FERGUSONS NOTES REEFTON NOTES

Grey River Argus, 12 April 1928, Page 8

FERGUSONS NOTES

REEFTON NOTES

(From Our Own Correspondent.) The rainfall recorded at flic Re"ftoil Station for the 24 hours/ending 9 a.m. yesterday, was 112 points, roughly 1 1-8 inches, the heaviest downfall for over four mouths. ’ Mr Dyson, of the Public Works, Dunedin, is at present on a visit to Reefton, and is the guest bf Mr R. Patterson. The Alexander MSncs, Ltd, report for March is as follows:— No. 4 Level Crosscut has been extended a further distance of 53 feet, making the total 507 feet from the surface. The 'country passed through'is lying very flat, with the exception of the last 10 when it straightened up considerably and is now almost vertical in the face. A considerable quantity of water has been met with, and a fair amount is still coming out of the face. Several small leaders have been passed through, but only carry low values. At Mullucky Creek, South (Loftus Reef), driving has been continued for a footage of 36 feet, 12 feet of the distance being on lode of narrow widths and greatly disturbed, but containing good values. The remaining distance is on reef track between two very hard walls. Stone should make again here at any time. At Mullocky Creek, North (Loftus Reefi two men have been employed for a footage of 16 feet, making the total from crosscut 26 feet. Stone camo in I at 14 feet from the crosscut, but has only shown in the floor of level and up the face three feet so far, when ’it is cut off by a fault, the upper continuation being from 6 to 8 feet to the westward. The stone underneath is from 1 to 3 feet in width and carries good gold, plainly visible. No cleanup took place at. the battery, owing to th' l small amount of ore crushed.

The New Big River Gold Mining Coy. Ltd, report for March is as follows:—j All mining operations were suspended in July last and no further mining work was attempted until early in th? new year, when it was decided to undertake prospecting operations in one of the upper sections of the mine, by driving a crosscut from No. 2 Level in under a reef (called Cosgrove’s Reef) which was worked in former years. This reef was formerly worked between No. 1 intermediate level and No. 1 level, representing a height of about 100 feet, and proved highly payable, carrying values from one to ten ounces (£4 to £8) of gold per ton. The lode did not quite reach No. 1 intermediate level, and at that time no further effort was made to trace it below that point. Lately, as a result of some investigations, attention has been directed towards looking for a downward continuation of Cosgrove’s Reef, below No. 1 intermediate level, and, acting on the advice of our Mine Surveyor, a contract was let to four men to project a prospecting drive from No. 2 level (84 feet below No. 1 intermediate level), with a view to finding this lode on this level. Shortly after this drive was put in hand it passed through a reef formation about 20 feet in wiflth, which carries about 8 feet of reef in one place. Assays taken from this stone yielded values ranging from 8 dwt (£1 12s) up to 14 dwt (£2 16s) per ton. Althoughthese are not quite up to the usual range obtained from this mine in the past, they are decidedly encouraging, and when this lode is further opened up. values may improve. The Mines Department has ’ recognised the value and importance of the drive now in progress, and is subsidising the work with a subsidy on the footage driven. Altogether, 138 feet has been driven to date, leaving approximately about 50 feet further to drive before the reef can be expected to be intersected. It is intended to continue the drive out from No. 2 level to the original destination, and to leave the stone which has been passed through fur further investigation later on.