MINING MATTERS.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1873, 9 October 1874, Page 3

MINING MATTERS.

[Exchange.— I The manager lias started a rise on the No. 1 reef, about ten feet to the right of the cross-cut, and yesterday a fine show of gold was met with in the reef. This point was selected for the rise so that it should not interfere with the other operations of the mine. The drive on the course of the No. 1 reef, towards the Crown Prince mine, is at the opposite side, and it is sufficiently out ot the way not to interfere with the cross-cut itself. Driving on the course of the IN o. 2 reef has been continued for some distance since our last report, and yesterday a portion of the lode was broken down. It has increased in size to fully a foot of stone, and although there was not any gold showing yesterday in the stuff broken down, the quartz looks remarkably well, and contains a quantity of good class mineral. This, reef is likely to prove as important in the Kxchauge mine as it has hitherto done in the Crown Prince, for there is now no doubt that it is the continuation of the No. 2 Crown Prince reef. The matter was set at rest yesterday by an accurate survey made by Messrs Wright and Bavldou, Communication with the Crown Prince workings on the No. 1 reef will probably be effected in the course of a few days, and the manager will then have a fair opportunity of breaking out quartz, for there is a large portion stripped in tho drive which has only been carried on the course of the reef on the foot-wall side, leaving the quartz all standing. Central Italy.—Tho directors of the Central Italy held a meeting yesterday and decided on adopting the plan of operations to which we alluded a day or two ago for opening the mine from the adit level. The manager received instructions to commence driving beyond the shaft at the adit level without delay as soon as the repairs to tho shaft are completed, and also to carry the rise which wo then referred to up to the level. The distance to drive at the adit level before the reef is intersected will be about 180 feet, but the rise is already up to within 50 feet of the adit, and as soon as these two workings communicate there will bo a fair opportunity for opening out and prospecting the mine above this level, and there will be belter communication with tho lower workings as well as better ventilation' through the whole miue. The reef at the head of tho winze looks well, in fact, much better than it has done for some time, and there is no reason why this reef in the upper levels should not prove as profitable where it can be worked at less cost, as it has doue in the deeper levels. ■ * . , Golden Calf.—'There is nothing new in the way of finds to report from the Golden Calf mine, but both drives are making good progress through excellent country, and the manager expects that in the drive towards the Just-in-Time reef the lode will soon be to haud. Indeed, the lode which was cut through in sinking the shaft should be cut before now except it has altered its underlie, but it may bo that it has become split up or pinched, for at the best it was never very clearly defiucd. The greatest importance is now attached to the opening up of tho Golden Calf main reef at this level, where it is expected the continuation of the shot of gold formerly worked will be met with.

Piuhce Alfred Battery.—Three crusliings will be finished up to-day at the Prince Alfred battery. One of those is for Lapliam and party, (ributers of No 2 section of tho Eed While and Blue nnue, and. this stuff is likely to yield a good payable average. The second lot is a crushing for Cjitran and party, Lributers of tho Albion Company in Kelly's old claim. This stuff has also shown up on the plates for an average yield much better than that obtained from tho last or any of the recent crusliings. The third is a trial parcel from the Tookey mine, but this is not likely to yield much gold. A mongst the nextparc'els to bo put through at this mill is ono from the United claim, late Durham Ox. Tho shareholders of this claim have already had two crusliings without payable results, but they have continued their prospecting works, and tlio present crushing is another trial from a different section of the mine.

Cube—There is every probability of a valuable block of reef being opened by the winze which is being mxuli on the black lode (as it is called) below the main level. When the winze was first started, tho lode was only about d-inches thick, but it has shown gold from the first, and has gradually improved, and yesterday at the time of our visit, when the winze had reached a depth of 12 feet, the lode was a foot thick, and showed gold freely. About 15 to 201 bs of fair specimen stuff was taken out, and there was more showing. Hitherto this lode his been nearly

vertical, but it is now altering its underlie, There is an improvement in the class of country as well as in the reef. The walls are good and dearly d#ied, and th.o gold hn formed

chiefly against the foot-wall, which is clean and hard. It is quite probable that when this lode is opened up, as it eventually will; be by a cross-cut from the Golden Crown deep level, and when it is followed south towards the old shot of gold/some good rich crushing stuff will be obtained from this section of the mine. In the stopes above tho main level on tho junctioued reef there is little of importance to notice. The lode has evidently been subjected to some distirbing iuflueuca at or near this place. There is some improvement, for the clay which lay on tho foot-wall, has given placo to quartz, and there is now a good solid foot-will, which most closely resembles that Burroundiug tho auriferous portions of tho reefs iu this locality than any that has yet been met with cither in the rise or stopes. Queen op Bkautv.—There will iji a cleaning up and retorting for the Queen of Beauty Company to-morrow at the three batteries which are employed on quartz from that mine, and the return is likely to be a very handsome one. Tho crushing all through has shown up for an average quite equal to former returns, and from the extra largo crushing force employed, a proportionately heavy yield may bo anticipated.'