be up to the point where the Imperial No. 2 reef should be met with. GOLD RETURNS. Caledonian.—Lewis and party have crushed 9 loads for the good return of 37ozs lodwts melted gold.