THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9179, 8 October 1888, Page 6

THE GOLDFIELDS.

MONTHLY SUMMARY. [FROM OCR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.] Thames, Saturday. The past month has been an uneventful one, although vigorous operations have been carried on in the principal mines and claims in the various centres. Still the general prospects continue fair, and it is hoped that soon a different aspect will be assumed, and that some of the new districts lately opened will come to the front, and contribute their quota towards increasing the general output of gold and silver. In many of the new districts work has been either retarded by the unsettled winter weather, and the consequent muddy tracks and roads, or by the delay caused in the erection of reduction works for the treatment of the ore. Both of these difficulties are fast disappearing, the first by the setting in of dry summer weather, and the second by the almost finished state of the plants in course of erection. With these drawbacks once got rid of, it can reasonably be expected prospects will improve, and the dark cloud of depression which has hung over the mining industry for so long a period be altogether dispelled. Since last summary the sale of another mining property to a Melbourne syndicate has been announced, viz, that of the Ruakaka mine at Te Arofta. The terms in this transaction are 15,000 paidup shares and £"2000 cash, £500 to be paid at once, and the balance within twelve months, provided that the prospects of the mine warrant the formation of a company. After several unsuccessful efforts to dispose of the Moanataiari Company's property to capitalists outside of the colony, the directors have decided upon re-forming the company, under the following basis —There are to be .30,000 shares of 10s each: fid per share is to be paid on application, (id on allotment, and the balance as required in calls of (id, at intervals of not less than one month. It also sets forth that the claim comprises 71 acres 3 roods and 23 perches, and has yielded 141,5t>80z of gold, while £121,337 have been paid in dividends, and a valuable 40 stamper battery is also attached to the property. Should the shares be taken up by the public, and there is every reason to believe they will be, it is proposed to start vigorous prospecting operations in three different parts of the claim, viz. : To open up the mine near the Cambria boundary, from the Caledonian No. 3 level; to connect the main tunnel with the Point Russell and Golden Age sections, and to put up a rise from the tunnel to the surface at the western boundary of the mine, with the view of running the whole surface through the battery. The property is undoubtedly a most valuable one, and by the judicious outlay of capital and a systematic mode of working, there is every reason to believe that it will regain its former prestige as a gold-producer. Another new company in course of formation, is the May Queen. The ground proposed to be worked includes portions of the old Queen of May, City of London, Seymour, and Hematite holdings, situated in the Waiokaraka district. The prospectus in this instance gives the following details :—The capital is to be £25,000, in 50,000 shares of 10s each ; '25,000 of the shares, paid up to 2s fid per share, to be retained by the vendors, and the remaining 25,000 shares, nil paid up, to be offered to the public at 6d each, the money so realised to be paid over to the company. The mode of working in this instance will be the utilising of one of the numerous shafts existing on the property, and the extension of drives therefrom on several well-known gold-bearing reefs and leaders. The usual operations have been carried on in the Thames mines. In the Cambria mine the opening up of No. 4 level in the Darwin section has so tar been attended with disappointment, nothing payable having been met with. The only work now in progress at this level is the putting up of a rise on a leader of about nine inches thick, in which colours of gold are seen. Above No. 3 level stoping (Derations are in progress on the hangingwall of the main reef, No. 7 leader, and the hangingwall leader, while a winze is also being sunk below the same level on No. (i leader, from all of which places quartz of a payable nature is coming to hand. in the Saxon mine the block on the main reef between Nos. .'J and 4 levels is now exhausted, and the output of quartz at present is wholly obtained from the stones above No. 3 level. Here the reef is split into two sections, known respectively as the footwall and hangingwall portions, each of which has to be worked entirely separate from the other. Both, however, are of fair dimensions, and yield large quantities of remunerative quartz. The opening up of No. 5 level is still progressing, but at present rather tight country is being met with. Operations in the Prince Imperial mine re wholly confined to stoping on the hangingwall of No. 1 reef in the western end, but only a very limited quantity of crushing dirt is coining to hand. The sinking of the Trenton shaft is proceeding rather slowly, owing to the hard nature of the rock. It is now down a depth of about 450 feet. In the Alburnia mine stoping is proceeding on behalf of the company on what is known as Jobe's leader, above the battery level, and quartz of a payable character is coming to hand. The return of gold for the Waiotahi Company during the past month was 2190z 14dwt, the product of 170 tons of quartz, whilst that from the Manukau was 2b'oz l.'idwt from 24 tons. In the latter mine the prospectsof Mulligan's leader are improving as the stopes are worked upwards, and some good quartz should be met with ere long. The slopes on Howe's leader at No. 3 level of the Caledonian mine are yielding a limited quantity of payable quartz: The last crushing of 20 loads gave .Soo/. gold. The erection of the New Zealand Gold Extraction Co.'u Works (NewberyVautiu process) is rapidly approaching a state of completion, the cnlorination plant being nearly in order, and the building of the roasting furnaces will soon be started. At the Askham-Molloy works operations are to be commenced on Monday next in treating the foreshore, tailings, all the preliminary works in connection with the working of the injector, erection of Burnings, etc., having been completed. At Waiomo the Gem G.M.Co. are getting pavable quartz from a leader at No. 1 level, which is the only work now in progress. In the Paroquet mine, the only work in hand is the driving of anew low level, but it is probable more extensive operations will soon be commenced on behalf of the Melbourne syndicate who lately acquired the property. At Te Mata the erection of Mr. Fraser's new battery and water race has just been completed, and most of the claimholders are now engaged in forming tracks leading from the chums to the battery, which will take at least another month to complete. In the Mata claim, however, the work of opening up the low level is proceeding apace, and a co isiderable quantity of quartz is now to grass. At Waihi, Mr. J. VV. Walker is making satisfactory progress with the opening up of the Waihi Goldmining Company's property, and a large supply of good grade dirt is daily being brought to surface. The engineer, Mr. Corbett, has promised to have the new reduction works ready for milling ore by the end of the present month, and there is every likelihood of the plant being in full operation by the time stated. The tributers in the Martha Extended are all on payable ore. Farmer and party, tributers in the Smile of Fortune mine, Owharoa, obtained the excellent return of 171ozs of gold as the result of two months' work. Mr. Parkes' furnace at Karangahake is now undergoing its preliminary trial, whilst the Mount. Aroha Gold and Silver Mining Company are making rapid headway with the additions to their battery at Waiorongomai. At Alarototo, Mr. Moore, manager of the Marototo Gold and Silver Mine Company is endeavouring to ascertain the extent and probable quantity of payable ore likely to be obtained in his company's property, whilst a little prospecting is ulso going on in three or four other claims, but nothing of a very extensive character. The gold yield for the entire district since last summary amounts to about 3250 ounces. Coromandkl, Saturday. Things are moving on very quietly here. Nothing very startling has taken place during (.he past month, but there is no doubt that | people are gaining confidence in the stability j of the held, and in course of time that is ! certain to have an effect upon our mining ! ventures here. No doubt the continued ox- ! traordinary richness of the Kapanga reefs in . the deeper ground has largely contributed to ! this, and the way this mine is opened up by the present manager, Captain Hodge, leads one to hope for a long-continued course of prosperity for his company. The reefs in this mine are very large, ranging from 2 to 10 feet in thickness, and it is where the reefs bulge out most that the richest goldsome extraordinarily rich stone—has been taken out, occasionally some of it nearly half gold. The reefs lie very flat, dipping about 1 in 1, and striking nearly due north and south ; the shoot of gold also has a very strong dip to the south, consequently the manager lias not yet readied the golden portion in the 500 feet level lately opened out, but as the richest gold is got in the level above, and the reef continues very strong, there is very little doubt he will get it equally rich in the 500 feet level, and perhaps for many more also. I have not heard the actual amount of gold got for last month, but believe it is about 700ozs. It was considerably over that amount the two previous months. Coromandkl.—The new pumping engine is in full swing, and is a splendid piece of work. I Everything works as smoothly as possible, ' and is so well balanced that only the water i has to be lifted. \ Coromandkl int. —The affairs of this ; property are getting licked into shape, anil 1 j understand it is intended to forward a large j parcel to the AskliainMolloy pans. No 1 doubt this will save the gold, but my owii

impression is that the greater part of the silt should be sluiced and the residue crushed, and after the silt is worked off they could then sink and work out the leaders which are known to exist. Some of them, at least, are rich in the precious metal, and if the big reef from the Point passes through this ground it will be easily worked from the main shaft. Tokatea. —The tributers are still getting out good payable stuff from their various sections, but the company are not doing much on their own behalf. I presume they are waiting the result of floating the company into a larger concern; that is, to work the bi<* reef on an extensive scale. This reef is the main backbone of the peninsula, and ranges from 20 to over 100 feet thick. The reason little or nothing has been done on it hitherto is, although from 4d\vt to loz of gold can be got per ton by testing, it has generally been too poor to work, except on a large scale, where it could be put through wholesale. I have no doubt if this is done, it will pay handsomely, and I have always had the opinion that rich shoots of gold exist in this reef, as well as the others ; in fact some recent discoveries lead very strongly to that belief. I allude to the discovery of payable gold by Messrs. Snell and party, in the big reef hangingwall side in the Puketoto licensed holding. Gold has been got here by several different parties working the hangingwall of the reef, which for several feet wide is a perfect network of small quartz veins, as much as loz per ton being got, but the last lot was poorer, and the work stopped for the time; but Mr. Snell has broken through the hard crust of the reef, and has come upon good payable stone. How far it may extend into the reef cannot be known at present, but I have at the present time in my office a test taken from the hard stone, which gives over 2oz per ton, and I feel sure that this reef only wants a large crushing plant to deal with it in large quantities to pay well. It has been traced through all the best claims, and no doubt has something to do with the gold deposited there. Royal Oak.—Very great improvement has taken place. The manager has got a good parcel of rich stuff on hand, and he has also good stuff in the face of the rise. The gold in this mine is usually got where the reefs touch or cross a flat head ; in fact, that is so in most of the tribute blocks on the hill. Man'AlA. —This district is looking better. The returns lately got by Messrs. Blackmore and Ruffin have started several other miners out in that direction, and a large quantity of stuff is likely to be brought in from there. An attempt has been made to include the principal claims in one block, and form a strong company to work it. This will no doubt be a capital thing, and will almost be sure to pay handsomely. Tiki.— district is coming to the front again, as it deserves to do. I understand a claim called the Colonist (including Native Chief, Butterfly, and several others), has lately been taken in hand by an Auckland syndicate, and work will be started at once to nut it in order, and cut the Native Chief reef in the low level. This ground formerly turned out first-class, and if well worked will do so again, as it is known to contain many leaders ' worth working. Edith. —This ground adjoins the above, and includes the' Emily, Homeward Bound, l'ukcwhau, &c. These reefs have also yielded hundreds of ounces of gold, but have always been worked in small isolated blocks by men who had no capital to properly develope the ground, and carting and crushing took away the bulk of the profits ; but a wire tram to a water-wheel battery a quarter of a mile off would reduce that cost to a nominal figure, which 1 believe the present shareholders propose to get. Mariebel.Some very good stone has lately been got in this mine, and a crushing will take place shortly. While I have been writing the above, I hear that one if not two large English companies have been floated in Coromandel, one of them at Tiki. This wants confirmation. [by telegraph.—own correspondent.] Thames, Saturday. Gold Returns.—During the month of September the local branch of the Bank of New Zealand purchased 31500z lOdwt of gold, divided as follows :Thames Borough, 1391 Bdwt; Thames County, 7570z ludwt; Ohincmuri County, 77Soz 14dwt; and Piako County, 2220z 9dwt. Kuranui (Comer's section).—Nolan and party, tributers, have completed a crushing of four tons of general dirt and a parcel of 1 flicked stone, for the highly remunerative return of 12fioz of gold. Gem (Waiomo).—The manager, Mr. Steedman, banked to.day 230z Idwt 12gr gold, the result of a crushing of 10 tons of quartz and a parcel of picked stone. Mr. Steedman expresses himself as being rather disappointed with the yield, as he had fully anticipated a return equal to at least 2oz per load, judging from the quantity of amalgam obtained while the crushing was in process, but it did not squeeze so well as was expected. At the mine No. 1 level is still being pushed ahead on the black reef, and three slopes are in progress at either end of the rise above the level. In the drive a break has just been penetrated, on the other side of which the reef shows a width of about nine inches, and looks very promising. Colours of gold are seen in the quartz at every breaking down, both in the drive and stopes. Crushing operations will again be resumed in a day or two. Te Mata District.— water-race connected with Mr. Fraser battery is now completed, and a very substantial job has been made of it. Its length is three-quarters of a mile, and its carrying capacity is equal to six sluice heads ; but the quantity expected to be required to drive the turbine wheel will only be about two sluice heads, which will have a fall of 50 feet through 12-inch pipes from the race to the wheel. The battery plant itself is also very complete in its character, and consists of_ a set ot Cornish grinding rollers, two McKay pans (one 5 feet in diameter, and the other three feet), and concentrators for catching the float gold. The roads from the various claims, however, are not yet completed, and until they are it is not likely the plant will be started to work, although there is a probability that the Mata G.M. Co. will soon put a parcel through. Test Parcels.—A start was made at the experimental plant of the Thames School of Mines this morning to treat the 23cwt of quartz recently brought down from the liikutaia G.M. Co.'s mine at Marototo, it having been finally decided to treat the same here instead of sending it on to Messrs. Fraser's plant in Auckland. In addition to this two other parcels of half-a-ton each have been received from thf Ivanhoe and Truro claims, Karangahake. The result of the treatment of a parcel of quartz from the Werahiko mine, Woiorongomai, lias just been made known. The quantity treated was 19701b the assay value of which was £17 Is 2d per ton, and the value saved was £15 5s 2d per ton. The quartz contained 3oz 3dwt l.ogr of gold and soz 4dwt 2gr of silver, equivalent to 3oz 12dwt 2gr gold and soz 18dwt5gr silver per ton. The assay of the quartz gave 3oz 19dwt lfigr of gold and 7oz 1 Idwt lgr silver per ton, so that the percentage saved was very good indeed, ami speaks highly for the system adopted in treating the quartz. Saxon.The first breaking down of the reef in the rise above No. 5 level took place this morning, and from the quartz broken, about 10lb of picked stone, were selected. The reef averaged a size of about fi inches, and contained some nice looking mineral, but what appeared to have the most ben effect with it was the junction of a small leader emerging from the hangingwall. The mere fact, however, of getting picked stone at this particular point, augurs well for the block that is now being opened up, for the rise is situated only about. ISO feet in from the shaft, whilst at the upper levels some hundreds of f ee fc have always been driven before anything like payable gold has been met with. Th e drive at No. 5 level is in a distance of over 100 feet beyond where the rise is situated, but the country, although of a favourable nature, is very tight, and but s [ oW headway is made. At No. 3 level a st lu is soon to be made to resume the driv towards the Trenton boundary on the hangingwall branch of the main reef. Back a few feet from the face a break crossed the drive, and beyond this the reef is split into two portions, and makes oil into opposite walls, but it is thought by driving on the left-hand branch its regular course will soon be picked up. Mr. liiiyldon was down yesterday and made a survey lor the purpose of ascertaining what distance there remains to be driven before the Trenton boundary is reached. The same peculiar feature is also perceptible in the drive on the footwall branch, the reef splitting into two portions and making oil' on separate courses, but the Trenton boundary is near at hand here. In the stopes above on the footwall branch, the reef is rather small for the first 50 feet near the boundary, but back of that point it ranges from 2 to 3 feet in thickness, and is reckoned to be good crushing dirt. In the stopes on the hangingwall reef, fully three feet of crushing dirt is obtained, of an excellent description. In the sixth stone a fair haul of picked stone was made to-day, but every break ing down generally gives one or two lbs in all the stopes. The highest point yet reached in these stopes above No. 3 level is about 40 feet, so that there still remains much to be blocked out, before even the level of No. 2is reached. No difficulty is experienced in keeping the 22 head of stampers employed at the Prince Imperial battery, where the dirt is shaping for a payable return.

Waihi.—The mine manager reports that stoping above the No. 2 level has been j carried on continuously, and the output of i first-class ore is very satisfactory in quantity ' and quality. The drive on the recf'nortli- ) ward on No. '.', level has advanced twenty- j two feet, being now 102 feet north of the '

crosscut. The size (six feet) of the reef remains as last stated, and the quality of the ore shows no falling off. The stopes between levels two and three are giving, as usual.large yields of fine ore. Screens and extensive storing floors have been built to meet the accumulation of ore coining from these two levels. The contractor for poppet heads, tramways, and hoppers is making rapid progress, and the staff of # carpenters and engineers are working overtime, as previously reported, in order to complete the plant as quickly as possible. SAXON.—The manager telegraphed _ on Saturday: " 351b picked stone from sixth stope hangingwall reef, and 101b from rise at No. 5 level." Adeline Amalgamated.Mr. J. M. McLaren, Thames, reports that the re-pegging of the company's five holdings at Karangahake has taken place, and that thereafter the application for a special claim of the entire area can now be made. The application has been duly advertised, and the day of hearing fixed for Bth November next by the Warden.

[by telegraph.—press association.] Reefton, Saturday. The returns for the week are Dark, 26Soz amalgam, from 168 tons; Globe, 1750z amalgam from 175 tons; Fiery, 2070z amalgam from 84 tons; Big River, 12ooz amalgam from 37 tons; No. 2 Dark, 4090z amalgam from 224 tons; Venus, 211oz amalgam from 90 tons.