MINING NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 233, 4 October 1886, Page 4

MINING NEWS.

I'akroa, Friday. Thk reef formation in this section of tho field is so entirely different in general character from anything of the kind in any other part Ol the Peninsula as to capsize most of the theories that havo been advanced with regard to gold deposits, and therefore it is impossible for any man, no matter what his experionce may have been elsewhere, to outlive ite future prospects or progress. All the lode 3 that aro now being worked here have been found outcropping on one or other of the several isolated hill's that rise abruptly out of the Waihi claim, and up to the present nothing what ever has been done to test their value beneath rhat poverty - stricken surface which,bu. for a stunted growth of fern and manuka ucrub, is entirely destitute of vegetation. This, however, is quite characteristic of most mineral countries, be: cau.o nature rarely or ever does things by halves, and a glance at tho nakedness of the land about here is sufficient to convince any old digger that it abounds in mineral wealth, and only requires the sinews of war—capital—to bring ie to the front aa a bullion producer. In the Martha mino, the No. 1 ihot of gold has been worked out from tho floor of tho main level right up to tho surface, and tho manager is now chiving southwards along tho course of the lode, in which direction he expects to encounter the downward continuation of the No. 2 shot of gold which was met with in the intermediate viorkings. Everything points to tho fact, however, that the proprietors of this mino will yet havo to start sinking ; but before doing so, it would be a very easy matter to test the quality of the lode at a considerable depth beneath to surface by means of the diamond drill, which could bo obtained from Government for that purpose. In fact, some time before hia death the late Warden Kenrick suggested tlio advisability of testing the rcof in question, outside the Martha Company's ground,with the abovementioned apparatus, which ho promised to obtain from the Mines Department in the event of any person undertaking to carry out the object in view. In tho Silvorton mine tlio manager will shortly resume the work of sinking the winze, which is now down to a depth of 12 feet beneath tho floor of the level, and from which stone showing gold freoly was broken out just beforo sinking operations wero suspended. If this shot of gold descends to any depth—of which thero is every indication at present —it should prove an incentive to owners of claims located on the flat to start sinking with a view to testing the east and west continuation of the same lode in their respective properties. Last week, shortly befoie tho final cleaning up for this mine at the Martha battery, the manuger put through about 2001bs of picked stone, special provision being made for saving the tailings, which were treated subsequently by the berdan process for a yield of eight ounces of retorted gold, value £2 17s 3d per ounce, and there is still a large percentage of that molal left in the residue, which speaks for itself and requires no comment from mo as to the value of tho battery process when applied to the " rebellious ores of this region, and the only redeeming feature about tho matter is that the whole of the tailing.- accruing from the treatment of ore from the Silverton mine havo been saved for the benefit of future generations. I say "future generations" advisedly, for, judging from the improvements made in the machinery for quartz reduction on tho Hauraki Goldfields during the last 20 years, the present generation is not likely to set the Thames on fire in that respect. A start was made on Wednesday last to convoy qunrtz from the Union Mine to tho Martha Battery, where tho work of reduction will be started immediately, and as the stone to bo hcatod is all of good quality, tho results, notwithstanding the orthodox loss, should be highly satisfactory. Three fliifts of hands are employed in extending the prospecting level in the Winner Mine, and the country through which it is pas.ing is all that can be dtsired by tho most fastidic v ■ with regard to being favourable for the existence of tho precious metals.