A Trip to To Aroha Goldfield.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4666, 18 December 1883, Page 3

A Trip to To Aroha Goldfield.

(By bus Special Repoeteb.)

THE MlNES.— (Concluded.) VINVEBNESS.

The prospects of this mine are very good, and it is confidently expected that once an opening can be found for steady crushing it-will astonish unbelievers in the field. Its position is good ; the low level, which will-give 100 feet of backs to the top level, above which there is 1 another large block. is situated just above the tramway, a short distance from the top of Buller's spur grade.. A large hopper is now being erected here. At the top level the reef has beeD driven on 50 feet, averaging 3 feet in width, and showing gold freely the whole distance. A trial of general dirt from here gaye over 4ozs per load, and the precious metal could be.freely seen in the stack of quartz outside. No sloping has been done, the manager thinking it best to first open up the reef at the low level and connect by a rise, when he could get the quartz to the tram more expeditiously. The bottom level, according to a survey made last week, should cut the reef in another 25 feet of driving. The country is favorable, though t)ugb, and some smaller leaders already | passed through have shown gold, so the shareholders are in high hopes of getting | payable dirt in the main reef. When it?j comes to* hand, driving both ways and rising to the top level will be pushed ahead. PHCENIX. ! ,A crosscut in this claim is being driven from a point below the tramway, and three good-sized leaders have been intersected, air close together, and showing gold. The quartz is of a blue description, and carries excellent minerals. BATTERY COMPANY. This company owns no less than 10 leases, all adjoining one another and including what is known as the Alphabet olaims, named from A to H, and the Moa K"os. 1 and 2 leases. Only three of these are being worked at present, the two Moa and the P claims, but it is probable that more men will will be employed after the holidays. In the Moa No. 1 claim two reefß Lave been worked; N0..l is a large lode, end No. 2 strikes through it. No. 2 reef has been driven on 50ft,, and a winze sunk on it 60ft. It averages about 4ft. in width, showing a little gold all through. A trial of 10 tons has been taken from the junction of the two reefs, and another of 5 tons from No. 2 lode. A sleigh track 12 chains long has been made, and these two trials will shortly be forwarded to the mill. Moa No. 2: A level in this claim has been put in just above the tramway. No. 3 reef, which varies from 2 to 3 feet wide, has been driven on 140 ft., gold and galena (or silver ore) all the way. A piece of stone from this reef was, it will be remembered, tested some months ago, and yielded at the rate of 1400ozs silver and several ounces gold'per ton. The junction of a north and south reef was met with at the end of this drive, and it was driven on a few feet, gold and galena being found in" the stone. A winze was sunk 20 feet on No. 3 reef, the gold and silver continuing rich downwards, biit the water stopped further work, and a low level, to give 100 feet of backs, is now being entered. D claim: A little gold has been obtained in a leader 1 foot'thick, and a large reef has also been discovered, but no gold was seen in it. P.,claim: A surface, level has been driven 90 feet on a leader a fobt wide, in'wbicb coarse gold has been Seen, and a trial ton from which gave 6ozs gold. A lower level has been put in giving 40 feet of backs, and a winze sunk to it from the surface level. The leader has been driven pn 120 feet here, keeping its size of a foot thick, and showing gold pearly all the way. .