NEW ALBURNIA.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 211, 11 September 1897, Page 2

NEW ALBURNIA.

The trial crushing of 1,000 tons of lowgrade ore from this mine is expected to be completed towards the end of the month. Should the crushing of the low-grade stone from the south reef turn out too poor to stope, as is anticipated, the policy of reducing expenses as much as possible will be considered, so as to continue driving and sinkin"-, in order to open up another new level with the endeavour to get into richer country. The next contract for further sinking the shaft after the present one is completed will carry down to the level bh. feet below the collar of the shaft, and to a point in the Moanataiari Creek known as the Sons of Freedom tunnel, from which the New Alburnia Company has a right-of-way. This will bring the men within a tew hundred yards of Grahamstown. NEW ZEALAND BROKEN HILLS.

Mr Jonathan Seaver forwarded to the London directors of this Company a lengthy report about the work done on the property, detailing very satisfactory results. He states: "The "auriferous deposits in the property, when iirst acquired by you, apparently'consisted of an immense body of quartz; and other lode matter, constituting the main portion of a hill about 700 ft. high, and from a quarter to a half mile in length. In reporting upon this property, I stated that I believed this mass of auriferous matter to embrace the junction of three lodes or lode formations, one of Avhich appeared to be about 500 feet thick. In the first stages of our developments an immensely rich portion was cut by a prospecting tunnel put in tbe hill some 250 ft below the summit, assays from which gavephenomenal results, reaching as high as £1,000 per ton. Large bulk samnles were sent from this place to the School of Mines at tbe Thames, and to Messrs Johnson and Matthey's in London for treatment, and yielded "at the rate of from £80 to £90 per ton. After this development was commenced on a large scale by the driving of three tunnels into the hill, and, across what Aye considered to be the strike of the largest lode, a large main low level was also driven from a point about 650 ft below the summit of the bill, on what was believed to lie the already-mentioned strike or bearing of the main lode. It might be mentioned that tbe Tairua River bad by Nature's forces cut across this large formation, in a series of more or less precipitous cliff, in such a manner as to expose the lode formation for 700 feet— viz., from the summit of the hill to the river level." The report then gives details of the work done. The low level is in 280 feet through good country. No. 1 tunnel is situated 250 feet below the summit. In this rich ore was struck, but the level has been closed up to prevent the stone being stolen. A large open cutting has been opened some 45 feet below this. Very good stone has been opened up in the cutting, which is now ready for taking away for treatment. The tunnel below this cutting has been driven a distance of 210 feet, passing through very rich stone. A winze has been made from the closed tunnel above to this tunnel, a vertical distance of 45 feet, for the purpose of extracting the rich ore for treatment. It passed through the rich ore for a part of tbe way down, and then left it on the eastern side. No. 2 level, which is situated west of and about the same level as the closed tunnel, has been driven 300 feet, carrying payable ore for about 230 ft. Some of the ore gave results up to £50 per ton. From this tunnel a crosscut has been put in on the strike of the lode about 255 feet, cutting stone assaying £6 per ton. No. 3 tunnel, ,vhich is in about 300 feet, is passing through low grade ore, while a tunnel, known as the "intermediate," has been driven 257 feet. In his latest reports, the mining manager states lie is able to obtain thousands of tons of good crushing stone averaging over £3 per ton, and recommends the immediate erection of a 20 head stamp battery, which can be increased to 80 or 100 head without further call upon the working capital of the company. A road has been constructed about four miles to the head of navigation on the river, and a survey of a tramway along the same route. Telephonic communication has been completed between tho mine and the township of Paeroa, from whence communication can be sent by telegraph to London. Acting upon advice received, a 20 head stamp battery and cyanide plant has been ordered from" London! The power used for working the mill be obtained from the Tairua River, which is sufficient to work a 100 bead stamp mill.