OUR MINES.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4804, 2 June 1884, Page 2

OUR MINES.

NEW PRINCE IMPERIAL.

An error occurred in our report:on Saturday of the monthly, cleaning up of this mine. The quantity of general dirt crushed was 686 loads (not 480" as stated), yielding 6680zs lldwts gold, or the good payable average. of nearly an ounce per load. The manager reported on Saturday as follows :-—" Eetorting for the month took place to-day for the yield of',7B4ozs retorted gold, which was reduced on melting to 7700ZS ldwt. For this yield 686 loads of quartz have been reduced, together with 201bs of rich specimens '. which remained on hand from the block on No. 2 lead above No. 5 lev's!. These stones were crushed separately, and yielded lOlfozs, or an average of over sozs to the pound. No. 6 level: Very good headway is being made with the crosscut, considering the hard nature of the ground. The face is now in 23ft. from the shaft. No. 5 level: As'the air ia the south crosscut on the break has considerably improved, driving will be resumed next week. The No. 2 lead in the eastern drive is not so large as it was, but is looking much better. The stopea qn this lead above the level are producing good payable crushing dirt, and gold is seen at almost every breaking down. No. 4> level: We are now quite clear of theJprge watercourse which passed through Roi 2 lead in the eastern drive. The lead has opened out to its original size, and is looking very favorable for making gold. The stopes here are continuing to produce good dirt, and occasionally a few pounds of picked stone. The quartz from the stopes on No. 1 reef, above this level, has been shaping much better at the battery during th& past week. No., 3 level: The workings here are being continued as usual, but there is no change of importance to report since my last.—G. S. Clash:." MOANATAIRI.

Cleaning up and retorting for the month will take place in a day or two.' The manager reported on Saturday as follows: —" Waitemata' crosscut: Progress has been very considerably impeded during the week. Very little impression could be brought to bear on the bangingwall portion of lode without explosives. We are well through if; now. Its <width from wall to wall is fully nine feet, composed mostly of quartz with mullock intermixed. There is a fair percentage of favorable minerals for gold in some of the stone. The country in the face of crosscut is a blocky sandstone formation, with quartz veins. Th» lead in No. 9 stopes, above 132 ft. level, shows gold each breaking, and occasionally : small parcels of picked qf£»ne are obtained^, strong colors have also been seen in the *: \ leader in winze below 132 ft. level during the week. The men who were in rise on. No. 1 have been removed in order to get a trial parrel from No. 9, tunnel level, and at a point where we discovered a smaVJ lead in the footwall of reef, from which vre got a few nice gold bearing stones.—'J. Gfr. Vivian."

KURUNUI HILL. Some doubt having always existed as to whether either of tho lodes worked.at the tunnel level wero really Kelly's reef, tbe manager has lately had some men engaged sinking a winze on its footwall from Kelly's creek level. This proved that it was still in the hapgingwall of the lodes operated upon, and a crossout was there*, fore started towards it. This touched tho footwall. on Saturday, and the men. are now driving to connect- with the winza. No quarts at all has yet been broken in either place, and the reef vriJl not be broken down till the winao and drive are connected, which will give an. outlet fop the quartz. .DART.

C caning up for the moiith ibis morning • ■ produced the good.payable yield of 2320zs ot retorted gold, for, which 156 loads of quartz, nearly all from the stdpes on No. 2 reef above No. 3 level, wore treated. 1 his block,-which is now exhausted, has furnished^ six months' steady crushing, X£s°,te k6s- durin& thSLt time beiQs ■tsaioiss 13dwts,.. Some slight repairs have to. be effected to the battery. A smalL block of ground on the 80. 2 reef is standing unworked on tho western side of the whim shaft, above No. 2 level, and tho manager intends to take out a tria* to see if it is. payable. The winzo below No. 3 Jovel will be commenced in a day or two 4 MARTHA EXTENDED (WAIHI). The manager to-day brought down 1250zs of retorted gold, the yield from 500 tons, of general dirt crushed during ihe past month. The return. W a payable one, the reef beinj* large and easily broken. The dirl was taken from the Dulcibel and Martha sectioos. The battery was not kept fully employed during tho early part of the month, owing to scarcity of water, but the whole 30 head ar& now running.