MINE MANAGERS' BEPORTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 167, 15 July 1907, Page 2

MINE MANAGERS' BEPORTS.

New Dart. —The water is -now down 4ft below the cap ' on" No. 4 chamber. The manager hopes by the end of this week to have the chamber cleared, and. the shaft repaired to the level. Boyal Oak.—The rise at No. 3 level is up 9ft. The leader is 4ia in width, and well mineralised. One ton of headings, which had accumulated, were treated at the battery for a return of -6oz lSdwts retorted gold. Three tribute parties crushed 4 tans of quartz and 25U>8 of picked stone for a return of gold vatned at £92. New Saion.—Commnnieatioii through the old whim shaft from over No. 1 level was effected on Friday. This has been a somewhat more difficult job tTmn was anticipated, owing to the shaft timbers being so rotten, from 60ft from the surface to No. 1 level. The shaft is, however, splendid standing ground, and will not require re-timbering. The crosscut at No. 2 level leading to the No. 6 reef, is being cleared. The upset air will travel through this crosscut and up the winze to No. 1 winze. By the end of this week the manager hopes to have the who}e ventilating scheme completed, and be in a. posiiioa to work on the wester* fcortion of No. 6 reef at No. 1 level.

Southern Queen. —The winze on the Blue reel at No. 3 level is 51ft The quartz' -carries-good--mineral, and at last breaking down a few strong colours of gold were seen. In the drive at Ho. 3 the reef formation is of larger dimensions, and shows a few colours of gold, as well as a./air amount of bright mineral.

Thames.—tn the main crosscut for the Nonpariel section, the hard bar, which.has existed for several hundred feet, appears to have been passed through, and the face is now in a good class of firm sandstone, ,, and as it is now nearly under the surface working on the Shamrock and oOier reefs cruartz bodies may be met - with at any time.

Kurairai-Caledonian.—Operations In this mine are at present confined to prospecting worts on the Kuranui section at the mine westward of the; old Hazelbank shaft. From the No. 1 level a crosscut has been driven into the hangingwall- of' what was known as Howe's leader, and at a distance •of about 75ft from that leader a very promising leader was intersected about 4in in thickness, which i≤ now being opened up on, and is being driven on eastward. A rise Is also being put up on this-leader, which so far as is known, appears to be a new one, and not before worked in this portion of the mine. Gold is seen in it boiii m. the. easter-n..drive and-the rise; -and a few pounds of picked $tone have been secured. "» '

Durbar.—All the hoppers axe now filled with qaartz ivaiQug for tiie Komata Beefs Compa'ii'y repairing their pass, so as to take delivery of -She ore. This pass is some-' what out o£ -ifder, itayiig noi; been, used for—a cans£dera4>le time, dhd- tliiii work will be proceeded with, as soon as tie -w«atlier improves sufficiently to allow of the •water draining. During the fortnight the drire easterly on tie .reef at the intermediate level has been eanttrmed a distance of 23ft, ai\d the reef in the face is about 2ft wide with, nice sulphides showing g >ld being obtained in. the dish. The dhine westerly on the same reef is also In. hand, and in this drive the reef, although smaller, is composed of good looking quartz in -which gold is eeen when •breaking down. The sfope which has been in Tia-nrt above No. 4 level Vinig been continued for want of storage room; and a start ma4e to rise up* from No. 4 level to connect with the intermediate lev-el, which ■will open np another block of ground, : and save a eonsidecable amount of trucking. Waitangi.—ln the low level the face of the main crosscut is again" ii" solid, quartz, showing good mineral indications. In the -w«st drJve on the Stem reef colours of gold ■were seen in a small leader, whicn is crossing the face.

In a second report to hand this afternoon, the manager states that the leader cnt in the -west drive on the Siaui reef at the low level (in which he reported coloors of gold tie day before) has opened out to 6 inches in width, and good dabs of" goM •were seen In it. This is another cross leader, and was intersected 57ft from the Tn.i<n crosscut..

Alburnia.—Gooa progress is being made with the drives east ana west from the main crosscut on the Sons .of Freedom reef, and the total distance driven from the crosscut to-date is 130 ft eastward and 114 ft westward. The westward drive is i>einjj continued along- the course of the mineralised band, which, has been running away from the main body of-tie reef eomewhat during the last week or so, bat is now heading back towards it: This branch; is carrying a quantity of very favourable mineral and looks promising, although no gold has yet been seen in it. 1 In the eastern drive the country has been broken and disturbed for some time past, bnt is now improving again, and the'reef is looking better.

Victoria.— The drive at No. 1 level has been cleaned out and the timber pis cod in position. Driving has ' been commenced on the lead. The quartz broken contains good mineral, and colours pfgold are seen when breaking down. At the level on Mariner's reef the country is of a favourable class. Tie reef averages about 2ft, carrying some good minerals.

May Queen Extended.—The drive on the Rocky Point reef west is in Msft, and the rise ts np lift a north-west' branch leader hns also been' opened out on 15ft back from the face. A 'little gold has been seen, bnt not sufficient to make the ore payable. A test parcel of eight loads has been treated for a return of 3oz 6dwt, valne £8 18/2. Hansen's winze,'on the ]So. 3 level, lies abour 200 ft west of the Rocky Point face, and around this winze a considerable amount of gold was obtained down to some 25ft, when water became too heavy for hand work, and sinking was suspended. The manager is now clearing this winze to test the value of the ore in the bottom, it having now been drained by the pumping operations. A few days' work sibould decide the value of the ore going jjown. It can then be decided whether it is advisaHe to continue driving west on the Rocky Poiiit face at the level. In the drive off the rise on'the; Adelaide west branch, at 'tire, low level, the break has been cut through,' and the' hangingwall cut into for 10ft; Tie leader is strong on the hangingwall side, and has been heaved several feet- No quartz has yet been broken on the hangingwafl.