MINING MATTERS.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1803, 2 May 1874, Page 3

MINING MATTERS.

Mamjkau.—Kecently, for the purpose of not only ventilating fclae mine, but also for the purpose of opening a passage for the large and massive timbers which will be required to support the ground while the new reef is being broken out, the manager has started sinking the old Maaukau shaft to the level of the present workings; and although thore is still a depth of I' 2 feet to sink before this depth is attained, the reef itself is now to hand in the bottom of the shaft. There is not much done in the way of sinking through it, but the quartz appears to be of the same excellent quality which is now in the reef in the main workings of the miae, but does not show gold, so far. The reef, to be in its present position in the shaft, must have altered its.courso slightly to a more southerly strike. This bend will not, however, materially affect its course as regards the adjoining mines, for it will undoubtedly intersectasection of the Imperial Crownminein the old Golden Hill claim while, the Imperial City stands well not oniy for a portion- of its strike, but for a very large extent of its underlie. In the main workings to the southward of the cross-cut there was a really splendid show of gold yesterday, and several rich blocks, one of which is estimated to weigh about 4Qlbs, contained rich bands of gold. The blocks, .and indeed the whole seam from which these stones came, are heavily charged with black mundio and mineral, and the soction of the reef lying against the footwall in which the richest gold is now visible, is interspersed with vug holes similar to those which pervaded the Cure reef in the place from wh,ioh their extraordinary rich, gold was obtained some time ago. The whole reef in' the southem face is extremely s olid and well defined, much more so indeed than in the northern faca, for in the latter there is a large bar of sandstone five feet thick in the heart of the reef dividing it into two sections. However, the foot-wall vein at this end as it strikes towards the Cure is a very fine-looking body of quartz, and although there is ' not the same profusion of muudic as in the other end it looks just as well for gold as any part of the lode. As anofclier means of procuring ventilation a rise was recently put up from the cross-cut ou the hanging-wall silo of this now reef to connect with some old workings on the No. 2. The distance between the two lodes is not very great, and they are connected by a lode which was followed in tho rise. In this lode there wa? a nice show of gold yesterday. The nnnager haa recently carried out a gjod deal of dead work, principally with a view to making the oamawaiQutiou , and roadway ,tp tho

Golden Crown shaft more perfect. In order to avoid some ground worked out by the Golden Crown tributers, in which the road way was bad, and the ground heavy a new cross-cut has been driven which cuts off a considerale angle, and does away with two flat sheets. He is also about to replace one sections of the tramway in the main tunnel, which has become useless by a new of iron rails, sb as to enable him to utilize both lines instead of one which is only at present available. Of course these works have keep a good number of the men employed who were not on quartz at all, but when they are completed, and all hands employed on the reef, the out-turn of quartz will be very large. It is not,wo believe, intended just at present to increase the crushing force beyond the 12 head at present employed, but probably in the course of a week or so the larger foroe will be started to work.

Cuee.— In the winze workings on the foot-wall lode, there was a fair show ot gold yesterday, and in this particular place there is reason to anticipate a good discovery boforo long. The reef looks well, and is improving, and there is ou the whole a good show of gold. Ini deed, the prospects of the main run of j.gold bein? recovered in this mine is I extremely good. . Caledonian.— I There is nothing particularly new to ; report regarding this mine. The manager yesterday took out the piston from the winding-engine, and sant the cylinder to Price's foundry to be bored out. Previous to doing this, sufficient quartz was raised to keep the mill employed until repairs are effected. It is expected that everything will be again in working order this evening or Monday morning at furthest. Albion Tributes. -A crushing of 45 tous was completed yesterday at the Prince Alfred battery forCatran and party, tributers of Kelly's old mine, and a handsome yield of 83ozs gold was obtained as the result. There, will be another ounce or two when the final retorting of silver, &0., is completed to-day. This stuff was taken out of one of the surface blocks recently opened. Crushing, for Northy and party, tributers under the samo company of the old Poverty mine, was commenced yesterday afternoon with 12 head of stampers at the Priac? Alfred machine. There are only about 30 tons to put through; so that the crushing will be completed on Monday, and although the stuff may not perhaps yield such a brilliant return as the last lot put through, there will nevertheless be a very handsome yield.

Toom.— I There was a rumour yesterday morning that some gold had been struck in the* 300-feet level of the Tookey mine, bat upon inquiry we learn"' that'" it is- • incorrect. There was no gold found, but there was a very nicj class of gold met with in this level m a cross-lode which forms the connecting link between the reef along which the drive has been carried and another which runs a course alm»t parallel, in close proximity. In fact, in one place they are only 7 feet apart, althqush in the shafc, in consequence of the difference of underlie between the two, they are as much as 27 feetasuuder. Ons lies much flitter than the other— hence the difference. At all events, it was in a cross-lode which connects those two that the promising-looking quartz to which we have alluded was found. The manager is driving along its course to ascertain how far asunder the two other lodes are at thi3 point. The stone is highly oharged with white mundic and some rich yellow copper, such as that which is usually associated with gold in thesa loies, and it was probably the presence of this stuff which gave rise to the rumour. The manager tested some of it yesterday in a simll mortar to ascertain its quality, but we have not learned with what result.

CoLißiN.— la accordance with previous announcement, the manager yesterday commenced to break down a portion of the lode which had been stripped, and although no very large quantity of quartz has yet been dislodged there was a nice promising show of gold through that which came to hand. Further operations in the same direotion will be carried on to-day, and the result will bo watched with particular interest at the present juncture. Old WHiU.-There will be a cleaning up and retorting for the Old Wnau Company to-day at the Mauukau battery after a week's crushing, and this will terminate the company's crushing at this mill, at least for-the pre ieat. Arrangements have been made with the Moanataiari Company for the use of -20 head of stampers at their new mill for a period of three mmths, and in order to afford faoility for sending the quartz men have during this week been employed making a cutting and constructing a siding from tbe Moanataiari main tramway to the Moanataiari Company's shaft. Through this the stuff will be tipped into the Kuranui Hill tunnel, and through the latter it will be trucked'to the battery. A few days more work will be required before everything is complete, but no doubt by Wednesday or Thursday next everything will be ready and crushing started. The result of this day's retorting will be moderate, am )unting to about lOOozs of gold. City of London—During the past week the crashing power employed by this company has been limited to 6 hoad of stampers, aud the stuff put through the mill comprised a quantity obtained in cleaning down the old stopes and a mixture of quartz from the new reef. Sulficient stuff caanot be obtained from the new reef to keep more than 6 head of stampers employed, and the expenses for attendance on such a small force being equal to what would be requisite for a larger number, the manager has determiued to stop the crushing, fill the quartz paddock and hopper with stuff from the main reef, and then a fair start again with a good crushing power. {Since gold was hrst struck in this new lode there has not been anything in tlie shape of a separate crushing out of;it. There beiug only one hopper, the stuff from this lode could not be kept distiuot from the others, but so far as may be judged from the result of this admixture the stuff from the new lode is equal in quality if not superior to that taken out of other parts of the mine.

Crrr of Yoaic.—l start was made on Tuesday with sinking the main shaft of the City of York mine. This company, having now made a cjmmoncement, seem determined to do thoir work properly, and accordingly the shaft commenced is a good roomy one, 10 feet by 4 in the clear.