OUR MINES.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4611, 15 October 1883, Page 2

OUR MINES.

NEW PJRINCE IMPEEIAL

Late on Saturday afternoon a shot fired in the ninth stope west above No. 5 level tore down a portion of the reef, from which 1501 bs of picked stone and specimens were bagged, making the total quantity on hand about 4cwt. The general dirt, chiefly from No. 1 reef, continues to shape for over an ounce per load, , and with a view of further prospecting this lode driving will shortly be started on it at No. 3 "level. The manager reported on Saturday:—"The new winding engine was fixed in position and a starjt made on Monday night last, and as the shaft was r.lso completed, windiog opera* tioos were resumed on Tuesday. The engine is working splendidly, and quite up to my expectations. There has been very little stoppage at the batteries duringthe alterations, the Alburnia having lo3t op y one day, and the Golden Crown four days. During the p.ist week 128 loads of quartz have been reduced for the yield of 4150z5. of amalgam. I have commenced carting quartz to the Queen of Beauty battery, reidy for a st.irt next week with ten head. Work in the winze below No. 5 level has not been resumed, as it is not necessary at present to go on with it. A wipze nearer the shaft would be the most suitable place fo,r opening up No. 6 level. The Bth stoy 3on No. 2 le. d in No. 2 section west^ above No. 5 level, is within about 20ft. of the boundary. The lead in this stope is fu!ly two feet thick, showing gold every breaking down. In the 9th stope, which is 25 feet through the break, the le::d is lookI ing well, and has produced 2^cwt of specimens and picked stone since resume ing operations. The lead in the 10th stope, which is just now forwa d to the break, has be >n very small for the last 20 feet, being scarcely one inch thick in some places, caus; d by a smooth soft hangingwall laying over and pinching the leud, but I think the lead will be all right again in the next stope, as the hanging wall is now standing more i plight. The 11th stope was commenced this, weak, and is now in Bft from the winze. The lead here ;3 composed of a mass of stringers fully 3ft thick, all good crushing dirt. Stoping on the eastern side of tbe winze is still being carried 00, and 15 pounds of good specimens came to hand from here this week. Tho drive on the No. 1 r.ef at No. 4 level is now 6ft past the brrik. The r?ef here is only about one foot thjck, but the stone looks very well, and a few colors of gold were scan yesterday. I am uofc quite certain that we have got tae whole of the reef to hand, but if it does not widen oat in a few feet of driving I will cut into the hangingwal! to ascertain if there is eny more quartz there. The stopes upon this reaf are being carried on as usual, and continue to produce a large amount of good crushing dirt. In some places in the stopes the reef is being taken out for fully 10ft wide. It is my intention to commence driving oa this reef at No. 3 level directly. The winze from -the suifara on this rof is down 85ft. Work had to be susnecd-d on account of the wet weather, but will be resumed as soou as the weather takes up.—P.S.—Another l^cwt of specimens jnst to hard from 9th stope, 4.30 p.m.—G. E. Clack."

DEEP LEVEL CEOSS.

A start was made this morning to sink a winze on the fcotwall branch of No. 2 rcaf at No. 5 level, on the boundary. The reef will not be broken down for a day or two. This winze will be sunk as far as No. 6 level, and may perhaps be carried down to the 640 ft. south crosscut.

DAftWIN.

The sinking of the well-hole is progressing in favorable c unlry, and the manager expects to be able (o moke a start with the cutting out of the chamber at the 150 ft. level on Wednesday. The engine and other winding plant will be taken over from the Imperial in a day or two, and will be erected without delpy, tie manager now hating men eugagrd cutting out a plp.ce on the hill behind the shaft for the engine bed.

MOANA.TAIEI.

The manager reported for last week as follows :-•• No. 9, -182 ft level: the footwall port'on of the reef, west end of stopes, and branch lead, has produced 201bs of picked stone during the week. The part of the reef which carries the gold bearing stone is from 3to 6 inches wide; we have a strong body of low quality crushing stuff, 18 foc^es in thickness, east end of stopes. The two men who were in western drive had fo be removed to stops?! in order to increase the output of quartz. The Crown crosscut has been advanced 23ft in the past fortnight; the county has been more broken of late, the fact of having in face of drive the hangingwall of a slide, and which appears to be the main one, accounts for the disordered country. We opeacd out on No. 2Jer.ler on Thursday last; it is 4 inches wid;, a.jd has shown gold pretty freely. G uthrie and party's parcel of 13J,tons rad 6Olbs of specimens produced 67oz=» melt d gold. Tins return, es well as the previous one, was ta'cen from ihj surface portion of the block We have in hand above 132 ft. level. The n?en have driven 50 f-st on the course of r-ef, gold having been seen for that distance. This is a very promising feature foj the large block we have below them.—J. Gr. Vivian."