THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5638, 11 December 1879, Page 6

THE GOLDFIELDS.

[FROM OCR OWN CORRESPONDENT.J Thamr j , Tuesday. Moakataiaki.—During last week tho work of enlarging the dr.iin along the floor of the tunnel was completed right up to the face of the south cross-cut. The dram has been made sufficiently large to carry off three times the amount of water which is now running down the tunnel, and provision has thus been made for any sudden influx like that of a fortnightago. Since this work was finished, the men employed in the cross-cut Lave been driving into "the lode, and as yet there is no sign of the footwall. On the hangingwall the'e is what may be called a casing of carbonate of lime. This is about 5 fert thick. Beyond this is the main body of the lode, and f'.is has been driveu into about 4 feet. Immediately past the limestone formati- n. there is a vein about a foot thick of a dark-blue quartz, and beyond this again there is wha: appe.ir-i to be a mixture of blue sandstone rock and quartz stringers. This ; J about 3 feet thick, and is apparently the centro of the lode, l'ast this again, quart:: of a more favourable character is Bhowing, and it is anticipited this will be carried up to the footwall of the lode. During the week good copper indications were seen ia the stone as it w.is broken out, and at present there is an abundance of mundic showing. Tlis reef is lying verv flat, and consequently its true thickness will not be known until the drive is right through it. The stone in the face is T«ry hard, and as there is a large quMi'ity of water llowing out of the reef, there is great difficulty in pushing forward the drive. The quartz which is now being broken out is being stacked, and a trial crushing will shortly be put through the battery. Tho impression is that the lode is the continuation of the Caledonian reef, and certainly the appearance of the quartz is very much similar to much that can be seen in the fatter mine even at the present time. There is no doubt that the reef is well worth being thoroughly prospected The manager has started to rise on the Xo. *2 lode. In the rise the lode is between two and three feet thick, and contains large quantities of mineral, antimony b?ing especially abundant. When this reef was fin-t cut it was driven en about 40 feet oa the south fide of the tunnel, and excellent indications for gold were met with ; but the trial crushings gave very poor results, only 3d\vts. per ton being obtained. As the reef is further prospected, however, it is probable a better class of quart;; will be met with. Tho result of the general crushing last fortnight is most encouraging, and proves most conclusively that the quartz from the No. 3 lode ami its numerous branches is really first-class crushing dirt. The return last fortnight is equal to "2ozs. per ton. The new lode recently intersected oil the SO-ieet level, and which is 3 feet thick, is immediately under the works on No. 3 : and it is more than probable that when it is developed it will prove a valuable acquisition to the company's property. [BY TEIECP.APII, OWN" CORRESPONDENT.] Thames, Wednesday. Goli> Ret'l'f.n'S.—Que?n of Beauty tribute <Wilson), loz. Sdwts.; Hape Creek tribute (Tainblyn), Gozs. ludwts. Hape Creek.—Tauiblyn and party, who are tributing in this miue, have crushed a parcel of stone for the return of Gozs. 15iwt ; . melted gold. ALBURNIA. Id the leading sfcope, above the west drive, on the 70-feet level, there is aa excellent show of gold. There is also a vciry good show ba:k ia the ground stope. * From thes? stopes a qcantitv of good picked stone is being obtained every day. In the face of the drive the reef is apparently pinching up small. In the west drive, on Dixon's lower lovel, the indications are most encouraging. In the lace the lode has a similar appearance to what it bad on the 70-feet level previous to coming on the run of gold, and there is a very good prospect that it will be met with here. SHAEEMARKET. Sales: Alburnis. 57s 6d : Mosnafcs.iari, 50s ; Kuranui, 5s 9J, 73. Sellers : Albtxroia, OSs Cd ; Moanataiari, 5*25 Gd. Buyer 3 : Albumia, 5Gs Gd ; Kuranui, 7s.