New Zealand Talisman.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 298, 23 December 1897, Page 7

New Zealand Talisman.

MONTHLY REPORT.

No. 3 Level. North drive : This drive has been extended on the reef a total distance of 85 feet. The lode is beautiful and solid, 4 feet in thickness, and has yielded very good payable dirt the whole of the distance, thus proving and opening up a large block of payable ore above the No. 3 level north of the crosscut. Stoning south has also been continued and all the ore won has been of a payable nature. No. 4 level. South stopes : The reef here is 2ft 6in in thickness and some of the stopes have yielded rich ore, thus making the ore won of a good average value throughout. No. 5 level: The South drive has been carried to the boundary and we have now commenced stoping from the end of the drive northwards. The reef is 4 feet in thickness and well defined. Although the ore won from these stopes is not rich, still it is all payable and rich ore is expected to be met with as stoping progresses. Stoping north of the No. 1 winze has been carried on and all the ore won forwarded to the battery. No. 6 level: These is a very marked improvement in the reef in this level. The ore-body in the present face is

fully seven feet in thickness, and the ore of a highly payable nature. Assays have been obtained ranging from £1 2s 9d to £6 15s lOd, giving an average of £3 Is 3d. Up to last week this reef has had a slight dip to the east, but the last 12 feet has brought about an important change in that the reef has now a decided dip to the west. No. 7 level: The contractors aire makinggood progress Avith this crosscut, having extended it a total distance of 280 feet. Bonanza section: Since the fine weather made its appearance a certain amount of prospecting has been done on the different outcrops of the reefs in this section of the property with very satisfactory results. The Talisman reef is trending to the westward, thus traversing the whole of the Bonanza section. The outcrops of this reef have been trenched across in various places, and the samples assayed gave values ranging from £1 2s to £3 19s 2d. It is anticipated that when this reef is developed it will prove highly payable, thus greatly enhancing the value of the property. Every part of the mine is looking most promising and encouraging. Excellent progress is being made with the erection ot the Krupp mill and additional breakers and cyanide plant. The krupp itself is actually erected, standing on substantial wooden framework resting on a concrete foundation, and a lean-to building has been constructed over it. It is expected that the whole of the new machinery and plant will be in operation early in January next. A storage dam has been erected on the Hauraki Creek, which furnishes water for the berdan pans and vat sluicing.