OUR GOLDFIELDS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 300, 18 December 1895, Page 2

OUR GOLDFIELDS.

MINE MANAGERS' REPORTS

May Quekn Extended. —During the past week goo.'l progress has been made in clearing andrepairiug the low level. We have cleared through tha breakdown on the cross reef formation, but etiil the drive ahead is full, and tor what) distance we cannot toll.

Poku Consolidated, —The reef maintains its aiza and quality, and is charged with the very best description of minerals. Owing to the tight; nature of the ground, tho reef Ims narrowed in to a thickness of one foot, bub al.il 1 curries a fair percentage of gold. We havo beeu fortunate in opening up another larga lode four feet thick, from which we can gab very good prospects uf gold. A further new lode in tha other section haa been opened up, which produciog a very iair prospect.

Takakd Creek. —Norfolk section : The California reef in the slopes vaiiea from two feet to seven foat in thicknosf, and is turning out a fair supply of crushing dirt. h\ low lovel tlio yamo reef is fully three feob in width, and ub prosenb is vary tight to break. The present; low lovel on the Day Dawn ieef, Dunediu section, has been carried on v furthor distance of 10 feet. The lode hero is fully 3 feet 6 inches in thickness, is of ft rubbly nature, and is lookiug much hotter. Good headway has been raado in the tributers' level on the Baino reef, IS feot having been driven for the past week. Tho roof for this distance averages two feet, and is an excellent-look-ing lode. Gold is froely eeen through tho dirt in each breaking down. This reef in the slopes is fully 2 feet 6 inches in thickneas, and tho dirt from them ia shaping well at the battery. Tho amount of amalgam for tho week is lOOoz Odwt 21gra, the total amount on ham! being 4050z lOdwb sgr.

Talisman Extkndkd.—The threo feet reef near Tallyman boundary will give from the present upper level MO foot of backs by continuing tho present drive about 100 feeb. The prospects from this reef are from £<1 to £6 per ton. In tho Treasure eection a crosscut from tho present faco of about 50 feob would meet with tho main reef, and bo right under tho run of gold in the surface drive much quicker than driving on the cross reef which requires close timbering. The prospects are really first-class. Thirty pieces of ttone broken for a length of 6 feob along this lode, and 1 foot in width, are in process of aasay. No <\ reel : The low level on this reef baa been advanced 11 feeb for the week.

Pkugbess-Castu? Rock.—Tho winze No. 1 level: Have now gtartod a leading stope from above winzo, bub the reef is a bit pinched just) now, and has been for the last few feob, bub tho country ia all that might be desired and full of mineral. In breaking down bhe reef I can see a good deal of antimony, which is ad all times considered an indication of gold boing nob tur disbanb. • The rise : Tho reef here is fully bwo feet thick, and looks well for gold at any breaking down. Sooth British.—No. 2 crosscut (southeast section of the mine) ia still penetrating a very favourable class of country. Several Email veins have boen intersected during the woek.

Cardigan.—The crosscut is in a distance of 39 feet for the woek ; total distance lor four weeks, 145 foot. The drive is now passing through another rubbly formation running a little uioro to the north than the course of tho drive The ground still keeps of v favourable description for gold.

Comstock. —Tho country ia still hard in the crosscut, although of a very favourable description for gold. Have driven cix feet; during tlio pa&fc week. Golden Crown section : Started to drive on the Gold Crown reef directly obovo tho old level, which will give plenty of room for the tip. Tho roef at present i« composed of ribe of quartz varying in size one inch to six inches in thickness, and is about threo feeO thick altogether

Camhkta.—A fair supply of quartz carrying favourable minerals, and frequently showing good colours of cold, is still being won from No. 7 hangingwall leader. The quartz being won from No. 4 leader continues to show gold, while the leader is also looking well. A Bturfc has boon made to extend the drive westward on this leader ; I expect to meeb the junction of No. 5 leador in about '20 feob. Crushing for tbe company is proceeding.

Broken Hill?—Tho men have been engaged breaking tho reef on the southern side of the crook. Tho lode is fully four foot six inches thick, and contains some vory fair grado ore. New Zicalandku.—The roef ab No. 2 level has been cut through, and the footwftll met with in two dillbronfc places, showing a body of quurtz 20 foot thick, tho hangingwall portion bein^ intermixed with bands of country rock, and about eight foot of the footwall portion boing a kiudly looking body of quartz, showing minorala favourable for cold. Prospecting hus been carried on on fcho 0 foot roof, and a libble gold got in the caning. A body of quariz has been picked up on tho eastern portion of the mine toward tho Young New Zealand.

Raranoahakk. —No! 1 reof is 8 inches in width, and maintains its promising appearance.

Golden Flekce. —Tho cro?scub hna boon driven a further ciistnnco of 8 feot, making a total distance of 162 feot.

Zion.— Tha manager.in company with Mr Draifin, manager of the Grace Darling, has examined the outcrope of several roofs and leaders on the ground and decided to open them up, co as to ascorbain bheir couraefl, bearings and underlay, with a view to selecting a suitable place for starting a low level. So far operations have been confined to surface prospecting only. There are quite a number of loaders whosecourses seem to be converging and likely to come together nba lower level. Some of these reefs or leaders have a very promising appearance somewhat similar to tho Komata stone, nnd running through a splendid class of sandstone country. Two men are now ougaged iv opening up tho smaller leaders, and two others have made a start on an outcrop which is apparently the cap of a good sized roef. Tho stone is apparently of a very kindly discription. Owharoa. — During the past week the contractors have driven a distance of 25 feet iv the Eliotb tunnel. The country is keeping about the sume, but there is a good doal more water coming in from the face, which indicates thab wo are coming on a change of country. Prospecting shaft: Tho drive is now in 37 foeb from shaft westward,, and in a channel of excellent eandstono country. Nut Tunnel: Thero is no change bo reporb for the past week.

All Nations. —Tho low lovol croaecub is in a total distance of 84 feeb.

May Queen. —The drive coming west on No. 4 reef is now in 71 feet. The reef shows an improvement during the last few feeb, being now two feeb thick, showing nice mineral and a few colours of gold. The drive going east on the same reef is in 120 feet. The elopes en the No. 4 reof from winze to eastern brook etill continue to produce ore of a payable grade. The stopea from the junction Co the eastern break, also the ebopos going east on the same reef are without change. In tho stopes on the north-wesb reef a large supply of crushing dirt is being won, and is shaping about the same as laab month. Trenton section : Work here 13 being continued as usual, with fair resulls. Saxon section : The No. 2 winze isnowdowns4fb, and gold ia been in the quartz broken. The amount of quarrz crushed this month will be much less than usual, on account of the stoppage of the water-race for repairs. Thia will mean about seven clays' lesa crushing t hip month. Amalgam for week, 22Qoz ; picked fitone, 201b, Hayee and party, tribntera in the Saxon, are crushing abouti eight loada, and expecfc the highly payable retarn of nearly lOOos.

Waitekaori South.—The drive on the reef in the Scotia Spur has reached a distance of 135 feet. During the pasfc week 1 have put in two crosscucs, righb and laib, and we carried rubbly qaartz for aboub 14 feeb from wall to wall. In the low lovel, Waitekauri Spur section, we have driven a distance of 40 feat. We cub a very nice looking ieader to-day, quite unexpected. It measures about six inchos, and carries excellent mitiera!. We are in blue country, and I think it will continue. Fortska.—The rico from the upper levol has bsen put through to tho surface. A start will bo made to continue sinking tho winze. Tho low ievol ia very wet and the country abie tight. Zkalanbia. —We have extonded tne cro»B-cut from Steward's level a further distance of 18ft. There is no change to report). Tho ground is very soft. Magazine.—Wa have gob into th-sb rate goldbouring country. We cut a leader aboub I foot :n thickness, carrying splendid minerals. Tbie leader, when driven on, will give 80ffc of backs. Hauraki Extknoki).—We have extended bho crowcot drive 1 lfb. Tbe ground continues favourable for making good progress.

Golden Lead.— The reef maintains its sizo, and carries a little loose gold. Grack Darling. — The rice has been carried up a furthor distance of 15ft. Ab present there is a good deal of sandstone mixed with tho qnortz. Excellent) prospects can be obbainod on the surface.

Occipital.—The body of quartz mentioned in tho mauager's last report proves bo bo the Haguo-Smith reef. It has been cub through to the hangingwali, Its total width iB aboub lift. The reof formation is composed of ribs of quartz with small bandH of flandt-bone between. Tho reef is carrying a little minoral all through. Occidental tunnel : Portions of the reef aro carryinp very favourable mineraly. MoAN'ATAIATiI EXTENDED. — The lode ill the faco is 3ft wide. Tho last few shifts we passed through a pmall leader coming in from the hangingwall about three inches in thickness, showing favourable minerals. We cruahod four loads of quartz for tbe small return of sdwte of gold.

Al.—The contract of driving 50fb in the low level is now completed. For fche last six feet tho reef seems to improve in size. The country is highly mineralised. A new reef on the eastern eido about 9 inches gives email prospects in one place where cub on fche surface.