THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8811, 26 February 1892, Page 3

THE GOLDFIELDS.

MONTHLY SUMMARY. [from our own correspondents.]

Thames, Thursday. The principal topic of conversation in mining circles during the past month has been the question of how best to set to work to secure development of this goldfield at lower depths than hitherto worked. Of course this is a question that has been more or less discussed for a considerable time past, but up to the present no definite action has been taken in the matter, although it is one of extreme importance to the future welfare of the district, and one that will practically have to be undertaken sooner or later if the Thames is to maintain its prestige as a goldfield. The interest, however, which is now being taken in the matter appears to be of a more earnest character than ever before displayed, and there appears to be some reasonable hope of something being done shortly in this desired direction. What has given special prominence to the subject in the present instance is the proposal of a scheme tor working at deeper levels promulgated by Air. Thomas Russell, which appeared in the Herald on the '2nd instant. This scheme is to the following effect " That an area should be taken, extending from the Kuranui to the Karaka or the Hape creeks. That a company should be formed to drain the whole of that country. For this purpose, probably two shafts would be sunk to a depth of 1500 feet. At present the Big i'utnp shaft is down (MO leet, or somewhat more, while the Queen of Beauty shaft is down 750 leet. YViiether these shafts would be suitable under the new scheme would have to be considered by competent mining engineers. The company would have to become possessed of the whole area, anil this would be done by buying the mines, the payment being partly in cash and partly m shares. While the two shafts were being sunk the ground would be marked off in areas by mining experts, and sold to subsidiary companies by the Drainage Company, who will receive payment for the mining area sold, probably partly in cash and partly by paid-up shares, and thus recoup the outlay and make their profit. These subsidiary companies could then proceed to work their ground in any way they considered best, but the whole business of keeping the mines free of water would rest on the Drainage Company. in forming the Drainage Company and the subsidiary companies care would nave to be taken that while English capital and skill should be sought, the colonial public should have an opportunity of taking iip shares in the several undertakings." This scheme, although favourably received with regard to opening up the question of deep sinking, is not, however, looked upon uy Thames experts as being the best that could be adopted for the wellare of the field, lor 111 the first place it is considered it would absorb too large an area of what is undoubtedly the most valuable in which to carry 011 deep level works, and would therelore be creating something similar to a monopoly; whilst, secondly, it is also considered that to carry it out in its entirety would involve a very lengthy period in order m raise the necessary capital to give • fleet to the scheme, during which time the field would suffer through the laxity of mining operations. The suggestion made by Mr. i\us.scll has not, however, been devoid of results, for since then other proposals, having ior their object the development of the lower levels, have been forthcoming, the principal one 01 which is the amalgamation of the Saxon and Queen of Beauty properties. ISo far no practical results have accrued, but this latter suggestion is looked upon as being one of great importance, inasmuch as it is more within the means of local and Auckland capital, and one that could be carried out within reasonable time when once undertaken. Of course the object of this pioposed amalgamation is not only to develop the ■Saxon lower levels from the Queen of Beauty shaft, but also to open up and develope the low level of the Queen of Beauty property itself, its shaft being already down to a depth of 748 feet, with a reef intersected in which gold is known to exist. This, it is thought, would be an incentive to other companies to amalgamate, tor the purpose of carrying on operations at lower depths, with a view to testing the ground within their respective limits, and would therefore be a solution to the present uncertainty which prevails regarding the existence of payable gold being found beneath the barren strata above which operations are now contined. The question, however, is one that will require thorough investigation, anil with this end in view it is probable that a meeting of directors and others—including Mr. Russellwho are deeply interested in the future prosperity of the field, will be held some time during next weeK, with the intention of going into the matter most fully, when it is to be hoped some definite proposal ill be adopted, having for its object the testing of the lower levels. The news of the past month concerning the operations carried on in the various mines is of the usual routine character, nothing having transpired beyond the ordinary. It can be said, however, that in some instances the prospects have somewhat improved, and during the month some very fair returns of gold have been banked, the principal ones being as follows : — m dwt Caledonian, 14 loads 16 5 Cambria, 122 loads 150 12 Hazelbank, 135 loads ... ... ... 219 0 Manukau, 15 tons 9 18 May Queen, 3150 loads ... ... ... 294 16 Moanataiari, SS'2 tons 339 15 Occidental, 19 loads ... 65 10 I'ride of Karaka, .'54 loads 128 8 Saxon, 798 loads ... ... ... ... 476 0 W'aiotalii, 170 tons 196 2

lii addition to the above returns the Sylvia Company banked 2".'s6<>z of bullion, valued at £21 IS), this being the product of o.'i tons of concentrates. Operations in this company's mine are confined to driving westward upon the course of their main reef at Nos. 2 and 3 levels, from both of which payable ore is now coming to hand, and also to the driving of a new low-level which will provide 200 feet of backs up to the lloor of the present low est level. So far as the company's crushing plant is concerned the exceedingly dry weather experienced during the past two months has prevented its working, and only the extraction machinery has been utilised. The Saxon mine is without any change, beyond the fact that the best portions of tho blocks upon the various lodes above No. 6 level are rapidly becoming exhausted, and the time has arrived when some definite action should be taken to open up a new lowlevel. The quartz coming to hand from the Moanataiari mine is of rather low quality ; but the operations that are proceeding upon the Golden Age reef, from which the bulk of the quartz is obtained, are expected to expose something better at no far distant date. The Hazel bank's return for the past month is again a very fair one, and the quartz now in course of treatment is shaping payably. There is some talk of amalgamating this company's and the Caledonian properties. The return from the May Queen is hardly so good as previous ones, but the present month's return, which is due to-morrow (Friday), is expected to be a better one. The Victoria Co. have just let a contract for the removal of their winding engine and gearing from the Prince Imperial shaft and erecting it upon tho Tookey shaft, they having decided to prospect that section of their property more vigorously than hitherto. The other mines of the district are being developed as usual, but nothing of importance has transpired, except that in the case of the Pride of Kara'/a a very good return of gold was obtained from their last crushing, 30 loads yielding l'2Boz Bdwt of melted gold, and present prospects bid fair for other similar returns. In the Fame and Fortune and Dives mines all operations on the companies' account have been suspended for the present, and the properties divided into blocks and let to tribute parties instead. The Waiomo district is on the improvement, the prospects met with in the Mount Zeehan and Monowai claims being very good indeed. The proprietors of the former claim are talking of shipping a large tonnage of their ore to England, but the Monowai people are so satisfied with their prospects that they are erecting a small plant of their own upon tho old Paroquet battery site, and expect to have everything in readiness for a trial run within a few weeks' time. A little work is proceeding in two or three other claims, but it will be some time yet before they are sufficiently developed to give a very large output of ore.

Up-country prospects are of a very encouraging character, and it is anticipated that the bullion returns from the several districts will be both largo and remunerative before many more months have passed. The Waihi G. and S.M. Co. are to the front with another excellent return for the four weeks ending with the 13th inst., during which time 1073 tons of surface ore were crushed for £2000 worth of bullion, which brings the total value of bullion won by the company up to £50,164. The contractors for driving the new low level have already accomplished a distance of about 400 feet, and are advancing at a speed of about 10 feet per day. This new level will provide over 50 feet of backs upon the lode, which, it may be added, has already been tested by means of two winzes to a depth of about 60 feet beneath the floor of the present low level, and the quality of the ore obtained therefrom was equally as good, if not better, than that which is being treated at present It will thus be seen that there is nothing problematical about the future of the mine, so far as the works now in hand are concerned, and it is without doub* the only mine opened up in the colony from which steady returns may be reckoned upon for years to come. The Silverton Co.'a

new reduction works are rapidly nearing completion, and are expected to be ready for operation early in the ensuing month. The plant, although a small one, is in point of efficiency second to none in this part of the colony, and its construction has been so arranged that it can very easily be added to when required, and nothing has been left undone with a view to economising both the labour and cost in treating the ore. A contract for the conveyance of 2000 tons of ore from the mine to the plant was let a few days ago, but there are other 400 tons already to surface, besides a large tonnage of tailings. Tenders are shortly to be invited for the driving of a new low level '2000 feet in length, which will provide GO feet of additional backs upon the lode. Operations in the Grand Junction, Waitete, and Gladstone claims are at present somewhat limited and of a prospecting character, but it is anticipated that they will eventually turn out well.

At Karangahake the excavations in progress in connection with the Crown Gold Mining Company's new reduction plant are being advanced with all possible speed, and the erection of the plant itself will be commenced ere long. In the mine two new low levels are being driven north and south respectively of the Waitawheta River, both of which are proceeding along the hangingwall of the lode, which is being broken out to an average width of six feet without any sign of the footwall, while the precious metal is freely visible in various places throughout the whole of the quartz broken. The general ore varies in value from £16 to £.'#) per ton, so that it will bo seen it is of a highly remunerative quality. In the Woodstock mine ore varying in value from £10 to £100 per ton is coming to hand from the stopes upon No. 3 lode At present the stopes have attained a height of 48 feet, and there still remains about 86 feet of backs up to the floor of the next level. The block opened up is 40 feet in length, but there is plenty more ground to open up which promises to turn out equally as well. The other mines of the district are at present worked with small staffs, and are under partial piotcction from the Warden. llie prospecting operations carried on by Mr. T. H. Russell at the old Waitekauri mine have so far turned out very disappointingly, and six months' protection has been acquired from the Warden for the mine. Mr. Russell, however, nothing daunted in that venture, has entered upon another which promises to recoup him very handsomely. _ This is the purchase of the New Find claim at Komata, for which, it is understood, he has given £3000 cash and a promise to give another £1000 if the mine turns out remuneratively. A large parcel of ore is now being broken out from two or three points, and a contract has been let for the packing of 500 tons to the reduction plant at Waitekauri, where its treatment is to bo proceeded with at once, in order to test the value of the quartz in bulk. Judging, however, from the prospects, and the results obtained by assay, Mr. Russell has a good thing on hand, and is likely to do well out of it. In the Jubilee mine, Mr. E. K. Cooper has still a staff of miners at work breaking out quartz to ship to England, and has lately been meeting with excellent results in doing so. The Marototo Gold Mining Company's property has passed into the hands of local people, but nothing has yet been divulged as to their intentions regarding the same.

Cokomandel, Thursday. The past month has been characterised by more than usual dulness even for this season. The only mine which shows any activity is the Kapanga. The first quartz mine pegged out in the peninsula thirty years ago. it is still to the fore, and much more valuable than most others of more recent date. It has passed through many vicissitudes and has turned out enormous quantities of the precious metal. It has been worked out several times, or rather was thought to be so, and yet is evidently not worked out yet, as within the last few months large quantities of gold have been turned out. I think I am fairly within the mark in saying that with the exception of the Caledonian this mine has produced the most gold of any mine on the peninsula. The shaft is already down between 500 and 600 feet, and the manager (Captain Argall) is now engaged in erecting a new engine, which is, excepting the big pump at the Thames, perhaps the most powerful pump in the colony. The boilers and beam being so heavy Captaia Argall had to get 13 of the strongest hordes from the Thames to remove them from the beach to the mine. This was successfully done last week, and the work of erection will be proceeded with at once, the intention being to prove the ground to at least 1000 feet. It ought to encourage those who are anxious to ?ink to the 1000 feet level at the Thames to find that in Curoinandel a single company is actually und< rtaking the work, with a fair prospect of success, too, and although the Kapanga has turned out a large amount of gold, it certainly has not produced as much from a given area as the Thames can show. Everyone must be well pleased to see machinery of this dimension being erected over our principal mine. The only thing to be regretted is that this machinery has been removed from a mine (Union Beach) that would probably be just as rich if it was only as well prospected, in fact, from a long residence in this district, I know of no piece of ground so well worth working as the Union Beach, and sooner or later that is sure to be done.

(Joromandel Mint. —This mine is situated on the foreshore, immediately adjoining the Union Beach, and I am glad to find the shareholders are determined to prove their ground (although the present depression has made it rather difficult to get in calls), which is so well situated, and the little work which has been done has been so encouraging both from the nature of the country and the leaders touched, as to almost ensure ultimate success. The silt at the bottom of the harbour forms such an impervious bank that the sea-water cannot penetrate the workings, and I hope to he able yet to prove that further out to sea a richer reef than anything got yet exists, judging from specimens found. Blagrove's Freehold.—Part ot the programme of the English Company (Kapanga) is to erect pumping machinery on this ground. A good deal of work has been done, and gold got in several places. The County Council are now pushing on a road to get up the machinery, so we hope to see active operations in progress on this ground very shortly. Tokatea.—' tributers arc still working away without any marked success. There are a good number of men out prospecting in various directions, and a rumour comes of rich specimens found in Kennedy's Bay. CARNAGE BAY.

Vizard and party are about to make a start to erect machinery on their claim. They have got a large quantity of payable ore, but it will not bear the expense of transport to Coroinandel. Now, however, they will be able to treat low grade ore, and there is abundance of that in the neighbourhood.

WHANGAPOUA. This district is still an attraction to some of our miners, and if the company would only drop their pre-emptive right there would be a much larger number there. Hilda.— claim under the new management appears to be making fairly good headway, and we hope to see them come to the front again before long. Owera. — Very active operations are in progress at this mine, erecting battery, dam, etc. The mine is well opened up, and no doubt will pay handsomely when the battery gets to work.

kuaotunu. This district is making haste slowly. In most of the claims there is abundance of crushing material, but it is generally low grade, and the cost of carting and crushing kills it; but I understand there is a fair prospect that this state of things will be remedied, as a syndicate now proposes to lay down a tramway from the beach to each of the principal mines and the batteries. They also contemplate erecting a large battery on the beach, and will be able to tram and treat low grade ore at very small cost. This will be a eat boon to the place, and go far towards its establishment, the price charged now being rather too hieh for the most or it. Try Fluke.—The manager has got this mine into capital order, and now has almost an unlimited quantity of quartz at command. Unfortunately they had a breakdown at the battery, which caused the men to be knocked off as the manager had nowhere to stow the quartz. He has a large block opened up ready for stoping on the Kuaotunu reef. This is all payable, and in some parts is very large. He has a pass up near the boundary for air and to supply fillmg-in material. The lower level has been driven to the boundary, and a large quantity can be got out at little cost. At the battery the erection of the new machinery is progressing, and when all is in working order there should be an increase of the precious metal. Kapai.— a small staff of men are employed here, but they are stoping out fairly good stuff on the Try Fluke boundary. Nothing has been done southward for some time.

Carbine.—The manager is obtaining a large tonnage of fairly Rood crushing material from the main Try Fluke reef. They have now a capital wire tram to the hopper on the road, which is a great saving on the old plan, bagging and sleighing. A low level will soon have to be started for this mine ; in fact, there are three or four claims which require one, and it is a pity they cannot see their way to put in a joint tunnel, which would suit all parties. Mariposa.—This mine has a large supply of low grade ore, and a capital way of working, but the expenses of crushing are a little too heavy. Red Mercury —This mine turns out the best average grade of ore on the field, but they are also handicapped with very hard country, which makes it much more expensive. However, the manager has managed to get the mine into good working order and produces a lot of quartz.

Great Mercury.—This mine has had t« contend with a lot of low grade ore which has barely paid expenses, but fortunately tha manager has come upon a reef producing much better stuff, and no doubt this will help him very materially. Everything is in good working order, and a very small average return will pay expenses. The Waitaia.—This mine has been troubled with low grade ore, although it is much better than some of the others. The last crushing was rather disappointing, but the low level looks well, and we may hear of good returns from here.