OUR MINES.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4621, 26 October 1883, Page 2

OUR MINES.

SEYMOUR

At present there are only two men employed in this mine besides the engineers, and consequently prospecting proceeds but slowly. A rise is in progress alongside the one put up by the late manager, in order to test the body of quartz found just prior to work being stopped. This body of quartz was much stronger than that carried up in the rise, ,andw,as also in firmer country. A little gold was seen in it, so Mr Birch considers it "well worth a trial. The rise is up 25 feet, and should reach the reef next week.. It is also the manager's intention to hole through into the drive from the old Lucknow shaft, and discover the whereabouts of the speci-. men leader. Two more men Will be. engaged, next week, in order to push on work more rapidly. The manager recommended the directors, when he took charge, to drive a crosscut in a northerly direction, at the,adit level, to intersect two or three reefs higher up the creek in which gold was found, but which were never worked much. Tha distance to drive would be about 250 feet, and at that level 100 feet of backs could be obtained, but this: work pannpt be undertaken, for the present at any rate, on account of financial difficulties. BHIGIiT SMILE. I Cleaning up and retorting took place at the Queen of Beauty battery to-day for the good yield of 1670zs retorted gold, reduced on melLing to 1630zs 15dwts. For this a total of 2001ba specimens and 43 loads general dirt were crushed, the return thus being an average of nearly 4ozs per load. This is the return from a little more than seven weeks' operations in the mine, and after paying all expenses a balance will be left to go to the company's credit. KOOKY POINT.

A portion of the No. 2 reef in the northern drive at the General Chute level was broken down yesterday, and the men continued shooting it down to-day. The quartz is of a promising description, carrying all the minerals generally accompanying gold, and colors of the precious metal have also been seen pretty freely through the quartz, which will no doubt give a payable return when crushed.