THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 9013, 19 October 1892, Page 3

THE GOLDFIELDS.

♦—■ [by telegraph.-—own correspondent.] Thames, Tuesday. Sharemarket.— Alburnia, sales, 8s 6d, buyers 8s 3d ; Cambria, sellers 2s; Calliope, Boilers Is; Hazelbank,sales 3s, sellers 3s4d, buyers 3s ; Moanataiari, sellers 6s 6d. Hazelbank. — Crushing will be commenced for this company to-morrow morning, at the Moanataiari Battery, with ten head of stampers. There is nothing fresh in the mine. Norfolk (Tararu). — The prospects of this mine are of an exceedingly encouraging character at the present juncture, as the extension of the eastern drive at No. 3 level is revealing the fact that the company are possessed of a large and valuable block upon their main reef. This drive is now in a distance of 305 feet from the main crosscut, but the reef was of a broken and disturbed character for the first 100 feet, and proved valueless. At the end of this 100 feet, however, gold was met with, and has since been carried along for a distance of 205 feet, the reef ranging in size from two to five and six feet in thickness up to within about 30 feet of the present face, since when it has gradually opened out to a thickness of fully 15 feet, and has maintained this latter size for about the last 16 feet driven, during which time the whole width has been saved for crushing dirt and forwarded to the company's battery. For a width of about 9 feet on the footwall side the reef is composed of solid ribs of quartz carrying an excellent class of mineral with a little sandstone and mineral veins running between them, whilst the remaining 6 feet on the hangingwall side is comprised chiefly of a gritty clay formation intermixed largely with galena and copper ore, rich patches of which are sometimes met with. In this portion of the reef free gold is frequently met with, and excellent dish prospects are available at almost any time. From this section of the reef 20 bags of the heavy mineral ore has lately been saved, for the manager, Mr. C. McLean, is convinced that it is only throwing ib away by treating it with the ordinary battery pro- ' cess, consequently he is desirous of having a test made of its value either at the School of Mines, or else where it can be treated by the cyanide process. Owing to the largo size of the reef, great care has to be exercised in thoroughly and efficiently timbering, the drive, which is done by forming the same on the footwall section of the reef, and packing up the vacancy on the hangingwall side with large junks of refuse timber. The sets used for forming the drive are of as large dimensions as can be obtained, and they aro 3"; feet clear in the top by six feet clear in the bottom, and six feet high. This runs away with a very large quantity of timber, but, fortunately, its cost to the company is confined to its preparation, for there is a large growth of the same on the surface portion of the mine, and Mr. McLean has connected the same with a ground tramway about 300 yards in length, upon which runs a small trolly, and this when loaded is taken direct into the workings. There still remains a distance of about 270 feet to drive to reach the eastern boundary, and the backs available for the whole length of the block are about 150 feet in height, so that it will be seen that there is a very large block to operate upon, and one which, should it maintain the prospects that are now available, is likely to turn out very remunerative. There are four stopes started from the rise recently put up above the level, but at present the leading stops is the only one manned. This stopo is about twenty feet back from the face of tho drive, and is just coming over the point where the reef opens out so wide. In the face the reef ia now about 12 feet in thickness, and the quartz is of similar appearance and quality as that broken from the drive. A start has lately been made to drive westward of the crosscut upon the same reef with tho view of trying to pick up the continuation of the run of gold worked by Mr. Darrow at a higher level some years ago. A distance of about 30 feet has been driven since commencing operations in this direction, bub it is estimated that at least 100 feet will have to be driven before meeting with anything payable. At present the reef occupies the ! whole width of the drive, bub it is of a broken character, and carries very little mineral, so that none of the quartz is being saved. At the battery, 20 head of stampers are being kept going one shift of eight hours per day, and the quartz crushed is j shaping for a return equal to that obtained j last month. The next cleaning up and retorting will take place about a fortnight ! hence. The battery is in excellent working ( order, but its efficiency is now being increased by the construction of large huddling troughs, 110 feet in length, which are being provided with the object of concentrating the tailings instead of allowing them to run to waste, as ib is evident from the character of the ore treated that there must be a large percentage of the bullion lost, the ordinary battery process not being suitable for its treatment by itself. IRENE GOLD MINING COMPANY. A meeting of shareholders in the Irene Gold Mining Company was held at the office of Mr. D. H. Lusk, New Zealand Insurance Buildings, yesterday morning, Mr. A. Kidd presiding. On the motion of Mr. Hugh Campbell, it was resolved that the resolution passed on October 3, authorising the sale of the mine to Mr. Curtis for £250, be confirmed. MINE MANAGERS' REPORTS. New Moanataiari.— usual fortnightly cleaning up and retorting took place, for the payable return of 2070z5. retorted gold, which on being melted was reduced to 2040zs 13dwts. For this yield there were 597 tons of quartz and 40lbs of specimen stone treated. During the early part of the past week there was rather a poor class of ore coming to hand from the different workings throughout the mine on the Golden Age reef, but for tho past few days there has, I am pleased to say, a considerable improvement taken place. Gold has been freely seen in tho stopes above the intermediate level, j and also (in the big stopes east of the break ) above the Point Russell level. At the latter point the workings are being extended west through the break, where fair quality stone is being got. From present appearances it would seem that the payable shoot of ore is not going to be confined to one side of the break, but will be found to extend on both sides upwards. There are six men employed on the cross lode above the 100 feet level, where payable quartz is being obtained, with occasionally a few pounds of picked stone. The winze on this same cross lode, which is being sunk from the Dauntless old level, is now down 27 feet. There is still about 30 or 35 feet to connect with the stopes on the Reuben Parr reef. The rise from the Inverness crosscut is up a total height of 80 feet, so that with present progress we will not be very long in getting through to the surface. Sylvia.— i or the week No. 3 level has been extended another 14 feet; this completes the present contract. I do not think it advisable to extend the drive on this reef formation before extending the western crosscut another 50 feet, as the reef I have been driving on does not correspond with the true course of the main reef. There is very little change in the stopes in this same No. 3 level. There is not as much gold showing as last week. Good progress has been made with driving and repairing Taylor's level. It has now passed through the old workings, and the reef is solid in the back of the drive. I will start stoping here next week, when I expect to get netter class of ore. No. 4 level has been extended six feet; there is no change. PiiffiNix.— excellent class of sandstone continues to be penetrated in the crosscut, the country carrying more mineral seams and getting firmer as the drive advances into the spur, and is in every way favourable for goldbearing leaders. A distance of 17 feet has been driven for the week, making a total of 62 feet since starting. A further distance of 70 feet should intersect a promising-looking leader, which is outcropping on the surface, and which, I am credibly informed, produced specimens in the early days; but, as the leader previously cut in the drive is not showing on the surface, others maMJ?e inter-'

sected inside this distance. In prospecting another portion of your property I have discovered a promising-looking reef, which averages about three feet in thickness, and encased in a splendid class of sandstone. As there has been comparatively little work done, it would at present be difficult to estimate its value; a length of about 12 feet has been stripped along the surface, and in breaking the hanging wall portion, a band of bright mineral, from three to six inches in thickness, is showing for that distance. Cambria.—lhe quartz from the main reef in the- intermediate drive above No. 2 level continues to show gold at each breakingdown, and also carries good minerals. No. 3 level: Above this level stoping on No. 6 leader is proceeding as usual. The leader still shows gold pretty feely, and occasionally yields a little picked stone. The fourth stope on the main reef, add several other veins going towards the old rise are still turning out a good supply of crushing dirt, in which a little gold is seen at times. This stone has to be shot out for a width of 12 to 15 feet to enable these to be taken out. Some very fair crushing dirt continues to come to hand from the small leader in the footwall of the cross-leader, and also from the western branch of No. 7 leader. The fourth stope on the new leader westward of the winze is still being carried along. The leader here is about 18 inches in thickness, and looks remarkably well. Stoping on the leader in the footwall of the western branch of No. 7 leader is proceeding as usual; this leader is not so large as it was, it being now from six to eight inches in thickness. There is nothing new to report from the footwall branch of No. 7 leader above No. 4' level, stoping on it is proceeding as usual. A crushing for the company of 179 loads quartz and 351b picked stone was finished on Saturday last tor the return of 184oz 13dwt melted gold. Crushing is still proceeding. Woodstock United (Karangahake). — Since writing last week rising for the sixteenth stope on the No. 3 lode above the No. 2 pass has been in progress, and from this point to-day we broke out about two tons of tree milling ore, which I expect will assay about £40 per ton. In the fifteenth stope north of the No. 1 pass the lode is still very much disturbed, and the ore now coming to hand therefrom is poor in quality, but a change for the better may take place at any moment. South of the No. 3 pass the lode is stripped ready for breaking down about Monday next, when we expect to grass about one and a-half tons of high-class refractory ore. There is now a good show of rich refractory ore along the back of the fifteenth stope south of the No. 2 pass for a distance of 40 feet, and there is every probability of this shoot of rich ore extending further southwards as work is continued upwards upon it. During the week we have laid down two sets of new points on the low level tramline, . and laid the rails right up to the face on the I Maria reef so as to meet the requirements of the contractors, who intend starting work ! next Tuesday, by which time we shall also have a new truck ready for their use. Stored in the paddock at the mine there are now about 15 tons of free milling ore, which I intend having conveyed to the mill before the end of the ensuing week, and after completing its treatment a start will be made to deal with the tailings that accumulated from previous crushings. When the hoppers are clear of the milling ore the refractory ore can be sent down to the furnace house, where advantage may be taken of the first spell of fine weather for drying purposes, preparatory to crushing and sampling for shipment. Junction.—A good class of white sandstone interlaced with mineral seams, has come in during the last few days. The reef is over two feet in thickness, and is carrying good mineral. This drive is being pushed ahead as fast as possible. The indications are becoming more favourable as the drive advances. VVe are driving in a good locality, and a payable run of gold may be met with at any time. A distance of nine feet has been driven during the week. VVe had to renew some of the timber in the main crosscut during the week. Orlando.The drive has been extended 14 feet, and is now in a total distance of 151 feet. The reef has also been broken down for a distance of nine feet, and averaged from 12 to 15 inches wide, and good colours of gold seen through the quartz as far as broken down. The stone is looking very ' promising, and more bright mineral and antimony coming in. The lode is also very compact, and the country rock, both in the ! hanging and foot walls, is of a promising description. The country in the latter has been of a very treacherous character for the last 20 feet, and although tight ground when going through it soon winds when exposed to the air, owing to the heady nature of the country, and necessitates the timber being kept as close to the face as possible. There is now a great quantity of water draining through the reef, which no doubt is owing to the quantity backed up in the Goldfinch level. I shall, therefore, turn the water off at the latter level if it does not decrease. There are about nine feet of the reef stripped, which I will probably break down to-morrow. Norfolk. —The eastern drive for the past week has been extended a further distance of six leet. The. reef in the face is 15 feet in width, the whole of which 1 am sending to the battery. The hanging wall portion still carries the most minerals, and prospects fairly well. The leading stope is now along 86 feet east of the rise. The reef in this stope is fully 11 feet wide, and the dirt from it prospects fairly good. No. 4 stope is now extended 22 feet east of the rise. The reef in this stope is six feet in thickness, and gold has been seen freely through it when breaking iyout. The whole of the ore broken out this ■week has come from the face and these two stopes. The drive on the reef west of the crosscut has been extended 14 feet for i the week. The reef in the face is about six feet wide. The reef for the last few feet has been more compact, and I am very hopeful j of soon meeting with payable ore from this part of the mine. For the week there has been 94 loads of quartz delivered at the battery. Acme.—The ground still continues kindly for gold. The mineral veins are leading on to the reef that should be pretty close to hand. To-day, for the first time, we struck quartz, but it is not the reef. We don't know much about the quartz in face as yet, — whether it is a leader or a bunch of quartz ; anyway, it is not the dropper, which no doubt is very close to hand. We hope to report reef next week, and gold. Try Fluke (Kuaotunu).—The mine manager telegraphed yesterday :—" 182ozs gold from 360 tons ore." Waihi. —- The following telegram has been received from the manager : —" We have struck reef, deep adit level. Will send assays later on." This opens up backs of 57 feet on the Martha reef for a length of 2000 feet. The width of the reef on the smithy level, which is immediately above the point of contact in the low level, is from 30 to 40 feet, and from all appearances the body of quartz in the low level will be equally as extensive. The tunnel cuts the reef on the hangingwall. By the last English mail, the local directors received information that a doctor was about to leave London, with a view of taking up his residence at Waihi, the Waihi Company agreeing to pay a small retaining fee. This will be a benefit not only to the employes of the mine, but to the increasing population of the Waihi and Ohiuemuri districts.