THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9369, 20 May 1889, Page 6

THE GOLDFIELDS.

MONTHLY SUMMARY. [from OCR OWN* correspondents.] . Thames, Saturday. The operations carried on in the several mines of the district during the past month have been fairly successful, and in many instances remunerative returns of gold have been obtained. There have been no rich finds reported, but in many of the mines the prospects have considerably improved, and there is every likelihood of the monthly output of gold for the district being largely augmented before many months have elapsed. The Saxou mine still occupies the premier position of being the largest gold producer, and during the month the opening up of the new No. 5 level has so materially increased the supply of crushing dirt that an additional 10 head of stampers have been engaged at the Cambria battery to meet the requirements of the mine. The company, therefore, have now 32 head of stampers "at work reducing their output of quartz, and to prepare for future emergencies a contract has been let for the erection of another 10 head at thenown battery. It is also probable that steps will soon be taken tor the purpose of opening up a still lower level, to provide for which the manager of the Big Pump has been already instructed to furnish an estimate of the extra cost likely to be incurred in pumping from the 500 feet and tilO-feet feet levels respectively, instead of from the .500 level as at present. For a slight knowledge of what is being done in the various mines of the district the reader is directed to the following brief descriptions :—

Saxon.—The chief point of interest in this mine is without doubt at No. 5 level. Here No. 1 reef is being driven upon eastward and westward, and a commencement was made at the beginning of the present week to stope upon it also. The reef is of large dimension, and consequently is yielding a considemklo Quantity of quarts, in which colours of, gold are frequently seen, with a little picked stone occasionally. It is anticipated, however, that the best portion of this reef is still some distance ahead, inside of what is known as No. 'J break but there is still some distance to drive before reaching that point. At the same level No. 2 reef is also being opened up eastward of No. 1 break, and outside or westward of this break a leading stope has just been started upon the reef. In the upper workings of the mine, the principal supply of quartz is obtained from the stones above No. 2 level upon the hangingwall and footwall portions of No. 1 reef. At this point the two sections of the reef vary in size from 18 inches to 2 feet in thickness, and as nine stopes are in progress the supply of quartz is very large. Colours of gold are seen distributed through the quartz freely, with occasional parcels of picked stone, but the best test of the quartz is obtained at the battery, and there, it may be mentioned, 638 loads and 651b of picked stone Mere crushed during the past month for the excellent yield of OoSoz of melted gold. Cambria.—The prospects of this mine have materially improved during the last week or two. About a fortnight 'ago the manager commenced driving westward at No. 3 level upon what is known as the hangingwall leader. No sooner was the work commenced than there was a noticeable improvement in the quartz, which became more highly mineralised, and showed more gold as the work progressed. The leader is now fully a foot in thickness, and is running through a tine class of sandstone, and as there is a considerable distance to drive upon it before the company's boundary is reached, there is every probability of a valuable block being opened up. Stoning is now being carried on upon it also, and the quartz coming to hand is shaping well at the battery. A limited supply of quartz is also coming to hand from a small leader at an intermediate drive between Nos. 2 and 3 levels.

; Mo.VNataiaßl.—This company will soon 1 have a remunerative block 01 ground opened up upon the Cambria hangingwall leader, below the latter company's No. 3 level. A winze has been sunk below the No. 3 level upon the leader, which prospected well all the way down, and a crosscut is now being brought in at No. 4 level to connect with the winze, When this is accomplished a start will be made to open up a block for sloping. Another work in hand is the prospecting of the hangingwall portion of the Cambria main reef, in the vicinity of where the rich run of gold was obtained. The manager is also treating a large quantity of surface stuff at the company's battery," obtained from the vicinity of old runs of gold near the Eureka portion of the mine. Several tribute parties are employed in different parts of the mine, some of whom are doing fairly well. Caledonian.— drive at No. 1 level into the Otago section of the mine is still being advanced upon the No. 1 reef, and what is known as the cross lode. It is thought the two will junction a little further ahead, and perhaps cause a deposit of gold. At an intermediate level below No. 2, another large reef is being operated upon, and so far with very encouraging results, colours of gold being seen at nearly every breaking down of quartz. Great hopes are entertained of something rich being obtained before long. Lone Hand. This company's first crushing resulted in the fair return' of 10-loz 4<lwt melted gold, for which 35 loads of general dirt and Solb of picked stone were treated. Another crushing is now in course of being broken out from the bodies of quartz operated upon, and judging from the quantity of gold seen the return will be similar to the one mentioned. It is probable the driving of a new low level tunnel, which will give 90 feet of additional backs, will be commenced in a taw days. Trknton.—This company's operations are now confined to crosscut ting from the bottom of their new shaft, which corresponds with the No. 5 level of the Saxon mine, and also crosscutting from the Cambria No. 4 level for the purpose of intersecting the Saxon Company's reefs. At the latter place a rock drill is being employed to push the work ahead ! with as much speed as possible. Alburnia.— Operations have been limited i on behalf of the company for some time past to the driving of a crosscut at the battery level. In this crosscut, two reefs —the Success and Sons of Freedom—have been intersected, and the manager now intends to prospect the latter body. Several tribute parties , are at work in the mine. i

Thames Mining and Prospecting Company.—The manager of this mine let a contract on Tuesday last for the sinking of the first 100 feet of the company's new shaft. The only other work in progress is the extension of a drive to intersect what is known as the Atlantic reef. Up to recently very hard ground was being penetrated, but an improvement has now set in. May Qoeen— The first 100 feet of the old City of York shaft has been cleaned out and retimbered, and preparations are now being made for the erection of a winding engine and poppet heads. When these works are accomplished, the cleaning out of the shaft will be resumed.

New Prince Imperial.—A small leader is being toped upon on behalf of the company below No. 1 level, but the supply of quartz is very limited. Colours of gold" an: freely seen, however, and it is anticipated the block will prove remunerative. The company has no other work in hand, but two or three parties of tributers are at work in the mine.

New Fearnought.A winze is being sunk from surface upon the main reef, and the manager is confident of meeting with payable quartz soon. A small leader is also being prospected upon at a lower level. Waiotahi.— Stoping operations are still in full swing upon the several reefs in hand, and the last crushing of 195 tons yielded the excellent return of 2:>Sozs 12dwts' melted gold. * M.anukau.— block upon Mulligan's leader which has yielded the recent payable returns is now exhausted, and another block of similar dimensions is being opened up westward at No. 4 level. The last 16 tons from the old block yielded 260/.s 7dwts of gold. VVaiomo District.— Paroquet Company have been at a standstill most of the month awaiting the arrival of a new wire rope for the tramway. This has just arrived, and as soon as it is placed in position operations will be resumed in the mine. The Gem ! Company have continued the winze down- j wards below No. 1 level, and the quartz taken therefrom has been treated at the Paroquet battery, for a return equal to about 13 or 14 dwts per' ton, which is just about payable. A '■ trial crushing is now under course of treat- ! meat from a large reef at No. 2 level. j I'uiUKi.— The Pnriri G.M. Co. are running six head of stampers continuously upon . quartz coming from their mine, the quality of j which is equal to any yet broken out. It is j probable the company will augment their crushing power with an additional ten head of stampers in the near future. A good deal of prospecting is being done in the adjoining claims. I

Waihi.—Good progress is being made in ! making the alterations to the Waihi G. and j S.M. Co.'s reduction plant, but pending their ! completion, two of the Mackay pans have been engaged in the treatment of a small tonnage of ore, with the result that 600oz of bullion, valued at '22s 6d per ounce, were banked a few days ago. In an adjoining j claim, known as the Nut, a party of tributers i have lately been obtaining an excellent quality of ore from an 18 inch leader, and it ! is now said that Mr. Russell, of the Waihi ! Company, is negotiating for the purchase of j the ground. i Tjs Ajioiia.— The Te Aroha Gold and Sil- ! ver Mining Company have a portion of their ' reduction works engaged in the treatment of quartz. At the upper mill twenty head of stampers with concentrators are at work, whilst in the old tailing plant the roaster and pans are in full awing. Good progress is

being made with the erection of the new instalment of stampers. The Ferguson Syndicate Company are steadily pushing on their various works and the erection of the new machinery. The Cliamnion Company, at Tin Creek, are systematically opening up their mine, and an excellent class of ore is coming to hand from som" of the workings, S3 bags of which were despatched to Auckland recently for shipment to the directors in London. The construction of the company's aerial tramway is progressing satisfactorily. Karaxgahakk.—ln the Crown company's mine good headway is being made with the different works in hand, and the blocks between Nos. 1 and '2 and Nos. 2 and 3 level are all in readiness for stoping. The low level contract is nearly completed, and the tramway leased by the company from the county is being put into working order and connected with No. 2 level. At the battery the stone-crusher and two of the Lamberton grinding mills are in position. It is reported that this company are negotiating for the purchase of the "Woodstock and Kenilworth ' mines, and that a deposit of £500 has been paid on the purchase of the former. The Cassel Gold-extracting Company have completed the excavation for the erection of the building for their reduction ■works, and a start has been made to put up the frame. The assay rooms are almost completed. The Ivanhoeand Truro holdings are about to pass into the hands of a Southern syndicate. CoKOiiAKDKL, Saturday. Mining matters in this district have been very quiet during the past month. At the same time a good deal of prospecting is going on in various directions, and, in some cases, with fairly good results, at any rate in the Whangapoua district. There a number of men are employed lwth in Materangi and Atuama. From the hitter place I hear some first-class stone has been got, and the reef from which it was taken bids fair to be very valuable. These are new districts, and will take time to develope, but, no doubt, if capitalists could only be induced to erect machinery on the ground many of the reefs, l>otli ar. Materangi and Atnanm, would yay handsomely. Maxaia. —On Thursday, in company with the county chairman, I visited this district and inspected the reefs lately discovered by McGrergor and party. They are situated up the left hand branch of the Manaia River, called the Taururahi Creek, between three and four miles from the fiat. The first reef we came to was situate up a very steep blind gully, up which Mr. McGregor" had traced the gold, the reef being cut near the top. It is about two and a-half feet thick of mullock and quartz intermixed. The loose prospects, and also by crushing the stone, are excellent, and if the same class of stuff can be got for any distance along the reef, it will be very valuable. But it is not sufficiently opened up yet to pronounce on its value. When a tunnel has been driven some distance upon it we shall be better able to judge of its value ; but even as it is the prospects are exceedingly good. A large amount of surface prospecting has been done across the spur, but they have not been successful yet, although good prospects can be got in the surface soil. , The next reef was composed of solid black quartz, about six inches thick, very highly mineralised. This has been cut in several places, ami good prospects got, but it needs more development also. Higher up is another leader very email, but decidedly richer in the precious metal. The ground is also more kindly. Lower down the creek all the bed rock is composed of slate, some of it very hard. On the whole, I look upon these as very valuable discoveries, and trust the Council will see its way to cut the bridle track asked for, so that a test may be got out and brought to a battery. In the meantime the Warden has granted protection, to enable the owners to develop their ground without interference from outsiders, who generally harass the prospector. Messrs. Jones and party have got down a parcel of 11 tons to the river bank, and Messrs. Blackmore and Ruffin have also got about six tons down, and they are waiting lor a scow to fetch it away for crushing, and no doubt a good return will be the result. Victoria.—The new owners are determined to see what this claim is worth. They have now eight men baling out the winze, i and they intend to take out a parcel of the stone for treatment. They have a good deal of water to contend with, but I think they will succeed, and if the result is anything like what it is represented to be, there will be no difficulty in getting machinery. CoKO.MANDEL.—The work of developing this mine goes on apace. The find of gold some time ago did not result in anything of importance, but I have no doubt "the mine will come to the fore shortly, as Captain Hodge is very carefully developing it. Several good-looking reefs have been cut, and only want opening up to show their richness. K.vpanga.—l'he manager has not been on any very rich stone lately, but he is likely to get it again at any minute. It is well known that the reefs in this district are very patchy. Last month Captain Hodge obtained one block weighing about SGlbs, which was very rich in the precious metal. If this piece were sent to the Paris Exhibition it would make a sensation, and as these valuable reefs are worked, no doubt large quantities equally raluable will be obtained. The shaft has lately been sunk for another level, and work will bepushed on here shortly. As the country is still very good, there is a fair prospect of payable results. Scott There is every probability of this ground coming to The front again before long. It will be remembered that Scotty, many years ago, discovered the reef which bears his name, and took out a large quantity of gold. The Golden Point and Corby also got large returns from this, and latterly the Kapanga Compair-' have taken out many thousand pounds sterling from the dip of this same reef under where Scotty got his gold.'But the deeper ground, where Snowden's party got their gold, lias not been thoroughly tested, and the present shareholders, who are enterprising Sydney men, have resolved to see what the deeper ground is worth, and with this end in view are clearing out the Corby low level, and will be guided by what they find in their future work. The drive has already been cleared for a distance of about 500 feet, and there is some '200 or 300 feet yet to clear; but at the present rate of progress they will soon accomplish the distance. The work in this mine will be watched with great interest, as if it is successful it will be the means of starting some of our other old mines, at anyrate the shareholders deserve success for their enterprise in the matter.

North Kapanga.—The tunnel going in for this company has now reached a distance of 1-500 feet. The country is hard, but likelylcokinsr for sold. Two or three leaders have been cut, but they have about 250 feet more to drive before cutting Scotty's reef, and about 100 more to reach the Kapanga reef. " Harbour View.Several parties are still working this mine on tribute, and getting payable gold. Tokatka.— are the usual number of tribute parties in this ground, but they have not been very successful of late. Royal Oak.—The company are obtaining some fairly good stone, but not in quantities to make a stir.

Calliope. — The manager has been on rather poor ground lately, but is in hopes of better things shortly. Castle Rock.The manager is still pushing in the low level. The country is exceedingly good— of mineral, etc. —but there is a large flow of water, which rather retards operations. The following are the returns of gold for the month: Materangi, 7oz ladwt; May Flower, loz4dwt; Masonic, 3oz 7dwt; Golden Star, 3oz4dwt; Harbour View (Wells' Tribute). looz 16dwt ; Royal Oak, 6oz 13dwt; Royal Oak (Mayne's Tribute), 21oz Mdwt; Manaia, lloz Sdwt; Kapanga, 730z 7dwt; Tokatea, 240z lSdwt; Golden Belt Tribute, 7ozl9dwt. Sundries, loz lOdwt.

[BY TELEGRAPH. OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Thames, Saturday. Lone Hand. quartz coming to hand from each of the workings shows gold freely, but no picked stone has been obtained since last crushing. Excellent mineral is abundant in the quartz in the stopes in the Lone Hand section. A commencement is to be made on Monday morning to prepare the preliminaries for starting the new low level from the Adelaide tunnel.

May Queen*. —The contractors have completed the excavation of the engine site, and everything is now in readiness to commence the erection of the building; and machinery. To comply with the law, and to secure the rights of the company, the County. Council are now inviting tenders for the lease of that portion of the water race reserve which the company will occupy. Saturday next, 25th inst., is the date up to which tenders will be receivable.

Albdrnia,—The "dip" alongside of the Sons of Freedom reef has been advanced about 13 feet beyond the crosscut, but no quartz has yet been broken. The country encasing the reef is rather tight, but of a good description, with numerous mineral veins running through it. It is probable a start will be made to break down the portion of the reef stripped on Monday next. Saxon.The work of opening up No. 5 level is proceeding apace, and before many more weeks have passed the supply of quartz from this part of the mine will be very large. The leading stope from the winze upon No. 1 reef above the western drive is now along several feet, with the reef showing a thickness of about three feet, and carrying a nice class of mineral, in which colours of gold are occasionally seen, but no picked stone has been secured since the 301b reported on Tuesday last, which came from the hangingwall portion. A start will be made soon to put timber in here and form shoots for the passes, after which the drive westward will be resumed. In the face of this drive there is very little quartz at pre-

sent, the ground being what appears to resemble a*mites* d «* No. 1 break is still supposed to L S ahead but when it » cached &J» 8 intends following its course for thV?" n **«»' of picking up the reef on its [«„ &&*** The reef in the eastern drive S d the whole face, but is very " r^ its formation At present the" W^n C » tion carries the most compact and . h !**• looking quartz. A few feet Sdfijp*! face a stope has been commenced V;- "I &« towards the main crosscut. On tV s "** side of the No. 1 break a leading stZLT** l * been commenced upon No 9 reef- a a '** this is well under way and the Jt£ Until bered it has been found necessarv t e** the drive hiJlward on the same £ few days This latter drivel" nowln ,'?■ * tance of about 60 feet, and ad * or 50 feet of driving should S* *° No. 2 break. The country, however «" tight, but, notwithstanding this th» re*- Vfc V average nearly a foot in thickness S i whole length driven upon, and has JL ' colours of gold pretty freely. At No 11* the only work in progress is stonim,,," 0--' 1 footwall leader, and at No. 2 levelv ° upon the hangingwall cross leader to &***% with the workings on the footwall nor-?" 5 the main reef, which are still about tj?° '>' distant. This leader ranges from 10 T' inches in thickness, is composed chiefi* o'*0'* rubbly quartz, and shows a little gold slopes are in progress above No. 2 level .. *'* the footwall reef, and three upon the ha a wall. A lar?e supply of quartz is com? '\ i: -' hand from these stopes, with occasion 11 !? few pounds of picked stone. Good nr • a is being made with the cleaning out T^ 3 surface tunnel, behind the old p» ? r tns shaft. "change

[by telegraph.— association- 1 Hokitika, Sarurilat The Mount d Or washing realist /,-; valued at £1590. A dividend of 2g 41 . 3 "«. has been declared. The mine manf-e^'u^ reported that the same high rate of '". -f 3 might be expected for a long time ' J!e '^ _ REEFTOX, Sat-n..' Returns for the week : Dark Sfir' " gam from 190 tons ; Globe, 2210z am-H" from 190 tons; Inkermau, 2730 v ~' ,a r* from 132 tons. Dmal =^