OUR MINES.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4654, 4 December 1883, Page 2

OUR MINES.

NEW PRINCE IMPERIAL. The following is culled from the mana-» ger's report, forwarded to the directors yesterday:—lt is my intention to hare a. general cleaning up in a fortnight from now. The No. 2 lead in the drive going east at No. 5 level shows signs of eon* siderable improvement, gold being more i frequently seen in breaking down the i quartz. The ground is also getting more solid. Four stopes are being carried on in the two western sections on this lead, all of which yielded well. One cwt. of | splendid specimens, which were worth i nearly 2ozs per pound, cacao to hand last I week from a point immediately on the shaft side of the break,. This is cvi- t dently the same run of gold as we had on No. 4 level where the rich show is still left in the floor of the drive. There is a good show left in the back of the stope, which looks like carrying up to the level. The leading stop? on No. 1 reef at No. 4 level is within 30 feet of the face of the eastern drive, but as the boundary runs almost parallel with the course of the reef it.will allow this stope to be carried 15 feet past .where the drive reached the boundary. A few good, strong colors of gbld were seen hero at last breaking of the reef. The second stope is through the No. 2 break, and into the reef on the eastern side. The reef in the remainder of the stopes, eastward of No. 1 break, is much about the same as usual. Those westward of No. 1 reef are producing a large quantity of good crushing dirt, a few pounds of picked stone being also obtained during the week. Driving westward on this reef at No. 3 level, is being carried on with two shifts. The reef has become much larger, but only about 18 inches of the footwall are being taken down, which looks very promising, carrying good minerals. A. few colors of gold have also been seen. It is my intention to suspend driving eastward on this reef for the present, as the air is getting very hot. The winze coming down from No. 2 level will, however, thoroughly ventilate the drive. It is my intention to commence driving on No. I reet at No. 5 level, the Deep Level Cross having advanced the drive to our boundary. The contractors for sinking the winze on the footwali of No. 1 reef.ffrom. No. 2 level, are making fair headway, having sunk 19 feet. A small portion of the reef on the footwall was broken down, and a few stones showing strong dabs of gold were obtained. DARWIN. The surface works are proceeding so satisfactorily that sieam will be got up for the first time on Monday nexfc The western drive on the reef at the 150 ft level is being continued. The reef is folly two feet wide, carrying splendid minerals, though no gold was seen last breaking, this being the only time the reef has been shot down without the precious metal being seen. The junction of the second reef cut should be met with in a few feet. The manager has received instructions to confer with the local directors relative to getting the quartz on hand crushed. CALEDONIAN. The manager reported yesterday as foX lows .—" The contractors in crosscut, No. 2 level, have made fair progress this past fortnight, considering the hard boulders they had to contend with; 27ft.:-has been driven, and every appearance of being through the hard ground. 140 ft. still remains to be driven to connect with the winze. The stopes, No. 1 level Red Queen section, are turning out good grade crushing dirt; the 9th.stope has just been commenced, on lied Queen leader, the top of which will be 54ft. over No. 1 level. The left-hand branch has improved in appearance, and the. stopes now in progress look well; lOlbs. Of picked stone cam© from here last week. The right-hand branoli is much the same, still small, but gold is seen when breaking down the leader. Five head of stamps have been employed on quartz from these leadtrs this iast fortnight; 45 loads have been crushed, 1770z3. of amalgam hasbeen taken off the plates, which shows for a payable return. Shall, if possible, keep them constantly going up to Christ^ • mas before cleaning upi—T. B. Hicks/ i WAIOTAHI. Cleaning up and retorting for the month took place to day for the excellent yield of 3090zs retorted gold, which was reduced on smelting to 3050z5. For this yield 220 tons of general dirt, from the various leaders in hanid at Nos. 2 and 3 levels, have been put through the mill, i GOLD RETURNS. City of Manchester.—Jonathan and parfy, tributes in this claim, have banked llozs 7dwts gold. Magnolia.—Hardman and party have finished a crushing for the return of 2oz3^ 12dtvtsgold. ■-■:-■