THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8556, 2 May 1891, Page 6

THE GOLDFIELDS.

TELEGRAM. —OWN CORRESPONDENT]. Thames, Friday. Sharemarket.— sellers Is 6d; Calliope, 6d ; Hazelbank (2s paid up), 3s 6d ; Moanataiari, sellers Ss ; Orlando, Is 2d, Bel' as Is 2d; Saxon, sellers 4s 4d..

Orlando. —A breaking down of the bangingwall reef in the second stope, today, gave 151b of picked stone. The reef is about 18 inches thick, and divided into several nice looking veins, all of which show strong colours of gold. Hazelbank.—Encouraging prospects are being met with in the winze upon the cross reef, which is now down.a depth of about 25 feet. During yesterday and to-day a few pounds of picked stone were secured, and the reef, which was somewhat disturbed during the early part of the week, is now more compact, and shows a considerable improvement. May Queen.—The main break was intersected at No. 2 level this morning, at a distance of about 190 feet east of the winze sunk from No. 1 level,, which was about 20 feet further than was thought would require to be driven. During the day operations have been directed towards getting through it, with the view .of picking up No. 4 reef on the eastern side. As yet very little water is draining out of the country, but when the break is properly cut through, the stream will probably increase in volume.

ANOTHER PROCESS OF GOLDSAVING. ' Mr. Borrow, the representative of a South Australian firm who possess patents for the extraction of gold and silver, attended a meeting of the Council of the Chamber of Commerce yesterday to explain the process, which is described as follows in the South Australian Chronicle:—

The machinery in motion consists of a cast iron cylinder 15 feet in length by 2 feet diameter at the delivery end and 3 teet. diameter at the feeding end. The cylinder is in three pieces, securely fastened together. Inside the cylinder are six rows of short projections placed alternately to lift and agitate the ore as the tube revolves. The whole has a fall along the bottom of 4A inches from the feed to the delivery end. The motive power is provided by the pan engine, •which is connected by belts passing over pulleys which reduce the speed of the main shaft from 100 per minute to from 1 to 3 per minute as may be required. A shaft is fastened to the small end of the calciner and connected with the other gearing by a large cog-wheel driven by a small pinion. Outside the cylinder two friction rollers running in chairs are placed at either end, and so little power does it take to drive it and so smoothly does it run that one man can turn it when loaded. Under the delivery end of the calciner is the firedoor, the firebox extending for about 5 feet underneath the calciner. The smoke and heat are conducted by patent flues, twice along each side of the cylinder, and then pass up tha chimney without coming in contact with the ore during its oxidation, or the gases resulting from that oxidation. The ore is fed in through a hopper placed at the large end of the calciner, and after undergoing automatic agitation, caused by the motion of the cylinder, passes out at a regular rate through the small end into a shoot, which in turn lands it on the floor ot the ore chamber. The furnace and ore calciner are enclosed in a massive stone structure S feet wide by 15 feet long aud 9 feet high. Another length of stone work carries the sulphur fumes, etc., and the smoke in two separate flues in the chimney, a distance of 15 feet. In the flues carrying the sulphur, etc., which is 3 feet diameter, provision is made for dissolving the acids formed, and using them for the second part of the process. On the top of the masons' work, and immediately over the flue is placed an iron retort charged with nitrate ot soda, which when heated, with the addition of a small amount of sulphuric acid, gives off gases which are passed through a pipe direct into the calciner. These gases, which are powel--ial oxidisers, aided especially by an admixture of air, mingle intimately with the ore in its passage through the calciner, and effect instantaneous decomposition. The effect as witnessed is simply marvellous. I saw 3cwt passed into the furnace in a trifle under twelve minutes, and it was delivered in fifteen minutes perfectly calcined. This would mean a rate of locwt per hour, and Mr. Moles worth claims that he has broken the record in calcining for cost, time, size of plant, and efficiency of work combined. The whole of the inside of the calciner was one mass of brilliant coruscations until the delivery end is nearly reached, when the sulphur, arsenic, etc., being all expelled, the ore loses its fire and looks dead. Everything throughout was running smoothly, and I, learnt from Messrs. Magor and Molesworth, who are in charge of the machinery, that the cost for nitrate of soda is very small, and quite comes up to their expectations; also that they had tried calcining without nitrate of soda, and could not do nearly the same output, though even then the Molesworth patent calciner will do more than any of those now in general use. The ore treated was from one of the old tailing heaps, and was quite damp when put in. On examining the calcined ore the gold was found perfectly free, and amalgamates easily, or can be treated by solution.

In reply l o questions, Mr. Borrow said his company was not in a position to treat for the patent, but would treat any ore forwarded. He appeared surprised that ruining and the treatment of ores hud advanced to such an extent as it has in New Zealand, but he seemed confident that the process which he represented would meet the requirements of our refractory ores, and that they could be treated at a low cost. Mr. Borrow left for the South yesterday, but before leaving he promised Mr. Porter, the Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, to forward further correspondence on the subject.

RED MERCURY G.M.C. In connection with the report of the Red Mercury Gold Mining Company in our last issue, the receipts should have been stated at £1524 193 10d, and the expenditure at £1132 2s Bd. The company had in the bank and in hand at the end of the financial year £210 4s 7d, and the sum of £247 15s 4d ,vas due for calls unpaid. The total liabilities only amounted to £232 Is.