OUR GOLDFIELDS

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 259, 28 October 1897, Page 2

OUR GOLDFIELDS

THAMES MINING SUMMAKY.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

Mining operations in this district are somewhat quiet, and the prospects of the various mines look none too bright. A slackening of hands in several of the mines has taken place, and there is every probability of further reductions in the working staff of several of the companies. Still when the Moanataiari Company start operations on a large scale, a lot of the surplus labour will be needed to keep their new mill going. The building is in an advanced state, and when completed will be the largest of its kind in the district. The erection of the Hauraki Golden Age mill, and the various works at the Thames Hauraki Company, are also progressing. The contractor for the erection of the boiler-house has made a start, and the main building for the pumping machinery is in a forward state. Operations have been commenced in the shaft in connection with work necessary for the pumping plant. At the Deep Sinker section the shaft is down about 350 feet, but as yet there is no change in the country. Development works in the Hauraki-May Queen Company are being rapidly pushed ahead, the principal point of operations being the No. 6 level, where a large quantity of crushing dirt is in sight. In the Karaka district the work at the Gloucester Company during the month has been confined to the excavations for the erection of the winding plant and battery, and the erection of a " whim " in order that the water in the shaft may be wound up and thus enable further sinking to be proceeded with.

The Christchurch Syndicate, who own the Chicago mine in the Tararu district, arc meeting with highly encouraging results. Operations in the other mines in this district show little change. From the reef in the Kaiser property a rich test lias! been obtained, which should be highly gratifying to shareholders.

At Tapu the Mahara-Royal Company have liacf a trial run from their battery, and monthly returns from this property should now be looked forward to.

In the Puru district the principal work is bein;, r done at Llic Puru Consolidated mine, .and the erection of the battery for this property should make matters lively in this part of the district.

NEW ALBURNIA.

The mine manager, Mr James, reports that the treatment of 1,000 tons of low grade ore from the south end of this property has proved conclusively that the reefs at the south end of the property are too poor to pay for extraction and treatment. It was well known before half the crushing had been completed that such was the case, but in order to thoroughly test the Sons of Freedom reef, and in hopes of the reef improving as stoping progressed, it was thought advisable to go on with the whole of the programme. For some time past the water stuck in the shaft, and coming out of the solid ground between the Nos. 5 and 6 levels (the lastnamed of which is about to be opened) had given very considerable trouble; a.nd had it not been for the work of continuing the southern drive along the course of the Sons of Freedom reef, until the ISO-feet winze was encountered, it was quite within the mark that the No. 5 level woula have been lost. The work of coping with the water had been a very difficult task, and work for this object: had been incessantly carried on. At the present time the water difficulty had been mastered. It was necessary to continue the sinking of the shaft for some time to come, a.nd it would be necessary, before completing the shaft to the level of the Sons of Freedom tunnel, to drive some 300 feet from the bottom of the ISO-feet winze in order to drain the country to admit of further sinking. The work of opening up a new level would be vigorously proceeded with. The work of stoping was now confined to the north or Dixon's reef, where the ore proved of better quality; here the prospects of Undine rich siiutes were more possible. The work of stoping- above the No. 4 level was still being continued, and the little picked stone occasionally encountered assisted very materially. In the face of so much dead work beiny required in order to develop the ground every care requires to be taken to do it as speedily as possible and with the greatest economy. The time is approaching when the question of new mining plant must be gone into. The present machinery has served its purpose, and work of greater magnitude will be impossible until new machinery is in position. The battery is still capable of further improvement, and this will be attended to from time to time, The prospects of the mine generally, although not very encouraging, arc still such as to cause us to entertain sanguine hopes for the future.