OUR GOLDFIELDS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 78, 1 April 1895, Page 4

OUR GOLDFIELDS.

WAIIiI SILVEBION EX '- ; TENDED. ,' •' " ,

Evikenily no time is to be lost in pushing Ton the work by the new, Waihi-Silyerbon Extended' G.M. Company. Ib "will be remembered that as soon as the sale'of the Company had been decided upon a lengthy report was sent to London "containing recommendations as to what should be done, to get the mine in fall working order. . Apparently these recommendations have meb with . the approval of the London directors, as a cablegram was received this morning from Air Melville as follows :—" Go "ahead with the development according to the reports." This will, no doubt, enable thing's Whs got into such a position that when the winter sets in delay in pushing on with the work will nob take place. A great future should be before this Company now that capital is available for the thorough development of the mine. The largest outcrop of the Silverton reef was a .kindly friable quartz composed of large .boulders weighing from 5 to 20 tons; . Sinking at this point .resulted in the discovery of a large reef having from 2ft to. .5.1 fc. of rich ore on the hanging wall. • A ten ton parcel of this ore when treated at the Thames realised at'the rate of £28 13s per ton. Further sinking resulted in richer stone being obtained, 2401b yieWing-590z of retorted gold worth £2 17a per:oz. Rich ore was carried down 55 feetj the small portion stoped yielding £1,889. Th 6 winze was then "sunk another 50 feet, ■, carrying gold the whole distance and leaving good ore underfoot. At this stage the necessity for adequate; pumping power hampered further operations. liow grade oi'e from1 the upper levels was subsequently treated, 375 tons yielding £825. It- will thus be aeon thab the new Company has every prospect of a. successful future, as ib is assumed thab the Silverton; lode ie the continuation of the Martha reef worked with such excellent results by the Waihi Company. • The nature ot the work proposed to be carried out by the hew company may be gathered by the following'report of Mr H. H. Adams, which has been forwarded to the London directors. " The main shaft is now down a distance of 108 feeb from tho'aurface. This is 88 feeb below your smitby level. 1 recommend starting a cross-cub 100 feob from the surface of the shaft. This would give you a wall of 8 feet and a block of 80 feeb • bolow your smitby level. "' This croescub will require to be driven a distance of 180tt to cut the lode ; this work can be started ab once if a small pump is gob to keep the water oub of the shaft), and a horse whip erected to haul all stuff. This work would necessitate an extra expenditure of £200; the work can be in progress and will not interfere with ohe erection of the permanent pumping and winding plant. Your main shaft will require making larger, so tihat you can Bink 2,000 ft if required, and to do this you will need a shaft 14 x 6 n the clear, and timbered with 8 x 8 frame sets, 2f6; apart, blabbed -with' 9. x? 2 slabs. This work can also be in progress during the erection of the permanent winding and pumping plant. , The cost of this work will nob exceed £225.!; Poppet heads will requiro' to be erected over your sha'ffi, 60 feet high, with all necessary bearings for winding sheaves and guides.: The cost) ' will' nob exceed £200. You will require winding plant capable of winding 2,000 fe'eb. I would' recommend your getting a double cylinder engine for this work and of the very .latest type, If this planb is got ib will nob exceedj £1,250. You will also require ft pumping plane capable of c^iying down a distance of 2,ooo'teak I Would suggest the Cornish system of" plungers and .drawing' lifts.,, I'lieae"puffips are worked-:by"a horizontal etiffitfa connected with pumps, with crank and cran{cv shaft. The crank has .differentlength* of stroke*, say from 7 feeb to 3 feet. This will put you in a position to cope with small or large quantities of water. The cost of 'tbeae pumps and.engine will not exceed £2,150.. -You will also" require tvvo, mulci tabular, boilers to supply, steam for your winding^ .plant, and. dumping engines. Th^se boilers will,require to be built, on the very/latesT fuei'econpmreing plan and sufficiently largo; so 'thab either •of them ' will' have s'uffi■cient capacity to find the steam for the engines. The^e boilers placed in. position -will not exceed a,-cost of £750.. Two kilns will require .t©! bo; built to dry the ore to niake it fit for dry crushing. I would recommend these kilns being pub at the mine. This will be a great saving as you' will .only, require to convey to the mill the dried ore.' Ib will also save elevating the ore; which if done at ' the battery would require elevating twice.' Tho cost of these kilns will not oxceed £300. A tramway will be required from tho mine ' fro the mill, the.dis-' tance being about a mile and a quarter. I would recommend 261b rails being ueed with sleepers 6 x 4, three feeb anart.. The coat of this' line will: nob exceed £750. The battery.wjll tequire to;be made a dry crushing mill./ This alteration will necessitate new stampers, and a' complete' new cyanide plant erected on Ohe-mbst modern principle. JThe cost of this work will not exceed £2,500.' If you adopt the foregoing recommendation .■ I . have: not .the least, hesitation/ in saying you .will have a complete plant, and from information I have received from men whose opinion ia of value you have a mine Nvhich^'warrants this expenditure. There^will be required extra' to/..the . above . amounts ..£1,850 for driving crosscut, opening up the * reef, supply of 2,000 tons of firewood, office,, blacksmith's shop, and euridriea."

The cable, referred to/above evidently, mean's tfiikti tlle^e^y. Company intend to_ work in accordance with these recommend-' ations. -This ent.'ai}3V;^ho, expenditure of £9,850, and' provides ; foi' power to sink