MINING MATTERS.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1915, 10 December 1874, Page 3

MINING MATTERS.

Exchange. —Yesterday one of the riehest finds of gold which has ever been discovered in the Exchange mine was found in the winze on the No. 1 reef, where the manager has now started opening up a section of the lode for working. Coming in so soon after the completion of a poor crushing the new find is. doubly welcome, and it certainly has generally a more promising appearance, regarding permanency and richness, than any that has previously been seen in the mine. The lode in the winze has a much greater regularity in size and composition than it displayed in the stopes above tlio main level.

Queen of Beauty.—Tho shareholders of the Queen of Beauty, out of tlicir last fortnight's crushing have, after clearing off all expenses, including tho monthly accounts, had a dividend of £215 5s 8d per share, or a total of £1,40619s Bd. The stuff going through the mills this week is showing up for quite as rich an average as it did during the last fortnight. Coliban,—Crushing for the G'oliban at the Moanataiari battery was completed lato last night, and retorting will take place this morning. Tho yield will probably amount to 20oza from the 10-ton trial. Candlelight Tmum—The Candlelight tribute crashing will be completed this morning. A good deal of timo lias been occupied in treating the blanket washings and tailings. Hotorting will take placo to-day, but the return will only bo moderatoj Old Whau.—Tho richest stone which has come to hand from tho ('ld Whau mine for many months past camo to hand yesterday, from tho stopes on the main reef above tho adit level, as the result of a single shot put into the lode, Fully 301bs of fino rich specimens, quito as rich as any that have ever been taken out of the mine, and in fact, equal in quality to the best of the Caledonian specimens, wore taken out. A sample of thaso will | bo on exhibition at the Bank of New

Zealand to-day. Thcro was a timo when specimens of this class would liave created no small amount of sensation, and sharebrokers would have been busily employed making transactions. It does not now appear to fitive made much difference, but there is no doubt whatever the discovery of rich gold in tins level will before long make a vast difference to the company, for the block is. of very considerable extent, and, as wo explained in yesterday's issue, the present find is directly on the line of the old run of sold. A succession of such finds of specimens as I those which have taken place during the last few days will very materially increase the returns from future crushing, die first of which commences on Monday next at the Monnataiari battery. i v outk British.—'The drive from the shaft towards the hill is now in about 140 feet, but no lode of any consequence has yet been met with; nor indeed could it have been expected, for the drive is not going in across the strike of the lodes, but with it, for the object is to get into a better class of country before opening out on the lodes which strike down from the hill through the company's ground. We canuot at present report any favourable change in the nature of the - country in the drive, but each foot of advance attains a greater depth, and it may be that at a short distanco at either side of the channel of country through which the drive is now going ' there is better ground aud perhaps good lodes, However, we are of opinion that the manager is pursuing the proper course in continuing the main drive until such time as the indications are sufficient to warrant the expansion of opera ions to the right hand or the left. The present works are prospecting works, and the manager has in every respect to bo guided by tho indications which he meets. Thi3 is at present one of the most important prospecting works on the Thames, and on the success of tho company's enterprise will in a great measure depend tho future of the Karaka district.

Lincoln Casixe.-The Lincoln Castle eross-cut has not yet reached the Twentythird of June main reef, for a hard bar has come iu between the two lodes, which has retarded operations, and the manager calculates that it will take tsvo days more to reach the lode. This is the only work now going on in the mine. The hopes of the shareholders are centred in the prospects of this reef, and should it turn out well, the value of the company's mine will be very greatly onhanced. In fact, it will be what it never has before been— a payable mine, should the lode prove as rich as it has done in the Twenty-third of June mine, which was worked by the tributers at this level.

Cube.— The winze on the black leader of the Cure mine is now down.So feet, and escopt during the last few feet has been followed for the entire depth. It is now well down towards the depth necessary for communication with the Golden Crown 170-feet level, and the manager is about to start a drive at this level- immediately to meet the winze. The distance to be driven is not very great, and as soon as the connection is formed there will be a large extent of tho lode available for working. With the underlie of the reef the backs for stoping will not bo much less than 100 feet in depth. The lode has already been proved rich by several crushings taken out of the winze, and we have no doubt when fairly openod tho lode will yield some handsome returns to the shareholders.