MINING NEWS

Evening Post, Volume XC, Issue 55, 2 September 1915, Page 4

MINING NEWS

THE GRAND JUNCTION DEVELOPMENTS AT DEPTH. (BT TELEGRAPH.— SPECIAL TO THH POST.) WALHI, Ist September. The development of the reef systeii at depth in the Waihi Grand «I 'motion mine continues to disclose satisfactory results, both in the widths and valaes of the ore-producing lodes, and open tions io date on the bottom level give the impression that a larger tonnage of milling ore will be opened up between the sixth and seventh levels than between any of the preceding levels. Ihe drive west from the main south crosscut on the Royal reef 't No 7 level is now out 450tt, and for the last 250 ft the values have been low. In the present face the lode shows signs of inipricing, and a further 2'.Wft of driving will bring the drive under the rua of pay ore on the level above which was followed down from No. 6 level for a distance of 60ft by No. 3 winze. ' East of the jjoint where the Values fell offa run ot milling quartz 80ft in length has been opened up, but further ex ploratory work will have to be carried out on the bottom level before the extent of pay ore on the Royal going west can be fully determined. Going east on the Royal the drive was in payable quartz for the first 60ft or- 70ft, after which it was carried along in country rock >to the present face, where the rqck is of the right description ; but work in this direc tion has been suspended, it being the in»ntion of the management not to do any more driving east on the Royal until they open up- the next level,No. 8. About 60ft over the back of No. 6 level the Royal reef is being got -ready for stoping from No. 9 rise, the "block being about 400 ft in length. The lode varies in width from 7ft to 30ft, and for the full length of the block averages quite 15ft, after which on its extension west it narrows down to 3ft or 4ft, but still carries nice grade ore. The drive east on the Empire reef, at No. 7 level, is out 700 ft from the main south cross-cut, and in touch with the faulted country. It is now proposed to carry the drive direct to No. 18 winze, where a run of high-grade ore was met with on the level above. The lode has been opened out ready for stoping for a length of 460 ft <east of the mam south cross-cut, and on the level at 460 ft it shows a width of just on 20ft of quartz of good average value. The block varies in width from 7ft to 30ft, and easily averages 15ft for the full distance, the whole of the ore being worth upwards of £2 per ton. As the 'pay ore on the Empire going east at No. 6 level only averaged sft to 6ft in width, developments at the low level show that the lode is gaining rapidly in strength going down. At a point 500 ft east of the main south crosscut a crosscut is to be thrown out north from the Empire to intersect the Martha reef, on which nothing has so far been done at the bottom level. , This work is to be put in hand s at once, and the should be reached with about 200 ft of driving. Going westv the Empire footwall leader at No. 7 level has been followed for 400 ft in high-grade sulphide ore. The branch averages 7ft in width, j and the block is ready for stoping. The ! Centre section of the reef has been driven on for 330 ft, the average width being 6ft and the quartz of very good grade. The south or hangingwall branch is being stoped out over a length of 150 ft, j and ' the appearance 'of the ore suggests that it just about pays for the handling. About 40ft over the back of the leading stope ore of better grade will be met with on this section of the Empire, as i the run of payable quartz which was I continuous on No. 6 level has been proved going down by winzes to the point mentioned. In the northern end of the mine intermediate drives have been put out on the Grace and Mary reefs between the Nos. 5 and 6 levels. That on the Grace was projected from No. 1 rise 60ft above No. 6 level, and has opened up a stoping block about 10ft' in length and 7ft wide, the ore being of fair grade. The / intermediate on the Mary, started from No. 5 rise from No. 6 level, shows the block to be 100 ft in length with an average width of 10ft, the quartz being good grade. The main shaft for the eighth level is now down 100 ft below No. 7 level and is being sunk in a large quartz body. The country rock penetrated in the course of sinking has been of a favourable description.