THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7693, 19 July 1886, Page 6

THE GOLDFIELDS.

MONTHLY SUMMARY. [ffBOM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.] Thau us, Saturday. Although there has been nothing remarkable in the way of discoveries daring the past month, there is a much better feeling in mining circles. There is a calm now, but I feel confident it is the calm preceding more Btirring times. The Upper Country is particularly quiet just now. This is not owing to a lack of good ore, but rather to the roads being so bad during these winter months that it is almost impossible to convey stuff to the mills. But further, there is a feeling prevalent that any known appliances are lamentably deficient in capability for saving the valuable metals. The ordinary battery is at beat but a makeshift, and the waterjacket furnace, so far as it has been tried, is too expensive. At Karangahake a Mr Railley is erecting a new ore reducer, consisting mainly of pans, amalgamators, and settlers. It is situated at the foot of the Crown mine. Mr, Railley thinks he will be able to treat ore al; from 25s to 50s a ton. There will be two processes, a dry one for high class, and a wet one for low grade ore. Those best acquainted with the experiments made with Mr. Kailley's process on a small scale, are confident that it will be very successful. Some mines, the Crown and surrounding claims, have already a large quantity of quartz on hand awaiting the completion of the Railley mill. The furnace at Karangahake, having been bought by Mr. John Chambers, he handed it over to the Woodstock Cempany on easy terms, and it is confidently expected, that the long delayed start will be made a week or two hence. At K&rangahake the Woodstock mine has hundreds of tone of ore waiting for the furnace, whilst the Crown is as well prepared for the Railley's reducer. The Adeline and Rose are working on quartz known to be worth several ounces to the ton, aud are endeavouring to get it carted to the Ivanhoe battery, which has recently been supplied with a Pelton wheel. Most of the other mines are "lying on their oars," awaiting the results of the various goldsaving appliances. Some of the mines are sending parcels of ore to England to ascertain what it really iB worth ; the Dubbo has shipped 5 tons, and the Kenilworth is said to be breaking a 10 ton lot for that purpose. At Waihi, the Silverton and Union are both getting out first-class ore from substantial reefs. The Union has a 20 ton parcel of stone almost ready for shipment, and it will probably be en route to Swansea before next mail. It is reported that the proprietors of the Champion lode, Tui Creek, Te Aroha, also purpose shipping a very large consignment, say 100 tons, to England. This mine perhaps is not so rioh as the chief reefs of Waihi and Karangahake, but by present appearances the district will prove an immense and permanent mine or aeries of mines. So little has yet been done to this district that its capabilities can only be judged by the actual result of two or three parcels sent to the Thames furnace. Tui oreek is virgin mountainous country, and exceedingly rugged. From thence to steamer may be estimated at five miles ; freight from Te Aroha to Thames, more than forty miles, had to be paid, whilst the oost of fumacing alone was £3 per ton. Yet with all these drawbacks and expenses the proprietors netted handsome wages. As an instance of how profitable Thames pyrites may be, yet go to waste, it may be stated that the manager of the Thames Golden Crown mine offered a pile of forty tons of tailings for sale. Of three tailings men only one would make an offer, and his bid was sixpence per ton. The manager divided the heap into halves, and passed one half—say 20 tons—through the Golden Gate Concentrator, reducing it to five loads of concentrations. These realised £15 12s 6d, equivalent to £3 a load. The cost of concentrating did not exceed a shilling a ton. Mr. Ord McKenzie, the engineer appointed from home to enquire into the scheme for working the tailings on Messrs. Tapp and Dunlop's allotments on the foreshore, has arrived, and is now engaged in obtaining samples. The selection of the colonial gentleman to assist him can scarcely be characterised as a happy one. fie is the proprietor of an excellent tailings plant, and therefore would be almost superhuman if in dealing with tailings, or a bod of tailings, his thoughts were completely dissociated from self. Reports from Waiomo state that dish prospects can be obtained in reefs beside the Prospectors' claim. A crushing from the Paroquet (the Prospectors') is expected to commence next week. The shareholders are looking forward to a handsome return. Of the Thames mines very little fresh can be said, although some of them give indications of improvement. Moanataiari. — The point on which attention is at present directed is a crosscut from the Golden Crown shaft to hole through to a winze sunk upon the Darwin-Cambria reef from the Darwin mine. Communication will be effected in a few days. This work will open out an extensive field for prospecting in an excellent channel of country, Caledonian.— This famous mine is again before the public. At No. 3 level No. 1 reef has been driven upon up to the Larnach better known as the. Golden Calfboundary. It is a fine looking body of stone, and contains good mineral indications. A leader came in on the hangingwall a little distance back, and besides carrying excellent copper mineral shows colours of gold. It may be one of the Young American leaders. The appearance of things speaks well for the prospects of the block overhead. The No. 1 will now be followed into the Larnach ground by that company. As the drive on the lode was almost on the boundary of the Caledonian and Mr. Turtle's section of"the Kuranui, the dip of No. 1 will be into the latter ground, and the golden leader already referred to runs right into it. A spot much fancied by the manager and others on No. 1 reef, above No. 1 level, situated near the Otago and Red Queen sections, and known as the Balkans, is now opened up ready for stoping. A fine class of mineral is coming to hand, and the ohances are all in favour of at least a payable block being opened up. But not a few are looking forward hopefully for something better than that. Again, in the Red Queen section, at No. 2 level, a tribute party obtained 430z 12dwt gold from six loads quartz from Giimore's leader. The company has the block underneath, and the winze is already down on the lode some distance. Golden C'rqwn. — This mine has now about 300 feet of reef opened up in the Mary Anne section. So far it is only payable, small parcels of picked stone coming to hand occasionally. Manukau. — This mine is now being worked through the Waiotahi. A block of leader is being stoped out at No. 3 level with payable results, whilst at No. 4 level a goldbearing leader has been traced to within a few feet of the boundary. Waiotahi.—This mine continues a steady gold producer. As the shares are held in few hands the public, however, take but little interest in it. Still there is one very gratifying feature ; a new level is now being opened up, and some gold-bearing leaders have been passed through in an excellent channel of sandstone. Darwin.This mine adjoins the Waiotahi, Golden Crown, and Moanataiari. The lode which created such a sensation in the Cambria by yielding £60,000 worth of dividends has been driven in 250 feet from the Cambria boundary, and the face is thought to be about half way between the Cambria and Golden Crown. It carries all the indications of payable quartz ; indeed I should expect a good patch to turn up somewhere, so favourable is the appearance of quartz, mineral, and sandstone. Seventy pounds of specimens were obtained in a rise a few feet from the face this week. Amalgamation between the Darwin and Cambria is on the tapis. The Darwin owns the shaft, but the Cambria has a twentyhead battery. Cambria.-—This has been the lion of the Thames for the past two years, having paid £61,425 in dividends last year. Stoping operations are carried on principally on an intermediate level between levels 3 and 4. No. 4 level is 350 feet from the surface, and driving is proceeding on the reef. Gold was seen for the first time to-day, when strong dabs and colours wer6 seen in a stringer on the footwall. The Cambria takes in portions of the old Nonpareil and Waitemata claims. Macnataiari Extended.— mine is situated on the Waiotahi Creek, extending to | each side thereof. It bounds the Cambria. I Operation* have been carried on a long

time, but so far without payable results. On the whole the country— call it sandstone would lam afraid be a misnomeris unfavourable for gold, and yet some strong colours have been obtained in leaders, surrounded by this black, motley, Bemi-slidey formation. But the mine is not all like this, and to my mind there are still excellent chances for the prospector. The Moanataiari main slide runs trough the holding. The present workings are 300 feet below the surface. Trenton.— is a long section of ground east of the Darwin and Waiotahi, and north of the Prince Imperial and Saxon mines. As the lodes of both these latter mines traverse it, the Trenton has an excellent prospect ahead. It is thought, however, that the golden belt will be a considerable distance below the surface, and it is therefore intended to sink the shaft 350 feet, the half of which distance is already accomplished. New Prince Imperial.This well known mine is under, I would fain hope a temporary cloud. No. 1 reef (the Mariner's) is being opened up at No. 3 level, and gold is seen so often that the manager* thinks the quartz being obtained should pay its way. Saxon.—This is the old Crown Prinoess mine,, at the corner of Albert-street. A leader on the foot wall of No. 1, averaging about a foot, is supplying good quartz, the last crushing being 83 iz>* gold from 30 loads. As this leader seems to be an entirely new feature, it may be intact above and below. No. 1 reef is also being driven on hillward. Deep Level Cross.—This mine is almost paying its way. Operations are limited to stoping out a corner on the Mariner's reef— known in this mine aB the crosßlode, and the Prince Imperial specimen leader. The returns are almost an ounce to the load. Several claims are at work on the upper part of the Moanataiari and Waiotahi Creeks. Gold has also been obtained in a leader cut in a low level in the old Lucky Hit ground, Karaka Creek. MONTHLY GOLD RETURNS. oz dwt.gr. Adelaide. 75 tons ... _ .. 90 13 0 Blanche, 12 tons ... — ™ 9 5 0 Cambrik, 682 tons lOcwt ... ... 230 7 0 Caledonian tributes, 61 tons ... .. 68 0 0 City of Manchester, 16 tons lOcwt .. 65 17 0 Comet Otunui), 50 tons — — 36 3 0 Darwin, Is tons .. — .. 1112 0 D :ep Level i. rots, 78 tons .. — 44 8 0 Devon, 9 tons.. .. ... .. 6 19 0 Old Kurunui tributes -viz., Comer, Hicks, and Turtle's claims. 104 tons.. — 122 18 0 Lono Band, Acton's tribute, 9lbs ... 11 10 0 Little Bertha. 10 tons .. .. .. 13 0 0 Mo-inataiari, 30 tons .. .. .. 61 0 0 Ditto, tributes 88 tons lOcwt 18lbs .. 125 2 0 New f'rince Imperial tributes, 77 tons _ 105 13 0 New Eurata (Otunui), "200 tons.. _ 140 13 0 New Alburuia, tributes, 85 tons ~ 193 i2 0 R icky P<>iut, 15 tons .. .. ... 12 1 0 Reuben Parr, tributes, 7 tons lOcwt — 41 6 0 S»xon. 45 tons .. .. .. 83 2 0 Sundries .. .. «- — 500 0 0 I lhamas Golden Crown, 120 tons ... 100 0 0 j Waiotahi, 150 tons .. .. ... 154 3 0 ' Total tons crushed,l9o4 tons Ocwt 271b — 2217 3 0 | OHIXEMUKI. ! oz. dwt.grHoi lis (Waitekauri) .. 101 17 0 Silverton (Waihi), 40 tons _ 192 10 0 Maltha (Waibi) -. 157 3 0 451 10 0 TF AROHA. oz dwt.gr. New Find, 235 trucks .. 223 15 0 Galena, 45 trucks .. .. 34 0 0 Colonist, 44 trucks.. — 25 0 0 1 282 15 0 Total 2961 8 0 [bt TELEGRAPH.OWN correspondent.] Thames, Saturday. Cambria.—Several pounds of atone, showing strong dabs of gold, were obtained from avein on the footwall of the main reef at No. 4 level to-day, at a point about 50 feet eastward of the crosscut. The drive is about 40 feet from the Moanataiari boundary, and is running parallel with it. It is some 60 ! feet from the supposed position of the Moanataiari main slide. This find may correspond with the gold I saw in the etopes in the intermediate level on Thursday. At any rate, it is a source of great encouragement to the shareholders. Moanataiari Extended.The country in the face of tue drive is now much firmer. Hitherto the water has been coming from overhead, but now it is issuing from the face. Sharemabket. —Cambria, sa; Darwin, sellers, 6a ; Manukau, buyers, Is 3d ; New Eureka, sellers, Is ; Caledonian, sellers ss, buyers 4s 9d ; Thames Golden Crown, buyers la ; Adeline, sellers, 2s. Adeline.The mine manager telegraphed on Saturday:—"Thirty tons in mill. All down on Monday. Crushing looking well. Twelve stampers are employed." There was a little better activity shown in the sharemarket on Saturday last. Cambrias, which stood at 3s when the market opened, rose during the morning to ss, at which figure sales were made. Darwins, Mannkaus, and Adelines were alao in request. A largely attended meeting of shareholders in the Champion Copper Company was held at Nelson on Friday night, the objeot of which was to consider the means by which the working of the mine might be carried on. It was resolved that a new company be formed, with the object of taking over the old Ohampiou Company's mine. The scheme is to be floated. The new company's capital is £20,000. Shareholders in the old company become shareholders in the new to the extent of the amount they would have to pay under the liquidation of the present company,