MINING NEWS. Grahamstown, Saturday.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIX, Issue 4847, 10 March 1873, Page 3

MINING NEWS. Grahamstown, Saturday.

Siiamiuk'ic Comi'vnv. — Tho tuhuting patty on tho higher levels of tho miuo are, making good progroas tovvaids another crushing, and tho stult yetting appears to bo of average quality. Nothing in tho w.iy of rich atono has jet l)con bti nek by the e( ntnetors who aio working for tho company i n tho big Jo lo in tho Diggers' Fucnd tunnel, but from tho fact of a groat increase ia the water flowing f i om the faeo hopes of an early nnptovement in Ihc quality of the lodo aio entertained. The c mpany's battery ia at piesent idle, hut will soon 1«' moving again, with ovcry prospei t <<f plenty of w<ii k dm m^ tho \v inter season, tlieio being ovidoiices of a mining revival in the Waiotahi Creek, whcic theio aro already sovcral claims on gold in tho neighbourhood of tho machine. (invi Sunriusr, Waioiaiu. — Another leador of consideiablo ptoimsu has been opened oil the surface of a bold spur, closo to the boundary lino of tho adjoining Unicorn mine. 'I ho spur is fonned by a largo lode that was opened and tested yean ago by tho old DayBpiing Company, and yielded at tho lato of \o/. to tho ton. Tho jHtull was crushc \ at tho Dayapnug battery, a Tory primitive ;\(Vair, nwi thetefoie tho teat cm Ncarccly be 1 e^arded asco;.elusivo of tho \ aluo of tho ludo. It is a moo vein fiom siv to oight inches thick, and cairivs visible gold. Tho direction ifc t.ikes places tho underlio not veiy far fiom tho cud of the main level ot the mino, hoiuo 70ft. docper, so that this lc\cl, whioh for somo timo pnt>t has been abandoned, tho old lodo in it not paying, will soon bo brought into uso again. Tho valuo of tho lcador is estimated at 2o/. to the ton. lltt h; ii r Smm i — Dm ing tho week tho No. 1 and No 2 lodes have been opened upon m the low Je\cl, and follow <■<! oast — tho No. - some I Ift , and the other about 10ft. 1 examined them this morning, and cin report No 1 a good lode, well defined, and composed of thoioughly good-looking crushing btiilF, in which several bands of dark quart/, full of mineral, wcro visible. Tho bi/o of tho lodo was ahouc 18m. m tho floor of tho level, aud under 12m. in tho roof. Fiom what I saw this morning I am more than ovor convinced that it is the main lodo of tho mine No, 2 looked poorly, havingdegcncratcrt to a mcro mullock band somo 12in, thick. How tho lodes fare on tho west sido of tho I cross-cut from tho shaft baa yet to bo ascorI tnincd. Next week they arc to bo opened upon in that direction, and if tho surmise about their coming together and forming one stiong body of fltono should happen to bo correct, there will bo a (iuo scopo of good ground to work upon between tho shaft and the Smiling Boauty boundary, distant •I'iOffc. Jietwecn tho shaft aud tho bountlaiius of the (Jtteen of J'ctvuty ami C!ity of London mines east, theio ii al«o a long stretch of country, 1 '20ft. on tho »tnko of No. 1 lode, aud about .'iOOffc. on tho atuko of No. 2, with stoping backs of nearly GOft. high on each lodo. To aub-divido those sections, fcc, into stoping blocks, three winzes are boing sunk on No. 2 lode, and ouo on No 1. No. 1 win/o of No. 2 lodo 19 already down to tho lowei le\el, and earned a good lodo to within J 10ft. of tho bottom, whero tho lodo contracted and became moro mullocky. No. 2 w ni/o is down 1,1ft., and No. ."{ Ht. : both of those havo been standing for sometime, but on Monday sinking u to be rosumed, and also in tlio win/.o on No. 1 lode. (Jin or London. — An sinking tho win /.c in tho Hi jght.Sinilcimno w ilhuterfcro with tho transit of ctitshiug-sfcuflT to cither of the Smile shafts, crushing for tho City of London is per forco suspended until tho win/i.s aio down aud the main level ayaiu clear. I Qum'.y or 15uAurv. — A first-class lode, some Oft. thick, is being earned down in tho wiu/e that is smiting between tho 100ft. and bottom levels. Tho win/o is M)ft. deep, and the lodo in it shown gold ficcly. Stoping ,vlon<* the (loot of tho l.'Offc. level still proceeds, but will terminate at tho latter end of next week, when crushing will iilso bo suspended whilst tho shaft is opened out and a chamber constructed at tho bottom level. lU/.LAnvr ani> JIisinc; Sun. — Tho two paities of ttiljuters who hold tho Mallarat anrt lining aim section of tiie mine aro well advanced with piehminaiy work, and will soonboie.vly to crush tu.il parcels. Tho V> itlarat men have 20 tons in paddock, and tho others about half that quantity. Payable re turns m both cases aro auticipalcd. Wadk — Tim old mino bus been let on tiibute to a party of elLVun men, who havo about completed pt operations for working the loader from the now low Icvol driven by tho owners of tho mine, and w Inch yeater' day was connected with tliowm/c sunk fiom the old level. Tho new lovel commands over 80ft of backs on tbo loader. The latter looks quito as well for gold bolow as it did above, and, a3 tho mouth of the mine is uutnodiatUy abovo tho iShamiock machine, getting the iitufF to mill will bo uhc^ply and eaiily accomplished. I'ndor such favourable circumstances of woiking, quai t/. of only modciatcly good <{uality ought to pay well. (ior,i)i v A(.r.~ A f.ilIiiig-ofT in tho quality of the stono luis induced tho tnbuteiB who wcro working tho loader out of tho Evening Star old level to suspend operations. They have a small paddock of ntono out, which will bo crushed as soon as tho Khamioek machine resumes working. Tho Tecp n' Day tnbutors continuo at woik, and aro getting avei.igc-qiiality (juartz from tho hangiugwall leader of tho hig lode. They also aia nlmoit ready to crush again. Ni.w Cw.kdokia.— I visitod tho mino this morning. A very nico lodo is m hand .it and abovo tho upper level, a lodo that cairies ou an avciage fiom Ift. to l.'nn. of crushing stuff. Tho fuither this lodo is followed into tho old Diggeta' Fneud spur tho better it looks In tho leading drive, which has been pushed m to within 15ft. of the original Uiggors' Knoud shaft, tho improvement is veiy marked, especially in the wjlh, whicfi, scarcely dutuiguiihablo further back, arc becoming veiy clearly defined Tho drivo ia ty bo punhed ahead and connected with tho Diggers' Friend shaft by a nso of 30ft. or theiea'jouts, that being tho difference of level between tho bottom of tho shaft and tho floor of tho drive ; tdo shaft is about 40ft. deep. Behind it, thoHpur through which tho leador 6ti ikes rises abruptly.aud henco the height of stoping bauks commanded by the upper level mcitases at a groat rate as tho lodo is followed in. On tho upper boundary of tho mine thu-o will bo between 200ft. and 300ft of back« Tho quality of tho lodo has been Htitisfaeluiily determined by several crushmgs, tho lait of which produced at the rato of over ."in/ to tho ton. Tho low-level adit that is being driven at about 70ft. below tho present main or upper level ia in about S."iffc., and is expeefcol to touch tho lode at 70ft. or SOtt. fuither. One good characLeiistic of thin lodo in, that it improves m quality tho deeper it is followed. Cieafc cue has t<i bo exercised iu treating the stuff at tho battciy, as it defies tho action of tho copper plate f, but uuucuinhs to tho stiakc influence. Of tho 40o/, of gold obtained fioui tho last 12 tons ciunhed only four ucie caught by tlio plates ; tlio bulk of tho ntuinwas obtained from thobeid.ms, jniticulaily close attention being paid to the blank' t htrakea. Uut for tho caro thua disphiyed tbo greater part of tho gold would have bti n lost, and tho reputation of the mttio seriously if not fatally damaged. iM.iy not that fato havo bofulluu many mines in tins dwti iet — mines now lying under tho imputation of diifforism, but whieh would pay well if only fairly and carefully worked ? — [Coi respondent. ]

ConOMAN7>i:L l Saturday. Tho action of the Miniug luspcetor in talcing tho noccBSftry Btcpi towuuh winding up a number of tho cornpanio-i, fanned :n most Casof) for disposal and sili.imloumcilt, is a matter that will givo satisfaction to Ihoso interested in tho progress of tins jiortion of tbo field, find will, in all probability, be tho forerunner of the propeities passing into tho hands of miners prepared to work the ground, and ascertain its value. At present notices have been server! on tho rnanagorB, or posted on tho claims, intimating that it is tho intention <if tlio fii&nsctor to ro-ontor on account of non-working, nonpaymoufc of rent, and otbtr cauics. Tap companion to

bo forfeited are tlio 1'Yisco, Kennedy's Hay, Tiki, Lynch 'e I'M at, Paul's Crook, Uallynock, Flower of the Hill, Foresters', Scotty's Hill, Golden Point, I'.uilmo, lirunol, Leopold, Piido of Tiki, Specimen, Treasury, Sandhurst, Tuui of tho Title, Monti osc, United, Diinlur, Carter, Wealth of CoromandeJ, Dnnbar No. 2, Wirly 15ml, Key of Waikoiomiko, J [cither Hoi), Great ICiibtcrn, Duke of Argyll, Clont.uf, and Tower of David. It -a not unreasonable to suppose tliat tho gi eater number of theso bubblo companies will to hoard of again, aud that the iuial dimippeaiaucc of them will bo recorded in that to-be dreaded ofhco, the Ofhcial Agent's. '1 hcie is a prospect of immediate and favourable change in tho mining and geucral busi-ms-i m tho district. During the past week tho increase in the number of hands employed in tho Tokatea mino, tho starting of IJennctt'a water-race, tho systematic commencement of operations at tho Kapangn, tho starting of working at tho Eeach, hut, above all, th<> maiked chango in the weather during the last few days, havo all tended to incicaao confidence 1 . Tho Now Zealand Comp.uiy's battery, which h.vs boon ldlo for sonic mouths, is almost certain to make a start on some Lugo pat cols of stuff fi om the Tokatea mines in tho beginning of the week, whilst tho inoreaso of miners returned from tho Whangawrxt.v, and tho working of additional mines, will, it is to bo hoped, soon bung Coiomandel to tho ft out once moie. 1 w.is over tho wholo of tho Driving Creek pot turn yesteiday, but thcie n nothing particular to chroniJo. Tlio Uoach Company is still hanging in tho balance The mino is not being worked, and tho directors will not let any poition on tribute e\c(>pt by consent of tlio general mooting. Thu company lias ample steam power on its propeity, and is allowing tho fine wcathei to slip by without making any signs towards a commencement. This is the moio to be regretted, a3 scvoral parties woro prepared to cngago tho Now Zealand Company's batteiy, which was placed at their disposal by Lkptani Thomas tor a nominal cxpoiiso to test tho surface portion of tho sea beach, winch, from piovious tests, would, it is behoved, pay woll for crushing, besides tho advantage of gi\ mg employment to a number of minors and othois. Wokkino Minkhs. — Tho contract for the continuanco of tho low lovel for an additional 100ft. has been taken, and working will bo commencod in tho beginning of tho week. During tho last week wages men havo been working at the daring ahead of a portion of this level. Tho country is very favourable, aud there is doculed improvement in tho faco of tho tunnel, and tho appearanco of email veins of quart/ steadily coming on will very quickly brin^ a marked improvement m tlue portion of tlio company's | property. It seoms a pity that theie should bo so many defaulting call-payers in a nnno which, if fully developed, aud which can bo done without a heavy oxpondituio, would prove a source of wealth to the district, and mcreaso tha importanco of tho distuct. Aiujo. — Homo of tho mon interested in tbo J carrying on of tho furthor tunnelling of 100ft. for tho company in its main workings had knocked off work when [ called yestei day afternoon. Upon luquiry of Mr. Carew I ascei tamed that, owing to ono of the buccossful tenderers having broken his log, the party consequently being somowhat broken up, mid the lecont hard chango in tho coun- j tiy, it was very likely tho contract would bo thrown up, if somo arrangement could not bo mutually ai rived at between tho contractor and tho company's manager as to its immediate prosecution and completion. It is tho intention of Air. Carcw to commonco executing a cousidorabto distance of suif.vco prospecting, which will m all probability prove of benefit in futuro levels), &c. — [Correspondent]