BLUE SPUR MINING NOTES.

Tuapeka Times, Volume II, Issue 86, 2 October 1869, Page 3

BLUE SPUR MINING NOTES.

(From our Mining Correspondent). September 22nd.

_ Mining operations for the last fortnight have been very extensive in the blasting department. Hales and Co. fired a heavy blast, the charge being 2 tons 8 cwt. 3 qrs. Considering the heavy charge of powder, there was not a great body of cement brought down by the explosion, although the block where the powder was placed got a terrible shaking. If the charge had contained an additional 10 cwt. of powder, it would not have been lost, as the ground is very much bound, being a centre chain between the Otago Co. and the Nelson Co. Hall and Co. fired a blast, the charge of powder being 9 cwt. The blast did all that could bo expected. Mills and Co. fired a small blast of 4| cwt. which answered their expectations. Osbourne and Co. have also fired a blast ; the charge was 11 cwt. of powder, which removed a Inrcre quantity of cement, but in a very lumpy condition. The Nelson Co. fired a blast this evening with 134 cwt. of powder, which answered admirably, the debris being well pulverised. The contractors were not sorry when their contract expired, as the strata of cement was as hard as a faco of granite or a grinding-stone to belt away at. The British American Co. fired a blast on Monday evening last; the charge of powder was 35 cwt., and was a great success. This same blast was tamped up on Saturday afternoon, but missed fire ; it was allowed to stand for a few hours, and the tamping was then taken out; in doing so it was discovered that water had got into the train. The whole of the tamping was taken out of the cross • drives, and the powder also, in order that all further operations might stand over until Monday. These trains are made of battens 3in. x lin. If the tunnel in the cross drives makes water this kind of train is never certain ; even if stones or- lumps of cement are placed in the boiiom o£ the drive, and the train laid above them, the fine stuff that is thrown on these lumps gets clown between them and dams the water up to the train. The safest kind of train for a wet tunnel is one made of calico, about half an inch in diameter, well filled with powder. A mixture of 1 lb. of pitch and A lb. of mutton suet, melted together, should be laid on the calico, while hot, with a brush. Such a train may be laid in water, and will not miss exploding its contents. There was an injunction placed last Monday on four different companies, in consequence of their running tailings into Mr. Hales* garden. Such a case should not have gone into Court ; the miners should put their shoulders to the wheel and extricate themselves from the mud, and not fee lawyers, who only push them further into the miro. Mr. Hales' fence could have been raised six or seven feet higher with stones for a few pounds. If the miners must appear in Court, arid will not settle their frivolous disputes among themselves, the lawyers -will with a vengeance. I dare say £70 per day would not coter the loss for every day these cloims are idle.