KOMATA REEFS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 205, 2 September 1897, Page 3

KOMATA REEFS.

Considerable abtention is being directed towards this property ab presbnt, owing to the near completion of bhe battery, and the fact thab crushing operations will shortly be in full swing, and the future of this parbicular districb be determined. Ab bhe mine very little work is being carried on underground, as it is considered the mine is well opened up. and bhe lodes thoroughly tested. The exbonsion of tho low level crosscut if being pushed ahead steadily, a distance of 70 feeb having been accomplished during the pasb four weeks. Thiß makes 689 feeb alto* gebher. Tbe face is passing through __ very favourable class of country, and should this continue bill Argali'e lode is meb the prospects of the lode being payable are very good. If bhe lode maintains its underlie downwards ib should be met in the low level in about 50 feeb of dririug. The water coming from Lavingbon's lode has been taken up in boxes and carried over Argall's reef. New flatsboots ha,\e been placed in position and connections made leading to bhe various workings. The truck road has also been relaid, so thab everything ab tho mine is ready for the start of the mill.

The serial tramway is now practically completed, the terminala, hoppers and tresßelg are all fixed in position ; the wire rope is also stretched round bhe terminals. The ground tramway has been delayed somewhat through several slips which came down after the late heavy rains. Those will ~ probably be repaired and made ready for 3 work in the course of a fortnight-. } The battery is rapidly nearing completion. L The revolving ore dryer and storage hopper at the back, of tho stampers are finished, and the Gates crusher is erected ready for : use. AH the cyanide vaba are practically . completed, together with tho platforms . Jru, Und them' and fche •3* ratin-Ja and P'Pi-igs. Tho duat hopper and the assaying and . malting departments are finished, and tho copper tables *vi!l be complete.'! this week. The preparations for the installation of the olectnc light are well advanced. KOMATA QUEEN, LIMITED. The crosscut easb from Lavington'a lode has boen a total distance of 26G feeb, 50 feet of this having been done iSurinc- the past month. At 260 feeb in a reef formation was met, four feeb wide, and carrying quartz on bhe footwall eide. This is to be known as No. 2 lode. Its quality at the point of intersection was low grade. Driving operations have been resumed northwards on Lavington'a lode, and the level extended 27 feet, or a total now of 75 feeb. Ib is pleasing to be able to chronicle a groat improvement in the character of the lode, which has taken a more compact and do' fined appearance, being loss'mixed with mullock. Tho quartz itself appears of a wove kindly nature, bub i« not aw yet puy able. The low level crosscut has been driven 35 foot during the month, making a total of 805 feet. Another 70 feet should soo Lavington's lode to hand ab this levot, and tho contract for this work will be commenced this week. WOODSTOCK. In the intermediate levol between Nos. 1 and ?, lovelfi development took place some weeks ago which may have a very important bearing o:. the future of this Company's property. A crosscut was driven 500 ft, at which point tho Maria lode wa. inteisectcd, und driving south on its course was carried on till a break was met which cub tho reel out. Croa_-cur.ting to tho caßb was then commenced to again pick up the lode, thab being tho usual direction for the lode to bo thrown. A reef, supposed to bo the same reof, was met rind driving south on ib was continued, ft was, however, decided to rise from No. 2 level to tho intermediate on tho reef, and the surveyor then found that the reof in No. 2 and thab being driven on ab Ihe intermediate were entirely distinct bodies. A crosscut was pub into tho hangingv/all country and 25ft from bho other lodo the reef first met ab this levol was picked up and found to be running parallel to tho footwall lode. Thus it has been demonstrated that south of tho crosßcub two dietincb ore bodies exist 25 feeb apart, and ib is* quire possible thab these remain separate and distinct right down through the lower levels, in which case the Company have every expectation of mooting equally good shootß of ore in tha new ledo to those now being worked upon in tho first. The now reef is in the same golden channel of country, and the distance separating the two should havo only a good influence. Of course the two lodos may junction ab greater depth, but ab present the appoarancea indicato that they will remain distinct. Sinking to No. 2 level is boing carried on, whilst a riso is also coming up to meet Ihia winze, and a connection will bo effected in aboub six wcoks, tho distance now to bo negotiated being about 70 feet. In No. 2 levol driving is being con binned Bouth of the break, bhe country at present being disturbed. Tho stuff is boing utilised for filling in tho slopes over the back of iNo. 3 level, where the reef has beon broken out to a width of loft in places. A riso ia in progress, as montionod above, to connect with tho intermediate level and ii going up on tho Hauraki ore ehoob. Another riso iv aleo going up from this lovol to the surface at tho point whore the Woodstock ore shoot occurs. When Shose two rises are finished, the " dead " work connected with this portion of the mine will be practically completed, as all the lovols will be connected, ventilation secured, and every levol in order for driving and atoping. In No. 3 level stoping is going on in three distinct place,?, the lirat being north oE the No. 1 crosscut. The second is towards tho southern end, where tho Hauraki oro shoob exists, and where the reef is of large size and superior quality ; and tho third is intermediate between these two blocl.B. Here tho ore meb in tho face whoa the drive was going through was nob considered good enough in hard country, and ib was looked upon as a poor patch. However, when a winze was being sunk to No. 4 lovel at this point very good ore was got, and on trying tho lode overhead ib was found thab here also the ore was payablo. In consequence of this stoping has beon commenced, and it is quite likely this? may prove bo bo identical with the good block ahead, in which case it. will be apparent, a very extensive shoot exists in this part oi the mine. In No, 4 level driving on the reof continues, the lode showing tho full width of tho drive, with the footwall still in tho country. The ore looks really well, and as tha faca is coming underneath tho Hauraki ore shoot, there iv every promise thab the reef will prove as rich here as ib has been found above. A leading stopo has been beaten along the back of this level, showing the lode bo average aboub 4fb wide, and all of good quality. This stope is over 300 ft. in length and Bhould supply a very large quantity of ore for tho mill. Passes are in along this block every 25ft. A sbart has been made to stope south of the No. 1 winze connecting Nos. 4 and 5 levels on the footwall brancß oi the Maria lodo. The reef is aboub throo feeb wide and rich, the stone in many cases showing gold freely, which is a mosb unusual occurrence wibh this class of oro. In No. 5 level the crosscub west has been stopped until tho air haa been improved by effecting a connection with No. 4 level workings. This will be accomplished by means of two rises, which aro now aboub to be undertaken. In bhe face driving on tho reof continues and splendid looking ore is being paddocked. The lode is aboub 4fb wide. In the Ivanhoe section there is no change to report. At the battery the management hava determined to make an experiment to test the advantages or otherwise of •• web " crushing, and Mossrs Seagar havo a contracb to supply four etockaolution tanks. The excavations are finished and bhe framework is being pub in position to carry the tanks. The experimen. will be made wibh five head of stamps.