MINING MATTERS.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1863, 21 September 1874, Page 3

MINING MATTERS.

:Beight Smile.— I Tho cleaning up'and retortiug for the Bright Smilo Company, which took place 011 Saturday, fully met expectations entertained regarding _ the result, indeed, surpassed expectations, and is, without exception, the best return over obtained from a similar quantity of stone since the present level was opeued. At the Imperial Crown battery a yield of 47'laz3 gold was obtained from the stuff put through during tho fortnight with 25 head of stampers; and at the company's own mill tho retorting produced 2910z5; making a total for the fortnight of 7150zs gold. The directors have, wo observe, declared a dividend of 5s per sharp, payable ou Thursday next, and this, wo liavo reason to believe, is only the forerunner of mauy successive dividends. Thero will be no crushing for tho company at the Imperial Crown battery this week. The recent rains have rendered it imperatively necessary to fill in tho open ground as speedily as possiblo, as the wator coming down provcuts tho men from working tho reef advantageously, but tho stoppage will only bo a temporary one, and a start will bo made next week with the same force. The company's own mill will bo kept at work without intermission, and at its full capacity. Meauwhilo, tho now 4,0-head battery, which is to bo crcctod for tho use of tho company, is not lost sight of. Application has boon made to tho Borough' Council, and granted, for permission to construct a tramway, on trostle work, and n Hume from tho brace of the mine to tho site selected for the now battery, and tho

sod has been turned in order to ascertain tho class of foundation. It is fouud that good solid bottom can be reached at 5 feet.

The Manukau SpECMEN.—The large specimen which baa been on exhibition at the Bank of New Zealand has, as we previously stated, been broken up. A portion of it has been crushed, which produced 189ozs of amalgam, and the portions which have been retaiued by tho shareholders have been accurately valued by Mr Severn, with water tests. Tho stone retained by Mr Jones has been valued at £69 6s, and those by Mr Cook at £37. These sums have to be paid to tho company, so that valuing tho amalgam as being worth £1 an ounce, we find that tho total value of the stone which originally weighed 5500z5, is £291 6s. When tho whole block was tested by Mr Severn, previous to exhibition, his valuation of it was £290, so that the test which he thon made was remarkably accurate. _Of course it may be that the amalgam is worth a trifle more or less than tho valuation wo have laid on it, but it will not be much either way, aud the result testifies largely to the ' scientific skill aud accuracy of Mr Severn. Black Angel.— A trial crushing of 20 tons from the new block of tho Black Angel mine opened from the winze which has been sunk to connect the 110 feet: level with the bottom ! • /el, has been completed, but the v ••;!?, is a very moderate ono of Bozs 18d>vts gold. Ked White and Blue.—A crushing of 33 tons of stone from tho No. 1 tribute section of the lied Whito and Blue mine was completed on the Prince Alfred battery, for Mr Skidmoro, the tributer. Tho yiold was poor, only amounting to llozs 15dwts meltod gold. Lily.-A."parcel of gold which, after melting,-weighed 17ozs 18dwts gold, was lodged in tho Bank of New Zealand on Saturday as tho result of a crushing of 13 tons of stono at tho Una battery for the shareholders of the Lily claim. The claim is situated on tho spur above the Una, and the stuff can. be forwarded to tho mill by tho Una incline tramway. Some time ago this claim supplied regular periodical crushings, but latterly the men have been engaged on dead work, of which they have only now commenced to reap the benefit.

Goidbn Crown.—There .was a retorting for the Golden Grown Company on Saturday, after an irregular crushing, during which 5i tons of atoao were reduced, but the result was a moderate one, amounting to 43ozs 12dwts-melted gold, iho stuff crushed was altogether from the hanging-wall lender, of which a fow small blocks . still remain intact. But only such, portions of it as are payable arc to_ be worked out, and in fact the operations now carried outon this lode consists more of fossicking thau of regular ■mining work. But in the 170-feet level some important work is going on. As our readers are aware, iu the intermediate level the manager drove on the course of the Manukau reef towards the iN"o. 2 winze, which was being sunk, but' owing to a sudden change in the course of tho lode which at this level unexpectedly went inaide the Manukau boundary, the manager started at the 170-feet level. He drove through the No. 2 reef to tho footwall iu a diagonal direction through nearly 20 feet of the quartz. It: so happened that the cross-cut went in just at the junction of the Manukau reef with the Wo, 2, and in the northward strike they are united, forming one immense lode. Towards the south, however, they divide, tho horse becoming wider and the lodes more separate each foot that is gained in this direction. The foot-wall of tho Manukau reef is now being driven on towards the line of the No. 2 winzo, which we have already referred to, but no quartz will bo broked down until the 40 lect of driviug necessary to reach that point has been accomplished. At this place there are good hopes that payable quartz will be found, for tho indications in the winzo of the Manukau are very promising.

Italian.—A little gold was found in the face of the reef in this mine on Saturday, which may lead to something worth working. For some time past the reef has been improving in appearance, and the gold which was found on Saturday was not altogether unexpected. We were shown some of tho stone by the manager, and the gold in them was of very fair quality. Middle Stab TuißurE.—Another trial crushing from one of the surface leaders opened iu the Middle Star miue by the tributers, took place on Saturday at the single-stamper battery of tho Prince Alfred machine. There were only l-J----tons put through, aud tho yield was diozs 16dwts retorted gold.