THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8534, 7 April 1891, Page 6

THE GOLDFIELDS.

NEW ALBURNIA. INCREASE OF CAPITAL.

A meeting of shareholders in the New Alburnia G.M. Co. was held at the office of Mr. D. G. MacDonnell yesterday, to consider a proposal to increase the capital of the company. Mr. J. Friar Clarke presided, and there were about a dozen shareholders in attendance. The Chairman said that the meeting had been called together for the purpose of increasing the capital of the company from 20,000 shares to 50,000 shares. They intended to vigorously prospect the mine. It was no use making further calls, as they were nob paying expenses at present. The mine manager Mr. Thomas, and Mr. Dunlop, the local director at the Thames, were present, and would be glad to give any information to the shareholders. The secretary then read the mine manager's report, which contained an account of the works that it was proposed to undertake in the mine. The Chairman said that the shares were to have 6d nominally paid up, and that 6d was to be paid on the date of application, April 20, and 6d on the date of allotment, June 1. He moved, "That the capital be increased by the issue of 30,000 shares on these terms." Mr. Craig seconded this motion, which was carried unanimously. It was agreed that the shares be allotted pro rata to the present shareholders on application. If all the shares are not taken up, the balance is to allotted pro rata to the applicants.

A meeting of shareholders in the Coromandel Mint Syndicate was held in the office of the company yesterday afternoon. As will be seen by advertisement in another part of the paper a meeting is called for the purpose of forming it into a company under the Act, etc. It was also decided to purchase necessary machinery for working the mine, and to continue the shaft another 50 feet deep, when it is calculated that a drive of less than 60 feet will cut the Golden Pah, Jewellers' Shop, and other leaders from the Coromandel mine which yielded such grand returns years ago. A meeting of the shareholders of the Diamond G.M. Co., Kuaotunu, was held yesterday at the offices, New Zealand Insurance Buildings, Mr. D. B. McDonald presiding, when it was resolved to wind up the company. Mr. George was appointed liquidator.

, MINE MANAGERS' REPORTS. Saxon*.—No. 6 level: There is little change to report at this level since my last. The two drives on the No. 1 in&iu reef have been fully manned for the week. At the eastern face the reef averages three feet in thickness. The country around the reef is improving, and a little better mineral is appearing in the reef. In the western drive the reef averages two and a-half feet in thickness, with gold frequently met with. Another small leader coming in from the footwall was met with to-day showing some fair gold. 1 believe this to be one of the leaders met with in the crosscut a few feet back from the point where the reef was first cut. The leading stopes east and west of crosscut have both been carried up close to the face of the drives, and two more stopes amvin started off from the winze. From these stopes a few pounds of picked stone have been saved. No. 2 reef : The drive on this has been fully manned for the week. The reef at present is somewhat split up into three or four different leaders. In all, fully two feet of crushing dirt is being saved. In he main vein or footwall, gold is freely seen. I expect in another 30 feet to meet with the junction of the No. 2 break. As soon as this point is reached, I expect then to meet with a better class of general crushing quartz, as the junction of the No. 1 main reef will be picked up immediately behind the break, also the junction of the No. 2 footwall and left-hand branch, and as our best and principal crushing dirt came from the junctions at Nos. 5 and 4 levels, we may expect shortly to have a better supply of quartz available for the battery. Stopes : The stopes at Is os. 5 and 4 are all without change. Battery : At the battery the general quartz is shaping a little better on the plates the past few days, the gold apparently being much coarser at this No. 6 level; therefore the blanketings and tailings are exceedingly poor, the gold being principally saved on the plates. Wairoa (Kuaotunu).— starting in your mine I have extended the low level 35 feet, making a total distance of 128 feet, through very tough shooting country, and have intersected what is generally known here as the Try Fluke reef. I have driven south on reef 22 feet. This week the reef has widened a little, and the appearance of the quartz of which it is composed is all that could be wished. I may mention that the Red Mercury reef will run through your company's claim if it continues its present course, and may be picked up with a little trouble.

Mariposa (Kuaotunu). —The amount of amalgam (350z) off the table and heads bears out my estimate of 2oz to the ton ; but the pans disappointed me altogether. Instead of getting as much again out of the pans (the usual thing where pans are used is one-third off the tables and heads, and two-thirds out of the pans), they only yielded a total of 7oz 7d\vt. I, therefore, conclude from this result that these pans, in their present state, are incapable of saving the fine gold, which must be going away in the tailings. I consider the return from the table alone is payable, if something is done to reduce the cost of conveying the ore from the mine to the battery by improving the road down to the county road, and also if a larger crushing is sent. "I may here mention that there is about 50 tons of similar ore already in hand. With regard to the mine itself, I have the pleasure to report good gold struck in the low level yesterday, and the prospect will, no doubt, improve still more when breaking down. Hazelbank. —A leading stope has been carried along the back of the drive on the cross reef from a distance of '20 feet, but the face of the stope is not yet up to the place where the gold was got in the back of the drive. The country in the face of the crosscut still continues hard, and, as a matter of course, the progress made has been slow, 7 feet having only been driven this week; it cannot continue long, as it must begetting up close to the reel.

Try Fluke (Kuaotunu).—We have cut through the main reef at the No. 3, or bottom level. The reef is about eight feet through, and looks well ;, is well defined, and in a splendid channel of sandstone country ; is easily broken out, and prospects fairly well. We can get prospects in the footvvall and centre of the reef, and have seen a little gold in the stone. So far lam well satisfied with the prospects and appearance of the reef at this new level. As soon as we make the necessary connections with the battery, we shall be in a position to turn out a large quantity of ore from this part of the mine. No. 2 level: The winze is now down 34 feet; the reef here maintains its size, and is still about seven feet through, the whole of which is going through the mill, and is shaping for a ; payable return. Kuaotunu reef. As mentioned in my last, we are driving on the eastern branch, which is improving in size and quality. It is now from one foot six inches to two feet through, well defined, and gives some real good prospects. This drive is now in 70 feet. Should

the lode keep its present course we shall have over 400 feet to drive on it to reach the boundary, and from this No, 2 level we shall have about 100 feet of backs on it. • We are breaking ore from the stopes south of the main winze above No. 2 level, which is shaping fairly well, and a quantity of ore is also coming from the stopes above No. 1 level. The crushing at the mill this fortnight is 212 tons of ore for the payable return of lo2oz lOdwt retorted gold, which makes the month's return up to 3230z of retorted gold. We have started the Kuaottmu crosscut at No. 2 level.

Red Mercury (Kuaotunu). —The drive north on the reef has been extended a total distance of 23 feet from crosscut. The reef has maintained its size, two to three feet, from portions of which first-class stone is being obtained. Large blotches of gold are frequently seen when breaking down the reef. The country has undergone a decided change for the better during last week. There is now a nice brown sandstone dig on the hangingwall, which makes work on that end a little easier.

A small hangingwall leader of about three inches was met with on Thursday last, which gives really good mortar prospects. I am in hopes of it making into something better if the country keeps as at present. No. 1 leading stope north has been extended 12 feet. The reef has kept its size (an average of two feet), and shows gold when carefully looked over. The shoot of gold appears to be dippin" north. The ore to hand is of a higher grade than the lot crushed, and should yield better if the gold can only be saved, but I am afraid that this battery here won't save it unless it is worked different. Fine gold will never get to the bottom of the pans at the rate they are driven. It seems a pity to send such good stuff to be wasted. I am afraid that they will do no good until they get two more pans and drive them slower. It may :be right enough to drive fast with coarse gold, but not with such gold as there is in Kuaotunu. It is also a mistake to have such small plates, as most of our gold was caught on the plates. It is claimed that the .plate amalgam is only one-third of what should be got, the pans should save the other two-thirds. Well, I proved the reverse was the case, and others, I am told, have done the same. I got 740z 15dwt from the fians, lOOoz (hot water) from the plates, and

30oz from the stamper box ; all cold water, except the plate amalgam. The level tram will be finished in about four days. Mr. Miller should have the wire finished in six or eight days, if the weather holds fine. Keystone (Kuaotunu). —I have extended the main drive on the line of No. 1 reef nine feet. The reef still continues about the same width as former report, and the prospects are similar. I should recommend the company to sink a winze 100 feet below the present level, to prove the reef at a greater depth before bringing in another low level. Arizona (Kuaotunu). — the past week I have extended the drive on the line of the new reef a further distance of five feet. The country is much easier and the reef has opened out to about two feet six inches wide, of kindly looking quartz. Perseverance (Kuaotunu).— During the past week I have extended the crosscut south-west towards No. 3 leader a further distance of five feet. It is nice, kindly sandstone country, and I should think about another 14 feet of driving should get the leader. *' ; Ot am a (Kuaotunu)-— crosscut is in a distance of 20 feet and in nice country. We cut a leader at the mouth about 6 inches thick and carrying a little gold, which, I have no doubt, will prove payable when opened up. 1 am now taking the last stope along the floor of drive on No. 2 leader, which is fair quality dirt. The drive on No. lat ISio. 2 level is in a distance of 25 feet, and _ has made very little improvement since writing you last. We have 50 tons of quartz carted to the battery and about 40 through the stampers. I cleaned up the plate amalgam on hand, and squeezed 720z hot water amalgam. lam saving our tailings from the pans, and will forward you a sample for testing when we have completed crushing. I think the pans are working very well, as far as our dirt is concerned. I have had the stampers lowered to 4 inch drop, and the pans keen nice and clear, ours being very soft dirt. I have also had a copper plate cleaned up and silvered and put inside the pan on one of the wings to try and catch any float gold that may be travelling around the pan. It has been in the pan now 36 hours, and there is verv little if any amalgam on the plate. I am fully satisfied with the treatment we are getting for our dirt. Carbine (Kuaotunu).The stopes on the leader in No. 2 tunnel have yielded crushing stuff of fair average quality, and gold-bearing ore has also been got on the main reef in the main reef in the neighbourhood of its junction with the branch vein. The drive on the lode in No. 3 tunnel is being pushed ahead, but the week's operations have not brought about anv material alteration. The contractors for" the conveyance of quartz to the battery have commenced carting, and crushing will be started at an early date. j Opal (Kuaotunu). —I have opened out on j No. 1 reef from the crosscut. The reef going south is pinched up to about four inches, but on the opposite side it has opened out to a j nice body of stone about two feet, and nicelooking quartz full of mineral, and carries a little gold. I believe this will improve as driven on. and the reef get larger from the appearance of it in the face.