COROMANDEL MINING NEWS

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 125, 29 May 1896, Page 3

COROMANDEL MINING NEWS

/FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Coromandel, May 26. KENNEDY BAY.

Mining mabters in thia disbricb appear to be Bharing in the general feeling of buoyancy and expectancy which is so evidenb througboub the whole peninsula, and just now a considerable amount of interest is being manifested in this parb of the counbry, owing no doubt to bhe excellent prospects which are being mob with in bhe various claims working there. For many years past the Kennedy Bay district has been well spoken of by mining men generally and prospecbors who had ab one time or other devoted their attention to fossicking thereabouts, and the belief has always been entertained that ab somo date gold of a payable character would bo found, for there could be little doubt thab the gold found in the creeks and alluvial drift must have had its source in the reefs traversing tho various spurs in the vicinity. The greab difficulty, however, which formerly operated againab systematic prwspecbing, and consequently retarded tho advancement and opening up of tho dietrict, was the facb thab mining, up to a comparatively recent date, was practically aba standstill, and, moreover, bhat tbe locality was situated aba considerable distance from the base of operations, viz., Coromandel. When, however, the msh for mining properties set in and the tide of returning prosperity rolled in this direction, the attention of the public turned towards the Bay, and in a short, time, consequent upon the discovery of several important gold - bearing leaders by prospecbors acting on behalf of syndicabee, numerous claims were prompbly pegged off and applied for. Sereral of theßO claims are now ab work,

and ib is gratifying to know that in such case highly encouraging prospects have been encouutered which would warrant the placing of faith in the future of the district as a mining centre. I might b ere remark bhab ib ia devoutly hoped bhat the Coromandel County Council will lose ns little time as possible in tho forming of the roaa from the Bay uo to the mines, as ib stands to reason that tho wanb of adequate means of accoes must necessarily militate against steady pro.-reK3 and advancement. The work of formation is nob an immenße undertaking, for bfco remains of bhe old timber tram are still extanfc, and wibh very Übble expense bhis cowld bo converted into a suitable and permanent road. BAY VIEW. Work is proceeding very satisfactorily at bhe different points, but ia centred principally in bhe driving of the Nob. 1 and 2 levels on the main leader. Tina latter maintains its' average width of about'six inches, and ab bhe lasb broaking dowu in No. 1 levol yielded some nico picked stone showing gold freely, while from both the faces a good clasa of general crushing dirb is being obtained. The country encasrog bho leader continues of a favourable description for working, bub does not change much in appearance, having still all the characteristics pertaining bo surface country. Sinco my laab reporb surface branching and other prospecting work has been carried on concurrently with bhe driving of bhe levels, and bhe benefit, of this work is now apparent for eovoral now leaders have been inborsected, which from all appearances bhould prove highly remunerative when opened up, as good dish prospects have been obbained from all of them. The manager expects bo have the briaf crushing all ready bagged up in a fortnight's time and ready for braneporb bo bhe Thames, where 1 believe ib is to be treated. Should the return be a favourable one, as it cerbainly ought to bo judging from the stone I have seen, I havo no doubb ib will go a long way towards esbablishing bhe possibilities of the locahby. MORNING STAR.

Since operations wore first commenced under the direction of Mr Vickersbaff. trenching baa been carried on on the dividing ppur wibh the objocb of intersecting and locating the various quartz bodies traversing bbc ground. This plan has been highly successful aa results prove. One leader running north and south, and measuring lOin in thickness, supposed to bo one of the Bay View leads, waa cub aboub a fortnight ago. This ab bhe surface ia naturally very much broken and of a rubbly formation, bub good prospects were obtained when panned off in bhe dish. A level crosecub lo intersecb ib ab » greaber depth has been started aboub 50fb belew the crown of the spur, and the face le now in 12fb. and penetrating rather broken country yet. It is very deeirnble to get the leader in solid country if a true estimate of its value "is denirert. A drive has been started on the Lookout leader, at a point 80 feeb belew the ridge, upon which colours wore eeen in the stone broken trom bhe nubcrop. Tho leader in tho face averages aboub eighb inches in thickneßa, ond looks well, while the country is of a hard groj saudsbone formation, carrying good mineral seams and heads. Cleaver's leader ia running parallel with bhe Lookcub, although through a totally different channel of counbry. A drive has al_o been started upon ib, in order to tesb its value, and from all bhe indications presenb, there is overy reason to think that when opened up ib will develop into a valuable adjunct bo bho property. EVENING STAR. Arrangemonts are pending, lundorekand, re tho amalgamation of this claim wibh the Kennedy Bay special claim, whereby a much larger area of ground will be available for early devolopmenb or flobation pur. poses. MAIORA. A meeting was called of promoters bo consider the arrangements in the matter of commencing operations on the ground, which it wae decided to man at oneo. This clfiim consists of 30 acres, and is bounded on the west by bhe Morning Star, north by the Bay View, and Bouth by the Lorna Doono. _^