MINING.

Evening Star, Issue 15516, 11 June 1914, Page 6

MINING.

In the Saxon mine the drive eastward on. the No. ■ 2 Cardigan lode, at No. 7 level, has been continued during the week, and a total distance of 130 ft has been driven from the crosscut. During the greater part of the week the reef has been disturbed owing to a break crossing through it, but this has now been passed through, and the lode, which is forming solid again beyond the break, is being stripped forward, but no quartz has been •broken down aa yet. The leading stop© is being continued along over the drive at the point of junction, and this is now drivem a length of 30ft. The lode is fully 2ft in width in this slope, and is carrying a good class of mineral and shows colors of gold. The ore obtained is being saved for treatment.

At the Thames Deep Levels a further inspection of the crosscut at the I,oooft level was made during the week by the manager. He found that an improvement had taken place in the air conditions, for, although he was not able to penetrate as far as the face, ho was still able to go along the' level to a point a little beyond ! the Saxon cross-cut, a distance of about i I,oooft in from the chamber. In previous I attempts it was found impossible to proceed further than 500 ft in. This shows I that a certain amount of fresh air is travelling through the filling, in the rise from the Waiotahi shaft, and is gradually thinning away the gas from the air course along • the main level. The situation should continue to improve ae the work of sinking the Waiotahi shaft advances. This shaft is now down to a. total depth of 943 ft from the surface, which leaves a further 80ft to sink to reach the level. The shaft should be completed in the course of another month.