MINE MANAGERS' REPORTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 258, 29 October 1907, Page 3

MINE MANAGERS' REPORTS.

Taihoa.—The main rise above the bottom level is in 133 ft. The gr'ouud continues good shooting country, intermixed with quartz stringers. The air is very light for making good progress. Tairua Extended. —The prospecting drive has been extended lift. I expect to cut a lode at about 120 ft from present face, as I found stone in the bluffs ahead showing good coarse gold, and also some prospects in dish. Golden Belt. —No. 1 level south has been extended 16ft. The reef is a well-defined body of stone carrying splendid mineral indications. The leading- stope is still being carried along south on fair grade ore. The second stope has been carried 20ft south of the mullock rise. Very good ore is being met with in this stope, strong colours and dabs of gold being seen at every breaking down. New May Queen.—St. Hippo reef at No. 5 level Is of large size, aud looks very promising, containing a large amount of bright "blocky" mineral. The stoping operations on the No. 4 aud north-west lodes above No. 5 level are now limited to a few men, as the block of ground available is nearly exhausted. The branch leader in the footwall of No. 4 lode at No. 5 level has considerably improved, and Is showing gold freely, while a few ipounds of picked stone have been securea during the week. This leader has now been driven on a distance of 70ft from the junction with NoJ 4 lode, and as it is intact below this it is intended to sink a winze on it to prove the value downwards, as it could be intersected at No. 6 level with about 40ft or 50ft of driving from the end of the main crosscut, and an extensive block of ground would be avai'able for stoping shouid it be found tbat the gold goes down to that depth. It has also been decided to clean up the No. 5 level on the north-west lode, and take out a trial crushing from that lode west of the crosscut and big break, as very little prospecting has beeu done in that direction. Kuranui.—At the Intermediate level the footwall leader eastward has divided into two portions, and the drive has beeu carried along the footwall, but as this is not now looking so promising as it did the drive has been turned into the hangingwall for the purpose of picking up the other branch. The No. 2 rise on the footwall leader, to connect with the intermediate level. Is now up a distance of Gft above the back of the level, and as another 15ft or 20ft will hole through it is not intended to break down the quartz until the rise is completed. A drive is being put in from the top of the rise on Hunt's reef to intersect the foot-wall leader, aud a distance of about Bft has been driven, but so far no leader has been met with, but the manager expects it to be to hand at any time vow. At the battery crushing is proeecding on the ore accumulated from the stopes on the footwall leader, of which there is about 12 tons on hand and two tous from Hunt's reef, and cleaning up will take place about the end of next week. New Moanataiari.—The work of breaking out a crushing from the Canbria reef ou the eastern side of the crosscut at No. 3 level is now in hand. It is being taken from immediately above where the rich ore was obtained in the workings below. Thames.—The main crosscut has been extended another 16ft. The country penetrated now is somewhat changeable, but after passing the hard boulder, nice white snndstone was met with, but hard, blue rock is showing again in the face. Old Hnuraki.—Everything is in readiness at the Hanraki shaft to start pumping when the coal conies to hand. South Kapanga.—The drive on Scotty's reef at No. 1 level has lieen extended 2Sft for the week. The leader at this point is about one foot wide, carrying some nice mineralised quartz, and prospects of gold have also been seen. About the middle of the week the drive will be in the required distance for sinking. The drive ou Scotty's reef at No. 2 level has been extended a further seven feet for the past week. The leader at present is nine inches wide and heavily mineralised. Old Alburnia.—The main tunnel has been extended another 17 feet. During the week a quartz formation about one foot wide was passed through. Some of the ore broken from it shoved a little bright mineral, but no gold was seen. The eastern drive has 1 , •been extended another 15 feet on the Sons - of Freedom reef, which still bears a pro-1 raising appearance, and carries cxcelk-nt mineral Indications, but uo gold has beeu seen. New Saxon.—Repairs to the. pass on Cardigan No. 2 reef -above No. 4 level aa-e now completed, aud the drive is being extended ou the haugSngwall from the bottom of the winze. During the coming week No. 4 and No. 2 levels should be connected, and thus secure splendid ventilation. Tairua Broken Hills.—The reef is still looking very well, and is producing good, payable ore. Driving has been continued! at the intermediate on No. 2, but there Is no improvement as yrt. The stopes are producing a fair amount of fairly payable ore. Victoria.—The drive seaward on the hang* lngwall leader has renched a poiut where the break may be met with at any time J There is now a block opened up for stoping on this lead fully 100 ft in length. Gold has been seen in the quartz broken during the week, both from the drive and stopes. aud a little picked stone was secured from No. 3 stope, and the quartz generally Is of good payable quality, though small in size. There are two or three small leadrrs visible in the side of the crosscut at No. 2 level. Waiotahi.—No. C level: Driving on the cross reef in the footwall of the dropper is in progress, and is in a distance of 74ft. The reef is about 18in in width, but has shown no gold during the week. The drive on the branch of the footwall dropper is in a distance of 107 ft. The leader is about 12iu. in width, and the quartz is of n kindly appearance, but has shown no gold. Driving east from the botton of the winze below this level is in hand, and is in a distance of 30ft, and the reef is now pinched cct to a clay seam. Stoping on the main reef above this level is in progress, the south stope being carried 48ft east of No. 1 winze, and colours of gold have been seen in the quartz broken. Stoping on the footwall dropper Is also In hand, the fifth stope being carried 25ft cast of No. 1 winze. Stoping west of the rise on the Cure reef above this level is In progress, and during the week 101b of picked stone were selected. No. 5 level: The drive west on the main reef is in a distance of 372 ft from the crosscut. The reef has, however, shown no Improvement. Stoping on the main reef above this level is In hand, the 30th stope being carried 64ft east from No. 1 winze. In the 11th stops the taking out of the puggy formation on the hangingwall of where the rich run was located is now nearly completed. No. 4 level: Driving on the Imperial City reef west of the break has been in hand, and the drive is in a total distance of 100 ft, but so far the quartz Is of low value. Driving west on the Cure reef is also In hand, and is in a distance of 183 ft, the reef being about 12ln in width, but no gold has been seen during the week. Stoping on the main reef above this level Is Iv progress as usual, from which a fair quantity of crushing dirt Is coming to. hand. Cleaning-up for the month will take place on Friday next. May Queen Extended.—The new Intermediate level has been advanced oft and timbered close up to face, this being necessary owing to the blocky nature of the rock. The drive is passing through Irregular quartz veins, which are, therefore, not worth driving on until more settler! country is reached. In Hansen's winze, stoping the ehort block on west side is completed, aud sft off the stopes has been driven "on a small gold-bearing vein. About 14 loads of ore from this part of the mine are now being treated to test the value below adit level. Work is going on at east side of winze, aud the reef is one foot in width and carrying gold. . Victoria.—The drive on lead west of crosscut at No. 1 level has been extended 10ft. The lead shows a few colours of gold when broken down. This drive Is now in about the distance where the break should be met with. Driviug has been temporarily suspended, aud timbering the drive will be iv hand during the comiug week. The ore coming to hand from the stoprs is of fair quality, No. 3 yielding 2 or 3 His of stone at last breaking-down. No. 1 stjope shows colours in the quartz broken. The crosscut at No. 2 level has ■been cleaned out up to No. 2 reef. A survey will be made to-morrow, and when this work is done, rising: to connect with No. 1 level will be started. At the battery 21 I loads and OOlbs of picked stone yielded 12Soz 6dwt melted gold, valued at £359 4/9.