OUR MINES.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4604, 6 October 1883, Page 2

OUR MINES.

DARWIN. A discovery of importance was made in this mine last night. While sinking the main shaft, at a. dept'i of 148 feet from the surface, a body of quartz was struck ; on cutting through which it was found to be a reef fully 2|- feet wide, aid showing strong dabs coarse of gold freely from wall to wall. If; is striking about north-east and south-west and underlying to the north-west. It is of rubbly formation, • and from its position and characteristics is undoubtedly identical with the Waiotahi No. 5 or Cure No. 7 lode, which yielded well in both the above mines. The reef is not giving out much water, so no difficulty is apprehended on that account. The company has a very large block to work out on it, as the ground in this locality is entirely unprospected. As sooa as the manager has sunk a wellhole 10 feet deep he will open out on the reef. NEW PEINOB IMPEEIAL. Excellent progress has been made with the surface works, and the manager e:s> pects to have everything pretty well finished by Monday night. A trial start will probably take place on Tuesday, and winding be in full swing again on Wed- j nesday. The shaft is practically finished, the men-being engaged to-day putting in the guides in the northern compartment. The Alburnia battery is still running. DEEP LEVEL CEOSS. A small quartz vein, about half an inch wide, was passed through in the south crosscut at the 640 ft. level last night. It carries a large proportion of bright mineral, A little water is still issuing from the face, so there is likely to be more quartz on ahead. The capstan engine has bcsn removed from its old position close to the hill, and placed alongside the 'winding engine. It was used for the first time this morning, and worked smoothly and well. DAET. The contractors are making good progross with the winze on No. 2 reef from No. 2 level, being now down 37ft. About : two feet in width, of the fobtwall portion of the lode is being broken, and colors of gold are seen each time quartz is taken down.' At No. 3 level the, eastern and .western drives 0tiN0.,2 reef are both in ; '.about 18Yfc, but the whole of the reef has not been taken down either way. A slight improvement was noticeable at last breaking down in both ends, the gold being coarser. The battery is only run^ ning one shift at present, but as the mine gets more opened up, the manager will be able to keep it going more constantly.

QUEEN OF ENGLAND,

Eivo tenders were opened this afternoon for driving 100 feet of a crosscut at No. 4 level, and that of Kneebone and party, at 14s 9& per foot, wss accepted. Work will Ibo commenced on Monday. The total distance to drive to cut the No. 1 reef is about 150 feet. KOCEX POINT. Seven tenders were opened t;>~d£.y . for extending the crosscut at the General Chute level 200 ft, and that of Williams and party, at £1 2s lid per foot, was acceptec. Work is to be pushed on without delay, three shifts being employed. OTUffUI. The proprietors of the Anglo-Maori claim have.put through a single load of quarts at the New Eureka battery, for the good ''eturn of 4ozt lOdwts retorted gold. The New Eureka Company have 25 tons of quartz at the mill, and will commence crushing early next week, probably on Monday. HAUEAKI (KARANGAHAKE). A late report from the manager states that 90 tons of quartz crushed last week gave 106ozs of amalgam from the plates j and berdans. This is not quite so good as for the previous week, but a better show is visible in,the boxes. The manager intended to cle.n up to-day and retort on Monday. He expects a good return. INVERNESS (WAIORONGOMAI). The manager of this Company, Mr Hu<*h McKenzie, had a parcel, of 5 tons of quar.z from the No. 2 reef conveyed to the battery early this week. The crushing was finished yesterday, and gavg the*excellent yield of 21ozs 15dwts gold, or oysr 4ozi per ton. JG.OLD RETURNS. City op Ma.nchestee. —Scott and party, proprietors, have crushed 10 loads at Bull's mill for the payable yield of I7ozs lOdwts gold.

WEEKLY GOLD RETUENS

oz. dwt. gr.. Anglo-Maori (Otunui), ... 410 0 Caledonian ... ... ... 57 6 0 City of Manchester... ... 17 10 0 Inverness (Te Arofaa) ... 21 15 0 Magnolia (Moses tr) .... 416 0 Moanatairi (Williams' tr) ... 45 6 0 Queen of Beauty 125 19 0 Total ... 27!7 2 0