OUR MINES.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4905, 29 September 1884, Page 2

OUR MINES.

NSW PEIXCE IMPERIAL.

The retorting of the amalgam from the general dirt crushed daring the .past month took place this morning for the yield of 581ozs gold. This is an average of over an ounce per ton, the* quantity of dirt l pat through beiDg 496 loads. The total yield of retorted gold for the month is thus the splendid one of 25480z5, i educed on melting to 25200zs lQdwts. The manager reported on Saturday as. follows :—" The shaft is now down 72ft, Bft more remains to be sank to complete the contract, when a chamber will be opened out at a depth of 70ft, leaving ten feet for a well. The winze to connect with No. 7 level was com* menced ou Tuesday, and is now down Bft. The lead is looking very well, being in places fully a foot thick, and showing a little gold. The ground is also keeping of a first class description. The drive going into the footwali on the break is in 55ft. The footwali portion of the lead ia not yet to hand, hut should be in about sft more. The men here have been removed into the stopes for a few days, at the battery was getting short of quartz. Stoping is being continued as usual; the lead has been very small during the week, and no picked stone or specimens have | been obtained. There has only been two stopes brought home to the break as yet. No. 5 level: A winze has been started 120 ft eastward of the crosscut, to ascertain the proper position of the lead downward, so that driving eastward at No. 6 level may again be resumed. The stopes above this level are looking about the same, and are producing very good crushing dirt. No. 4 level: The. hangingwall lead continues a fine body of quartz as the drive advances, but no gold has yet been seen, and the dirt is almost worthless at the battery. Stoping on the No. 2 lead, and hangingwall vein of No. 1 reef, is in hand as usual, and very fair crushing dirt is being obtained. No. 3 lever: The men employed in the eastern drive on No. 1 reef have been removed back to the stopes for a day or two, so.as to keep up the supply of quartz —G. S. Ciabk.' 1

DEEP LEVEL CEOSS.

The difficulty in connection with the extension of the south crosscut at the Imperial No. 5 level proved to be onlj a departmental one, which has been settled, and woik is now in full swing again.

DAET.

A pleasing change was noticeable m breaking down the No. 2 reef in the westers drive at No. 4 lereLthis morning, when lolbs of picked stone were bagged. This is encouraging, as the reef is large, and should yield a considerable supply of crushing dirt, while the presence of gold in the form of specimens or picked stone augurs well for the result of extended operations.

MOANATAIRI EXTENDED.

The country has been rather tight lately, which has retarded progress, but on mea* suring up this morning the total depth was found to be 155 ft. This is about level with the top of the future chamber, the sill of which will be 9ft. lower, but a few feet will then have to be «unk for a well* hole. The country now shows signs of getting softer.

MOANA.TAIEI.

The manager reported for the past week as follows:—" Stoping i 3 progressing as usnal both east and west on No. 9 above 132 ft. level, and the intermediate drive below Guthrie's workings is being extended easterly, neither of which has shown any change to report since my last. Waitemata : We have commenced to drive westerly, seaward of main slide, and just parallel with it, to prove whether the reef has been thrown in that direction, or eat off altogether^ Two or three stringers of an unpromising character were met with in our eastern crosscut, not at all corresponding with the reef under the slide. W"e shall retort the amalgam on hand on Tuesday next; the battery will run a few days longer. Will forward balance sheet as soon as the tribute parcels are through, which will be about the end of next week.—J. Gr. Vivian." MARTHA EXTENDED (WAIHI). The manager to-day brought down 190ozs of retorted gold (1896z5. 9dwts. melted), being the product of 300 tons of general dirt. Altogether about 150 tons were crushed from the bottom level, for an average yield of 15dwts per ton. This is a fiae payable return, but it must be mentioned tbat the average would have been much better had not some dirt from the contractors' drive (before the good gold was met with) been crushed. The run of good dirt was..aboutjsQft in 'engtb, and in pushing ahead the low level now, the reef is flinty and of rather poor grade. It is encouraging, however, to know that the best dirt on the surface was obtained considerably ahead of the present face, from which fact it may be supposed that other good runs will be got as the drive advances. The winze from the level above is down 40ft, or half way to the low level, and the manager expects, that he will have it through in ten days' time. Once this is accomplished the ventilation will be improved, and sloping will be started without delay, while as the backs, are quite 80ft; the block will yield a large amount of crushing dirt.

GOLD RETUEISTS. Kttbakui Hill—Lo Manqaais and party have fiaished a crujliing for 6ozs I2dwtagold.

Moanataiki.—Sarieh and party hare banked 3ozs 7dwts gold.

Queen of Baeuty.—A small parcel for Connelly and party gave loa lldwts gold.

"Yes, air," said Jenkins,." Stnithers is a man who keeps his word ; but then he has to." "How is that?" aaked Jooes, " Because no one will take it, M