Mining Intelligence.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 1591, 13 May 1887, Page 5

Mining Intelligence.

Under date 10th inatant, Mr James Scott, acting manager of the Maori Point Co.'a mine, reports The battery is now is full work and working well. A little trouble has been caused by grass floating down the race and choking the jet in the turbine, but as the race gets worn, that difficulty will disappear it is to be hoped. We are now crushing i stone from the rise in the North level, and some good stone is being crushed. Until recently, a ! quantity of old quartz had to be put through to , make room to get to the paddock, bnt that now | being finished, wc will have all good stone to put [ through. Up to date not much has passed through, ' but amalgam is beginning to show on the plates and ;in the boxes. There is plenty of stone in sight to ! keep the battery running for some months, if it is l possible to do so for the frosts, which are now beginning to make themselves felt. Our race also being so nigh, it will probably stop crushing earlier than we anticipated. The mine is looking well, and the low level tunnel making good progress. I have washed some good prospects frcm the cap of the reef, and, should the weather keep tine for a few weeks, I do not think that we shall be disappointed of getting a good result. The last cake from the Invincible Co.'s mine gives proof that the reef holds out well, and fully maintains its paying quality. For instance, 2020z5. ISduts. 1 lgrs. of smelted cold, or £771 2s against an o.it'ay of working expenses, amounting to £'293 2s 5.1, leaving £447 19s 8.1 clear profit, is not so bad. The yield per ton was 14dwts. 13grs. At present, the Invincible mine—although not the most extensive—is the l>est quartz-mining property in this district. The Company have a reserve fund amounting to £l.x)o. The Pyrites Works are stopped, it is feared for pood, as part of the machinery is about to be removed to the Schcelite Mine, at the Heed of Lake. Jt appears that ever since the present manager, Mr Muriisby, has taken charge of the works of tho Invincible, the Pyrites Works have been run at a loss, while the yield of the Invincible quartz incteased from 8 to lOJwts. per ton to 12 to 16dwta., a su>e proof that an improvement was effected somewhere. The Piiu-nix Extended, Skippers, is meeting with encouraging prospect* in the mine, and quartz is expected to 1* struck almost daily. There is some talk of the Otago Co's shareholders, who received fully paid up shares, for the sale of their machine to the Extended, and from which the latter recovered about 200ozs. of lost gold—having preferred a claim to a dividend in the amount to the extent of their shares. The proceeds of the find have been so far devoted to tlie benefit of the company, but as the jtaid up shares are entitled to a dividend out of the find, they have made the demand, which, it is said, they are prepared to enforce at law, if need l»e. Very good accounts continue to come to hand from the reefs at Skippers Point, and parties are making every (effort to have trial crushinga coin- : pleted before winter sets in. Duulop brothers' claim is reported to turn out ! very rich stone indeed, and as they are about to crush a goodly sample at the Phienix battery, the secret will shortly be known. The (iallmt Tip, I'pper Shotover, are keeping ; mine and battery in full going order. From Macetown 110 changes or news are to hand from the quartz mine. They aie all busily intent on producing as much " cake " as possible before winter set* in. Alluvial mining keep= well to the fore, and though no new discoveries have been made recently the industry is healthy.