THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume X, Issue 3644, 16 July 1873, Page 3

THE GOLDFIELDS.

[teoh otje owk coheeseondekt.] Thames, Tuesday. Beigdt Shile.—l made an underground P inspection of thia mine to-day, and went through the whole of the stopes of Nos. 1 and 2 lodes, and am, therefore, in a position to speak with some truth as to the quantity of each reef, to break out. With regard to No. 2 lode, there is fully fifty feet cf tliia yet standing to the upper level, and in the present face of the Btope they are taking away from ten to twelve feet of dirt, but it narrows a little towards the City of Xjondon boundary, yet there is from five to seven feet of lode showing in the face of the drive, and this is equal to what it was anywhere in the level, so that it is not at all improbable that it may be larger in the stcpe9, as shown in those now in hand. Independent of this, there is another block, nearer the shaft, which was left standing to secure the ground, and this will receive attention shortly. In No. 1 lode there is a tidy block of ground near the junction, about twenty feet in length, and thirty feet or more in height, with a reef fully from four to five feet wide, and this is of a superior quality. This is the whole of the No. X reef that remains intact above the present level. No. 3 lode, which strikes out of the hanging-wall of No. 1 lode, close to the boundary of the Queen of Beauty, has been followed for over 60 feet, and the average width of this is over two feet, and aB this is iDtact to the surface, there remains a vast quantity of quartz to come away from here. Another leader out of the footwall of the No. 2 lode has been stoped to the upper level, and this close to the low level, gave out some very rich stuff for some distance above tlie bottom level, and promises well for the next level, but the size and quality of this deteriorates upwarda. The present output of quartz from the mine is enormous, and is far beyond anything on the field, and considering the limited area of the claim, it speaks woll | for the energy displayed both by the directors and manager, Mr. iJinney. The number of stampers _ reducing quartz at the present moment is forty-two, and it is a question whether the Nos. 1 and 2 lodes will hold out until the shaft is down, at the rate of which quartz therefrom is now being sent to the surface. It will be touchand go, but it is probable that the number of the Btampers will be reduced, so as to make them spin out. As Btated above, there is any amount of No. 3 lode' but the quality of this is not ascertained, aa it is mixed now with stuff from other parts of the mine, but it may shortly be tested separately, and if found to be something I like the others in value, than there will be no cause for diminishing the number of stampers. The new surface works in connection with the new engine are almost completed, and, as stated before, the connection between the pumps, &c., will be started upon on Saturday, so that in another day or so, the new plant should be at work. The sinking of the shaft is steadily proceeding, and once the plunger is fixed, then good headway will be made, as the country is much better than formerly. City or London.—The cross leader, from whence the Crushing stone of the last few months came, is now rapidly approaching the end, and another month or six weeks will see

the Btopes fairly into the old level. The quality of this lode has deteriorated upwards, and it was very evident in the first _ week of the present fortnight's crushing; but as it was mixed with No. 2 last week, the yield of amalgam was half as much again. No. 2 lode from this shaft level has been followed to tho Queen of Beauty boundary, a distance of 67 feet ; but tho length of this block will materially increase upwards, owing to tho fall back of the hanging-wall of the cross leader which No. 2 strikes. In fact, the first stops gives several additional feot in length, and I should not be surprised to see close upon 80 feot in length by the time the slopes reach the upper level. There is a vast block of ground here, as it is intact to the surface, the quality of which is known to bo payable up to the other level, whatevor it may be above. As thore is over fivo feet of lode, the quantity of quartz in this block to the upper level is computed to be inoro than that of tho cross-leader, which has latterly been worked. The No. 1 lodo boyond tho footwall into the hill has now been followed 50 feet, and this morning there is a good body of stone two feet wide, the quality of which will be tested separately during the ensuing week. No. 2 lode has been followed 70 feet, and although only small (a little over aix inches wido) yet there are well-defined walls, and the sooner the country changes a littlo the better, as then no doubt tho lodo will increase in size. That these two lodes do travel through a large area of the company's ground is now demonstrated beyond doubt, and it is only a question of distance before the mtlueuco of the cross-leader passes away. Although the lode has been followed seventy feet, yet at this point it is actually not more than twenty feet at right angles from tho cross-reef, henco the influence is yet felt. The same remarks apply to No. 1, nnd thero is every probability that the lodes in this direction will be equally as profitable as on the other side of tho crosslode. With regard to No. 2, in the Bright Smilo level, at the boundary it shows a width of over five feet, tho quality of which has been proved to be of a superior kind by the Bright Smilo. So soon as tho Bright Smile new engino starts, then this company will commenco operations there at once. Cobosiandee, Tuesday.

The Mystery.—The crushing of a parcel of about 23 tons of atone from this claim (says the Mail), was finished on Saturday night, and yesterday the gold therefrom was Binelted at the Bank of New Zealand. The return for the whole quantity was exactly nine ounces of gold,—a very fair one considering that it comes from the general stone taken as it came from a reef sis feet from wall to wall, and that too from the upper portion of the lode. During the time that the stono was being taken out, a horse and a slide came into the reef, and the con sequence was that the lode was more or less broken where this trial crushing was taken from. So far as it goes, the result is satisfactory. With proper appliances, even that amount would pay regular dividends, but there is every reason to look for far better returns from striking the reef at a lower level in solid country, and this can bo done, on account of the formation of the ground, without having to drive any considerable distance. Indeed, when the Snells shall have put down their shaft close to the Mystery boundary, and have struclc the reef, its value at that depth will bo ki.own The above return, though disappointing to shareholders whoso expectations had been wrought up to look for from 15 dwts. to 20 dwts. per ton, should be thankfully rj ceived.