AUCKLAND GOLDFIELDS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 4, 5 January 1910, Page 8

AUCKLAND GOLDFIELDS.

THE WAIHI REEF SYSTEM. A CRITICAL EXAMINATION. 11. There are a dozen important lodes opened up by the Waihi company, any of which would be the making of a smaller mine. But so far they have all proved to junction, either longitudinally or verti cally, with the main lodes running east and west. The Edward and Welcome reefs, though large and valuable, are limited in length by the east and west lodes, and are, therefore, of direct importance to one company only. Of the three east lodes, the Martha, the Empire, and the Royal, even the last two give evidence, as will be shown later on, of an eventual junction with the Martha at depth; but for the present they are a sufficient distance apart to be treated as separate lodes. Apart from the interference of the "slide," an interference that is confined, as shown in the preceding article, to the points in proximity to the ancient valley, these three lodes have been proved to continue easterly, if not westerly, by the operation of two or more companies, without, so far, definitely "pinching out" in Bize or value. Detailed description will, therefore, be confined to these three. Further, for the sake of comparison of the values and widths met with at different depths, only the portions opened up at the lowest levels, from 700 ft to 1000 ft below the surface, will be considered. Out of the mass of figures of lengths, widths, and values given in the company's reports, it has been difficult to extract such information that, reduced to a systematic form, affords any conclusive evidence on the subject under review. Whereas, even if that result had been attained, and it had been shown that the lodes had increased in average value and size from one level to the next deeper, it would still be open to question whether a similar increase was thereby more likely to be found in opening up the next lever than the reverse. However that may be, the figures are given below, and may be taken for what they are worth. For the sake of greater simplicity, 'the values found in winzes and crosscuts intermediate between the levels are neglected; for, though the value at any point in a level may vary considerably from that found directly above or below that point, the average difference would be minimised in the case of a lode of considerable length. MARTHA LODE, AT 700 ft.

Though the above compilation, taken as a whole, gives a fair idea of what a fine bullion-producer the Martha lode is at these two levels, yet they must bo dealt with cautiously in making a. comparison between the two levels, and calculation, such as that of proportionate values which would be obtained by multiplying together the figures representing the distance apart of the samplings, the payable width and the value per ton, has not been pursued further. It must also be mentioned that the crosscuts from which the samples were taken do not always penetrate the southern portions of the lode, which at some points are contiguous with the main lode, and at others are some distance away. The above records are only for that part of the Martha lode lying within the boundaries of the Waihi company. The analysis has not been carried east, as will be done in the case of the Empire and Royal lodes, partly because records of equivalent detail are not available, and partly because, as may be supposed from the considerations given in the preceding article, the course of the lode runs parallel, and. at this depth comparatively close to the northern "slide," or side of the ancient valley, and would thus be expected to show less than the average strength and value. The developments at a depth of 1000 ft below the surface are so far not sufficiently advanced, taking into consideration the great width of the lode, to be of any value; beyond that, where intersected by the crosscuts of both companies, the width appears *o be fairly well maintained, while the values met' with in the Grand Junction section are so far of a low average.

n Is t, o c do a v a •5 S 8 cis 3 *- o MS ft. ft ft. 207 50 100 100 l>3 37 10O ins 105 109 06 ICO 59 10>5 no 110 47 10 10 34 34 30 20 25 25 34 34 105 5 124 34 llfl 85 88 88 97 07 • 39 80 77 77 68 35 64 30 36 12 low grade 22/ 132/ *V '35/ 00/ 170/ 47/ 75/ en/ 83/ 80/ SO/ 52/ 73/ 49/ low grade 1651ft. AT SoOft. S7 87 67 00 1S7 log 100 03 125 82 75 50 173 62 114 35 — 50 50 50 50 34 34 41 — 121 Iβ 103 Iβ 110 55 00 00 SO GO 85 15 90 45 35 10 low grade 40/ 31/ 34/ low grade 55/ 56/ 4-5/ ee/ 72/ 52/ 04/ 40/ 38/ low grade 15J4ft.