THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8473, 26 January 1891, Page 6

THE GOLDFIELDS.

MINING SUMMARY. [FROM OCR OWN correspondents.] Thames, Saturday. Operations in the various mines have again been resumed after a stoppage of two or three weeks for the Christmas and New Year holidays, but owing to so great a portion of the early part of the month having thus been deducted from the usual routine of works, the gold return for the month is consequently very small. The prospects of the field, however, are of a very encouraging character, especially in the Moanataiari mine, where recent developments have resulted in frequent hauls of picked stone, and the company's outlook is greatly improved thereby. The development of the deeper levels is likely to be brought under discussion again soon, for at a meeting of the Thames Borough Council, on Thursday evening last, the following resolution in reference to the subject was unanimously passed : — That this Council notify the gold mining companies working the deeper levels within the area of the Borough of Thames that it is prepared to grant, by way of aid to mining, to any such companies, a sum equal to the amount of gold duty received upon gold obtained during the first year of working from a depth of 000 feet or over." This resolution was adopted to show capitalists that the Council desired to encourage in j every possible way the prospecting of the deep levels of the field, and it is just possible some action may be taken in the matter at an early date. The Sylvia ComI pany at Tnraru have completed the erection of their new reduction works, and a fortnight ago a start was made to reduce ore from the mine. The success of this company will have a material effect upon the future of the Tararu district, as the class of ore which chiefly exists there requires a different treatment to that usually adopted for Thames ores, and in the erection of the plant in question special attention has been devoted to this requirement. So far as made known, the plant is working very efficiently, both as regards the machinery and its suitability to the class of ore under treatment. In the Moanataiari mine a great deal of interest is centred in the development of the 100 feet level below the Point Russell level. For some time past work was confined to opening up the Reuben Parr and footwall lodes, from which payable quartz has been coming to hand, but about a month ago the manager started to drive southward upon what is termed a cross-leader. Not mony feet were driven, however, before a reef was intersected, which yielded a con-

siderable quantity of picked stone on cutting through it, and since then several other smaller bodies of quartz have been found, which also yielded picked stone. The drive is still being pushed ahead through a splendid clbss of sandstone, with the object of intersecting the Golden Age reef, which is daily expected to be mob with. The quartz bodies already intersected, however, will add considerably to the output from the company's mine as soon as they are opened out upon, and as they are all likely to yield quartz of a high yrade, the probabilities are that regular dividends will soon be forthcoming. At present '25 head of stampers arc employed 10 hours out of every '24 in treating quartz from the mine, and judging from t-he amalgam accumulating each day, and taking into account the quantity of picked stone in hand —some 2cwb or 3c\vt—the retorting at the end of the month should result in the best return of gold the company has had since it was re-formed some IS months

ago. The Saxon mine is at present under a cloud owing to the blocks at the upper levels having become nearly exhausted, ! and because the opening up of the new Xo. (i level has not yet been accomplished underneath where the best gold was got in the top levels, although this latter work is being pushed ahead as quickly as circumstances will permit. When accomplished, however, there is good reason for believing that the state of affairs will quickly be reversed, as the indications in the floor of No. 5 level for the gold continuing downward were very good. Crushing operations are being carried on upon quartz coming from (liferent parts of the mine, but it is of rather low grade and the return of gold will not be very large. The work of sinking the May Queen shaft was interfered with on the sth inst. by a large influx of water after a depth of 38 feet was reached. This caused the suspension of this work at once, and it) will have to remain thus until the main break can be intersected by a drive which is to be put in from a winze recently sunk down upon No. 4 reef, some distance westward of the shaft. Before the drive can be commenced, however, it has been found necessary to clean out an old drive which the winze connected with, in order to provide for an outlet for the water when the break is intersected. The result of this interruption will be, that the opening up of the proposed new level will be delayed for a much longer period than was at first anticipated, but in order to counteract the disappointment, the directors have determined to drive a crosscut 235 feet in length into the hangingwall country of the No. 4 reef at No. 1 level, opposite the point where a crosscut brought in from the shaft intersected the reef. This will prospect a large extent of virgin country, and as it will be going in a direction parallel with the main break, it must cut any reefs that exist in any portion of the company's mine. A few men are still employed in sloping upon No. 4 reef, a crushing of 24 loads from which yielded 21oz lOdwt of gold a few days ago. Prospecting upon No. 1 reef is also being carried out. There is very little change to note in other of the mines of the district, although vigorous prospecting works are in hand in many of them. The Hazel bank have two drives in progress, in which something good may be met with at almost any time, whilst in the Lone Hand, the extension of the eastern drive at the low level is being pushed ahead through a good class of sand" stone, and the vicinity is now being reached where rich gold should be met with, if the indications of the workings at the level above go for anything. The Trenton had an excellent crushing at the commencement of the month, 25 loads of general dirt and 851b of picked stone yielding 1740z of gold. In the mine tho prospects are very good, and an excellent grade of ore is coming from the drive and stopes upon the footwaH reef at No. 3 level, whilst at No. 5 level the new reef is improving in character. In the Cambria mine the rise upon the main reef above No. 2 level has attained a height of over 80 feet, but latterly not much gold has been soon. The work, however, will b;i continued for some time to come. A good class of quartz is coming to hand from the various leaders opened up in other parts of the mine, and a crushing from them is now under course of treatment. The Alburnia and Orlando prospects are both of a very encouraging character, crushing dirt of a payable nature being won from both of them. The Occidental Company crushed a!) loads of general dirt and 170 pounds of picked stone a few days ago for the good return of 1750z lOdwt of gold, and quartz 3f a similar grade still continues to come to hand. _ Tho contractor for the erection of the winding and pumping machinery for the Consols Company is making good progress, and expects to have everything in working order within contract time. Amongst other mines in wiiich very fair prospects are being met wifch are the Jaledoniati, Alfred, Golden Age, Dives, and Norfolk, but there is. nothing special to iote at present.. '

In the Upper Country the Waihi Company are keeping their large reduction plant at work upon quartz won from the large reef in the Martha, section, which continues to yield very profitable returns of bullion. The Silverton tributers also are still getting out first-class quartz, but they arc limiting their output just now in .;onsequenco of the Waihi Company not in a position to crush for them at present. At Ivarangahake there is a dearth of mining news, owing to the prevalence of the holidays, but operations are gradually being resumed. The new syndicate who purchased the Waiorongomai reduction works and mines are preparing to commence work on a somewhat extensive scale, and already appear to be meeting with success, for it is reported that picked stone is coming to hand from the New Find section. Tenders are now being called for other works to be started soon in the mine. At Waitekauri Mr. T. H. Russell has a large staff of carpenters at work renovating and adding to the crushing plant which he recently purchased from the Waitekauri Company, and in the mine works are in hand with a

view to the output of a large supply of quartz as soon as the plant is in working order. The gold returns for the quarter ending December 31st last have just been compiled, and from the figures given underneath it will be seen that the total is a great improvement upon the two previous quarters, which are also appended. It mu3b lie borne in mind, however, that the bulk of the returns from the Ohinemuri district is chiefly bullion from the Waihi and Marototo mines, in which silver largely predominates, and also that December month is the best one of the year for returns of gold, a3 in addition to companies' returns private claimholders and tributers always make an effort during that month to make a lodgment of gold. For the year the total return is 73,5090z, the amounts for the four quarters being as follows : —March, 12,025 ozodwt; June 15,6120z 19dwt; September, 19,6130z Gdwt; December, 26,2270z lOdwt. The returns from the various districts for the quarter just ended are as follow :—

oz dwt Thames County _ ~ ... 6,458 10 Thames Borough ... 4,005 1 Ohinwmuri County* 13,645 12 Piako County _ 123 7 Coromandel County .. .. ... 1,935 0 Total .. 26,227 10 PREVIOUS TWO QUARTERS COMPARED. Quarter ending Quarter ending June 30. Sept. 30. oz dwfc oz dwt Thames Borough .. 4,566 12 „. 4,307 10 Thames County ... 4,990 7 5,516 8 Ohinemuri County* .. 4,539 18 .. 6,053 13 Piako County .. .. 208 0 .. 248 0 Coromandel County .. 1,308 2 .. 3,512 12 15,612 19 19,643 3 * The greater portion of this is bullion worth a little over £1 per ounce.

Coromandel, Saturday. i Mining matters in Coromandel are still [ all in prospective. Since my last summary the Coromandel Company has stopped work, only for a time it is hoped. The company has to be reformed, and then they will start again on a larger scale. But these re-formations generally take a long time to accomplish. It is very unfortunate in this case, as the few men employed were taking out payable dirt, and, to judge by appearances, it only wanted the mine opening up at tho Pah section to be a good gold producer. I feel sure the mine only requires properly developing to be a very valuable property. Coromandel Mint.—This claim is on the foreshore adjoining the above claim, and has just been formed into a company. They intend sinking the shalt another 100 feet, and drive under the level in which the old Pali people got, rich gold. They also intend to prospect two other fine looking leaders which were uncovered when the original holders were working the mud. There is a grand future before this mine, and if it is only properly handled will be a very valuable property. If the Coromandel ; Company sink tho Pah shaft, as proposed, ] these two claims will mutually assist each other in developing the resources of that section, as neither can get gold without, to a very large extent, benefiting its neighbour. Just-in'-Time.—There is a very strong probability that this mine will be taken in hand by a syndidate, who will open up and develop the mine before placing it on the market, and as there is more than one known payable reef in the ground it is likely to pay well. Golden Point.— understand a Sydney Company have sent an expert to report on this property, and if he takes sufficient pains to find out the value of the ground, his report can hardly be unfavourable, hence we may hope before long to see active operations carried on here also.

Kapanga.—Tho work in this mine is progressing about, as usual. There have been no rich patches of specimens lately, but the mine looks well, and the directors are so satisfied with the value of their property that they have decided to erect a much larger pumping plant over the shaft, and use the present engine for winding only. It is well known that the present engine is quite unable to cope with any extra flow of water; hence whenever there is extra rain the men are driven out of the lower workings ; and as it is proposed to sink the shaft at least another 100 feet an engine will be put up capable of pumping to adept.h of lOOOfeet or more. The manager has great faith in the mine, and intends to thoroughly test the deep ground. Tokatea.—Work has not yefc been resumed in this mine, but I understand the transfer of the property to a new syndicate is in an advanced state ; indeed, a deposit of £200 has already been paid, and as the terms are very favourable I have no doubt we shall soon see the nqw proprietory under way. The new syndicate embraces the Royal Oak and Harbour View. In the former claim they have a capital reef in hand, showing gold freely, which must bo veryencouraging for the new proprietory ; in fact, the whole is a very fine property, and, if energetically worked, will be a benefit both to themselves and Coromandel. WHANG A POL" A.

This district is looking fairly well, although I am sorry to say Lanigan's claim is nob turning out quite so well as it might do. But there is no reason to fear. They have an immense stretch on the reef, and it is well known to be of better quality higher up the hill, and no doubt when the mine is better opened up it will turn out all right. Maiden.—l understand a pared of 50 tons is to be put through Lanigan's battery from this mine, and as the reef shows gold pretty freely, and is very large, this may be one of the best mines on the field. There are two or three other claims up this creek which are likely to shape well. The Hilda, Zealandia, and Australian, which all join Lanigan's, are to be taken in j hand energetically, and as each of them I has good reefs in hand they should be able to give a good account of themselves. Owkk.v. — Some very good crushing material is coming to hand from this mine, but it is nob turning out as rich as its most sanguine supporters expected, and the adjoining claims do not appear to be doing much, but as it is first-class country about there it may come out all right yet. •Murphy's Claim on the Otongaru just now appears to be the best in Whangapoua. The reef is very large, and shows a good deal of gold. It is so situated as to be very easily worked. I understand Mr. Lanigan, who is also a shareholder, intends to put up another battery for this claim. If he does, it will be a great boon, as there are several other claims adjoining which will be glad of a crushing. KIJAOTUNU. This district is decidedly looking up again. For the last two or three months there has been quite a gloom over the place, but there is a growing feeling that the field is all right, and will only take time to develope. Ihe battery (Cook's) which b§en so long looked for is now all but completed, and several of tho claims will crush at once, and unless the managers are greatly mistaken in their estimate, the results will be very gratifying. Great Mercury.—Very energetic operations are the order of the day here, erecting the battery and pushing in the main level, which by the way will give some 300 feet of backs, and if they carry out their programme a few dwts. per ton will pay all expenses. They have an unlimited quantity of stuff to work upon, some of it of first-class ore. Mariposa.—This claim has been rather quiet of late, bub they have a fine reef in hand, and I think it will be found to pay handsomely.

Carbine.— manager is getting this claim nicely opened up. The winze has communicated with the low level, which gives them plenty of air to push that drive ahead. The small leader is very good, and has carried gold a long way. • The big reef carries gold all the way, bub is rather low grade. However, they have some 500 feet on the reef, and have nob yet prospected the half of it, and I expect to see them cub a shoot of gold. Thy Fluke.—There is considerable improvement in the quality of ore coming from this mine, and in driving south they are getting good payable ore, some of it showing gold freely. Kai-ai.—This company have not yet gob the reef. They find they have to go a little further than they expected. The air has been light, and they have had to get pipes pub in, but the find in the Try Fluke will help them, as they are getting close to the boundary. Waitaia.—The manager is making preparation to send a parcel down for crushing, and no doubt it will shape well. The mine is well opened up, and gold has been carried along the reef for a long way. Lucky Hit.—The reef in the main level is looking first-class, good crushing stuff coming to hand. The reef is aboub a foot

thick, and prospects very well indeed. The company contemplate putting in a low level which will thoroughly open up the mine. [by telegraph. correspondent.] Thames, Saturday. Sharemarket.— sellers 3s 6d, buyers 3s 3d ; Flying Cloud, sellers sd; May Queen 4s 3d, sellers 4s 6d, buyers 4s ; Moanataiari 12s 6d, sellers 12s 6d, buyers 12s ; Orlando, sellers Is Id ; Saxon, buyers 3s 6d; Trenton, sellers 3s 2d ; Victoria, sellers Is 9d ; Hazelbank, sellers Is Bd. Dives.2olb of picked stone came to hand to day from the etopes upon the hanging wall reef above Mo. 2 level. Trenton. —When breaking a portion of the footwallreef this morning in the leading stope at No. 3 level, 251b of picked stone were obtained.

%1 Colt ban. —The drive westward upon the Harbour View leaders has been advanced 23 feet, and about 18 inches of crushing di-t is coming to hand, in which gold 8 frequently seen. In the prospecting drive going eastward from the main crosscut a flat lead was intersected a few days ago, in which some nice colours of gold have been seen. It is about 18 inches in thickness, and is incased by kindly sandstone country. The drive will, however, be continued ahead a few feet further to see whether there are any other reefs near at hand. Norfolk.—The winze upon the Californian reef is down a depth of 45 feet, and as there are indications of old workings at this point the manager has commenced to open out a second intermediate at a depth of about 30 feet. When this is fairly underway, a start will be made in the winze again to see what is underneath. As there is now a considerable quantity of dirt on hand, which will be augmented daily by the output from the new intermediate, crushing: is to be commenced on Monday morning with ten head of stampers, running one shift per diem. Alfred.—The drive eastward upon the reef at the intermediate level has been advanced 18 feet past the bottom of the winze, the reef being now a compact body of quartz 18 inches in thickness, and showing a little gold at each breaking down. The country through which it is running is rather tight, but nevertheless it is of a favourable description for carrying gold. A leading stope has been started over the drive going westward from the winze. It is now along about 6 feet, and although the reef was 3 feet in thickness to commence with, it has now dwindled down to a foot, and when breaking down a portion yesterday strong colours of gold were seen. At the surface the manager has just completed the construction of a quartz paddock, and connected the same with the drive by laying down a tramway. There are now about 15 loads of quartz in the paddock, but it is not likely that crushing will be commenced for a week or two yet. Saxon.—Owing to the small size of the reefs being operated upon in the mine and the extra winding caused by the extension of the crosscut with the rock drill towards the main No. 1 reef at No. 6 level, the manager has experienced considerable difficulty of late in keeping up a sufficient supply of quartz for the battery; therefore he has decided to suspend all operations upon the reefs until the crosscut mentioned intersects No. 1 reef and a connection effected with the winze which is already down 48 feet below No. 5 level. Consequently he to-day noti--1 fied his employes, with the exception of ' those required for the crosscut and winze, that their services would not be required again until the low level is more fully opened up, which will take some three or four weeks to accomplish. As soon, therefore, as the quartz on hand is crushed the amalgam accumulated during the last fortnight will be retorted and the battery closed. Orlando.—Since the connection was effected between the new drive from surface upon Carpenter's reef and the inside workings the manager has laid down an iron road along its whole length, and diverted the whole of the traffic in the mine in this direction. The work of connecting the two drives was accomplished without the slightest mistake, there not being a particle of difference between the floor of the new and old drive, which fact is not only of great credit to Mr. Dreyer, the surveyor who laid off the work, but also to Mr. McLean, the mine manager, who had to carry the work out. Since its accomplishment, a winze has been commenced upon Carpenter's reef in the new drive, at a point where j gold was seen pretty freely when driving was in ogress. This work has been undertaken with the view of testing the reef downward, to • re whether its prospects warrant the opening up of a new low level. The winze is now down a depth of about 18 feet, and the reef so far has averaged from 18 inches to 2 feet in thickness. So far gold has been seen at every breaking down, and the country has been of a very good description, but the latter now appears to be getting a little tighter than it formerly was. Stoping upon the hangingwall reef is proceeding as usual, two faces being kept going by three men. The reef generally is divided into a series of veins, and altogether yields about a foot of crushing dirt. Gold is seen freely at every breaking down, but chiefly at places where a lot 1 of silicious matter makes in the quartz. A splendid class of sandstone prevails, interlaced by a network of mineral seams, which act as feeders to the reef. The contractors for driving upon the reef up to the Calliope boundary are making very fair progress, having driven about 30 feet during the past fortnight. The reef averages about 15 inches in width, and shows a little gold at every breaking down. It is intended to forward the quartz on hand to the battery during the early part of next month.

Alb(7knia.—Operations in this mine of late have chiefly been confined to opening up the Success reef for stoping above the battery level, and preparing to develop the same above the Whau level. At the former level a block 130 feet in length is now in hand, thei'e being five stopes in progress, the highest one, No. 5, being about 30 feet above the back of the drive. The reef is of rather small dimensions, ranging from two to eight inches in thickness, consequently crushing dirt is not accumulating very rapidly. The quartz, however, is evidently of a payable character, for colours of gold are frequently seen, and occasionally a pound or two of picked stone are saved. There are now about 15 loads of quartz in the paddock from this reef, which will probably be forwarded to the battery some time during next week. At the Whau level a drive some 170 feet in length has lately been cleaned out upon the same reef to a point where a party of tributers worked out a block some time ago, and a pass carried up through these workings to the battery level From the western end of this pass, about 35 feet above the Whau level, a start has been made to open up an intermediate level directly underneath the top workings. The prospects for meeting with payable quartz here are very good, as when the battery level drive was carried along gold was left in the floor. Another new prospecting work which has just been commenced is the sinking of a winze upon the Sons of Freedom reef at the battery level, close to the vicinity where a considerable quantity of picked stone was obtained during Mr. Thomas Radford's term of management, from a number of footwall leaders. The winze is now down a depth of seven or eight feet, with the reef showing a thickness of about 12 inches, and encased by an excellent class of sandstone. All the quartz broken so far has shown gold freely, so that there is scarcely any doubt but that it will prove payable. The point where this winze will hole through to the Whau level will be about 100 feet oast of the old " jump-up," and its locality is directly in a line to correspond with the rich patches of gold found at both the Whau and 70-foot levels some few years ago. It will therefore bo seen that the work is an important one, and may possibly lead to some rich developments. Operations upon Dixon's reef at the battery level have been at a standstill for some time past, but the manager intends resuming there again as soon as he conveniently can do so.

May Queen. —The Mine Manager wired on Saturday last that 60 feet of the drive (next level, bottom of new winze) had been cleaned out towards the corner which turns off in a straight line to the City of London shaft. The corner will be reached in a few feet further. The tenders for extending the crosscut from the shaft in the present level will bo dealt with by the directors to-day. It is cxpected that City of London No. 2 lode will be intersected in the drive within 235 feet further driving, but the probabilities are that the lode will be reached in less than one half the above distance. Further ahead the old Queen of the May lode will be found. The extension of the crosscut being into the Irishtown spur will give enormous backs to any lode met

with. It may be added thatth be penetrated by the crosscut ha, ? out, it« fore been touched. ®ver Adeline Amalgamated. —Tim „ manager (Mr. J. W. Shaw) has £1* charge of the mine and will comment ov *t vigorously. ence Work . New Fearnought.—As soon as suffi . lunds are 111 hand from the present ?, le »i entirely new operation will t> e u n fc l W which promises to bring the comn « tj H front on gold.. The portion to ffg? ° th ' Belmont portion of the claim whTik tfc « company will prospect for the first t m thi « Whangapoua Claim.— strone t0J.,5has been formed to work the \Vhant Claim, an area of 10 acres taken 114 lease from the Kauri Timber Co Unaef which has been prospected and m af L-. )sri ?, by Mr. J. Barron, a well.know n ° at tor. Mr. Barron and a mate have £? c " prospecting the ground for the n»»f 11 months, and have made opening on V' 1 reefs in both of which they found poM .1" openings being made on the larger reef 0 is two feet six inches thick, the other k^ a smaller but a richer lode IS inches upon which some sinking has been don P ') it is found to incre&s? in size as it is foil' iar ] down. The syndicate will meet to-d™ Mr. S. Thorue George's office, to cons/ 1 the best method of working the claim 1 developing the reefs already uncovered ti claim, we may add, is within four chain* . the Owera company's ground. ° ! Great Mercury Proprietary —ti main tunnel is in 195 feet, and the chara* of the strata passed through is slHitlv• proving. The winze is 64' feet deep I® 1 " lode is from five to six feet in thickness „ improved prospects. The steam pump Ufo 5 in position, and ready for connecting Tu cutting the waterrace, and grading for watT boxes is finished. The tender for erectin" the buildings, labour only, ot Mr. Tim.*? Ritchie, £39 10s, has been accepted. Ev c vating the supply dam on the hill has beet commenced, but will not proceed furthe till the water is brought in so as to effect/ ally puddle the embankment. " WEST COAST GOLD MINES. [by telegraph.—PßESS ASSOCIATION.] Reefton, Saturday The gold returns for the week are-.. Progress, 2660zs amalgam for the weekGlobe, 171ozs amalgam from 110 tons; X o ' 2 Keep-it-Dark, 2-i6ozs amalgam from 95 tons ; Keep-it-Dark, 87ozs amalgam from 53 tons; Alpine, 2960zs amalgam from 210 tons ; Inkerman, 150ozs amalgam from log tons.