OUR MINES.

Thames Star, Volume XVII, Issue 5272, 10 December 1885, Page 2

OUR MINES.

CAMBEIA.

The reef in the bottom of the wise* being sunk below N0.3 levelis about 7ft. in thickness, and colors of gold are seen when break inn down the haagingwall por* tion, which carries some nice mineral in places. The western intermediate drive from the winze below No. 3 level is penetrating a kindly class of sandstone, the lode being about 18in. in thickness. A little gold is showing in the reef a foot or two from the faoe, and the quartz carries a fairamouut of favorable mineral. There are about 4ft. of nice looking quartz in the third slope northward on the erofs* reef, but no gold-has been seen in it lately. In the fourth stope on this lode coming towards the winze, the reef is about 3ft. in thickness, and good colors of gold are seen when breaking down, while a few pounds of specimens are also obtained occasionally. There is also a large quantity of mineral in the qnartz, which shapes well at the battery. The main reef in the fourth and fifth stopes eastward of the wince at 3 level presents no change to. report, being about 7 feet wide, and showing colors of gold when broken down. But public interest at the present time is principally centred in the operations in progress in the sixth atope pa. this reef, which has already produced several good hauls of specimen!. The whole of the reef remaining in this block is not being taken in the present stope, ablock varying from 1 to 3ft in height being : left in until the ground has been timbered , up and the old Itopos filled in. The reef here maintains its; usual heavily mineralised appearance, and in breaking down this morning the manager bagged 1001 bs of specimens. There is still a bind of heavy pyritous mineral both in the roof and face of the stope, and the. crushing dirt coming to hand from here is of excel* lent quality. Gold is frequently seen in the hangingwall portion of the reef in the leading stope over the eastern inter-* mediate drive, where the reef is about sft in thickness. Westward, at this level, the fifth stope has been carried along about 9ft from the winze, gold being seen pretty freely in the quartz when breaking it down. Stoping operations.are proceeding as usual on the No. 1 reef, in which colors of gold are seen occasionally. At No. 2 level, O'Sullivan's drive has been extended a total distance of 66ft, and there is about a foot of rnbbly quartz in the TaceV^om©— of which contains favorable mineral, though no gold has yet been observed. The drive from the Moaoatairi Extended crosscut is passing through a kindly class of country, and has now been extended nearly 40ft, but the leader in the face is very much split up. Good progress is being made with the excavation of the chamber at No. 4 level, and the work will. probably be completed this week. There* is no change worthy of, mention Ju the various other portions of the mine. SAXON. The No. 2 reef at No. 4 level has been driven on up to a heare, which has thrown the lode out of its course; but after crosscuting into the hangingwall about 12ft, the manager has intersected a body of undefined quartz, which it is thought may prove to be the No. 2 reef. The country is good, and as strong colors of gold were seen in the reef up to the heave, it is probable that when solid ground is arrived at, a further improvement will take place. At No. 5 level, the drive on the specimen leader has been extended 22ft, and although the No. 3 reef is in hand, it has not yet junctioned with the specimen leader. They crushing of 24 loads of general dirt was completed at the Prince Imperial battery today, for the good payable return of 32ozs Sdwts retorted gold, which was re* duoed on melting to 3lois sdwtj. DEEP LEVEL CROSS; H The manager again broke down the No. 2 reef in the stopes above No. 2 level, and seenred 201 bs of specimens, while good colors of gold Were also seen through, the general dirt. , A , • :: / NEW"-MANTJfcAU^ ;- -'■-' " The manager reports:—"Your mine continues to look well, but I have not seen quite as much gold in the dirt broken ken down of late, I shall start crushing again some time next week, and hope to have another good payable crushing be* fore Christmas. The gold from the late crushing of 28 tons was sold for £227 4s 2d." . . •..,. '.-■. , ..■: ,-:.-. ■:•./.« \,.

NEW FIND (WAIOBONGOMAI);

During the past fortnight 130 tona of quartz have been put through the batterj for the return of 85ozs retorted gold i tailings from same 28 jzs, making the; total yield for the fortnight 113o« gold.