MINING MATTERS.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1875, 27 July 1874, Page 3

MINING MATTERS.

Bright Fiu&k. - Retorting for the Bright Smile Company took place on Saturday, the total yield of gold for the fortnight being '/o'lnzs lOdwts. Tho return would have been very much larger only lor frequent and somewhat prolonged stoppages at the I"jp.'rml ' rown and Tararu batteries, the former beinij only at work seven days out of the fortnight aud the hitter only nine. There were one or twftx stoppages also at the' Matmkau battery,' aud all these delays of course tended to reduce the return from such a mine as tho Bright Smile where the quantity of stuff available for crushing is so great and tho object is to reduce as much as possible. The results from the various batteries were as follows: -Company's mill. 2150z5; vlauukau, Uhzs; Imperial Crown, 21dozs ; aud from the Tararu battery, a lodgment made in the early part of the week of lSlozs lOdwts, making in all 75<Iozs lOd.vts. It is anticipated that future ciushings will bo carriod on with the force employed working to its full capacity, so that larger returns may bo anticipated.

Uld WfliU.—There was a cleaning up and retorting for the Uld Wliau at the Moanataiari battery on Saturday, after 10 days' crushing with 20 head of stampers. The yield was 4900zs gold. Tlte amalgam, in consequence of the fros'y weather, did not turn out so well as was anticipated, but there was another reasou why the return was not larger. This was, that the berdaus allotted to Ihe Old Whau Company were idle from Monday until'TYiday, in consequence of a disarrangement of the water pipes. In the mine the prospects are very satisfactory. The block oponed oh the main lode stdl shows well, and as the reef in the stopes is fully 15 feet lhicli.it will supply plenty of crushing stuff. The riso from the adit level will bd commenced to-morrow. This evening the drive will have reached the requisite distance to admit of the rise being started at the proper point. TooiCEr.-"Long's Tbibuie.—A good payable parcel of 18 tons of stono lias been crushed at the Prince Alfred battery for Long and party, tributers of a section of the Tookey mine. They obtained a return of lOoas 17dwts melted gold. Cuke.—in this mine the So. 3 reef showed not only a great improvement in size audappearance generally,on Saturday, but some of the stone broken out contained a good rich streak of gold, so that the improvement is a very decided oiie. We may state that the drive on the lode has now reached to within 29 feet of the Manukau boundary,' and is almost under the shot of gold which was worked in the No. 2 reef. The lode lias increased in size to 2 feet, and the general indications irrespective of the gold found on .Saturday, are very encouragiug. , Tookey.—A small parcel of 5 tons of stone has been crushed at the Prince Alfred battery for the I'ookey Company, but it only yielded 18dwts of gold. I his return, although small, is an improvement upon previous crushing.

Caledonian.—lt was expected that the rise from the main level would have broken through into the No. 4 winze on Saturday night, but the rock proved too hard, and communication will not bo effected until some time to-day. A small opening was, however, made, through which the smoke finds its way. The usual weekly retorting for the company will take place to-day. We may add that there is no change in the prospects ot' the tniue from the operations carried on ; last week.

■ WiioTAfli. -The reef found in the bottom level of the Waiotahi mine in the drive from the engine-shaft in which the 'gold was discovered, to which we alluded in Saturday's issue, has proved to bj at. the boundary of the imperial City mine. A survey was made on daturday for the purpose of ascertaining this fact, The reef underlies iti a direction opposite that of the other reefs in the hill, but the find is an important oue to both oinpa'oies. i he Imperial City Company will have (he overlap of the reef from this level to the surface, but its underlie is into the Waiotahi ground, so that by sinking their slmft further they can'obtain what backs they may desire. The lode, as we previously stated, is a good size. It is three foot in width, ol good formation, and ilie show of gold found in it on Friday is vary encouraging. We believe the Itu-; perial City Company intend to apply for permission to work from the Waiotahi level, but in the meantime the manager of the Waiotahi has slightly changed the course of the-drive, and will continue it up to the Manukau reef.

Exchange.—lt having been decided to drive on the course of the reef recently intersected in the main level, a contract has been let for driving 100 feet, and operations will be commenced to-day. Many practical ursn, well acquainted with the district, and its reef system, are of opinion that this lode is the No. 1 reef of the Crown Prince, and there are many evidences iu support of the theory. The loelo is two feet wide where cut through, and coutains a good show of gold.

rfouTH Bainsa Association.—During tho past week the adit level iu this company's mine has been continued, and one of the lodos, the No. 1 reef, has beeu intersected. This reef is three feet thick, composed of good stone, but does not show any gold. The company's shaft is now down 220 feet, but will bo sunk to 300 foot before opening out a level. The engine, purchased from the Old Whau Company, is being repaired, and will be on tho ground iu three weeks.

BiKD-itr-"l and.—While the sinking of the main shaft is goiug on t'ue manager is making active arrangements for opening up the now level witlioui delay, and has already started 3 winzes on tho reef to meet the level when it is driven. The shaft is now down '15 feet below the present level, but it has got into very hard country, and latterly tho contractors have not nude much headway. Meanwhile sloping a'lovo the maiu level and driving on the reef i& being continued. Crushing for the company was resumed on Friday at tho Imperial Crown battery, which has been idle since Monday last, whilo the reservoir was being cleaned out.