THE GOLD FIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9488, 18 April 1894, Page 3

THE GOLD FIELDS.

The South African Gold Output.The «old output for February a? registered at the Johannesburg Chamber of Mines was the largest yet recorded, and reached the enormous total of 101,8700z, being an increase of 7256 z over the previous month. The MoArtuur • Forrest Patents.— Private advices received by cable in Auckland yesterday state that the case which has been pending in the German Courts to test the validity of the McArthurFoirtst patents has been decided in favour of the inventors, and the patents are upheld. This case was brought on in the German Courts by parties interested in the African Gold Mine at Johannesburg, with a view to strengthen their intended opposition to the patents at that place. MINE MANAGERS' REPORTS. Cambria (April 16).— Stoping is in progress on No. 4 hangiugwall leader, as usual. There lias been very little change, however, as regards tiie prospects during the week. In the Cambria section, two stopes are now in progress on the leader in the hangingwall of the main reef. The quartz coming to hand continues to show gold, while occasionally nice pieces of picked stone are saved. About 12 feet ahead of the present face of the leading stope, another leader will be met with, which carries excellent mineral. New Fearnought (April 16).—The work in the mine this week has been confined principally to stoping above theiuternediate, going ci eekward; 12 f a et stoped for the week. There is a large body of quartz in this stope. 2 feet, but we are not saving it all for crushing. We have seen gold in the quartz, and have secured a few picked stone at different times. On Friday I opened out a small drive on the up-hill end of the winze, at the same depth as on the creekward end, to get mullock for filling. On Saturday I took a little of the reef down and got a few nice pieces of picked stone. Our accumulations of bits of picked stone for the week is about 31b. We have about 12 loads of quartz in the paddock, got from different parts of the reef, but mixed altogether in the paddock, which I intend to get to the battery this week foi crushing. Hazelbank (April 14).— lead in the drive near the break at No. 1 level is about a foot in thickness, and is still of a niullocky description, but the country is of a favourable character, there being small stringers of quartz striking across the drive into the reef. Stoping on Darby's, above No. 1 level, is being proceeded with, the lead is still strong in the back of No. 8 stope, and it is not carrying as much mineral as formerly, but a little gold has been seen in breaking it out. This lead in the stopes east of the winze above the No. 2 intermediate level is somewhat irregular and broken ; the quartz contains a good deal of favourable mineral, although no gold has been seen this week. In the western stopes, gold has beeu freely seen in breaking out the quartz, and the dirt coming to hand from here is no doubt of a payable character. Work on the cross reef is being continued as usual. A little gold has been seen in quartz broken out from the western side of the winze, and a few pieces of picked stone selected. New Moanataiari (April 14).—Gold has been more freely seen through the quartz brokes in the stopes on the Golden Age tootwall leads over the Point Russell level, and there were about 12 or 151b of good quality picked stone secured for the week. These stopes are now 70 feet above the level, but there are no workings that I know of within SOfeet of us so there remains still a large block to take out if the gold carries up. There are six men employed on Jones' lead at the 100 foot level, where payable quartz continues to be obtained, but during the past week no picked stone was secured. Good progress continues to be made with the reopening of -the crosscut at the 150 feet level. When the shaft is reached here there will be thorough ventilation secured, with a good getaway for the water, which will allow of any prospecting works being carried out that may be deemed of most advantage to the company. The continuation of the crosscut south, is most probably the work which I shall recommend, as it will re-open all the ground in the Golden Calf and Central Italy sections of the mine. There will be 780 feet to drive to the central shaft, where connection can be effected for ventilation for the carrying out of permanent or prospecting works. In a future report I will explain the nature of this work, and go far more fully into the probable prospects to be obtained therefrom. The surface workings continue to supply material to keep 20 head A stamps going, but I cannot Hay there is much improvement in its quality. Amalgam for the week, quartz 370z-<, surface dirt 28ozs. Acme (April 14).—Operations are at present confined to carrying along a leading stope east and west from the top of the main rise above No. 2 level. In breaking down the reef, which is over three feet in width and is divided into three branches, colours of gold were seen distributed well through the stone in the early part of the week. The quartz at present contains a good deal of blende and silica, with mineral veins striking into the reef on both walls, and is very favourable for gold. During the latter part of the week the men have been engaged in taking down the hangingwall in the eastern drive to make room for the necessary timbers for stoping upwards. As soon an the timbers are put in place a rise will be started over the main pass to enable a second stope to be carried along, Norfolk (April 14).—Timbering up and securing the winze is now almost completed. Next week we will he able to commence stoping. The crosscut towards the California reef has been extended a further distance of ten feet. The country in the early part of the week was very tight to break, but wc have now passed through another head, and the ground now coming in the face is much better for headway. A good deal of water is coming from the face, and I think the reef will very soon be to hand. Calliope (April 14).—There is still good progress made with driving, 14 feet being accomplished during the week, making the total distance now 167 feet. There is still water in the face, but the reef is much the same as last reported. ' . Orlando (April 14).—During the past week the drive has been extended 9 feet. The distance driven this week is not so much as is usually done, as the men have been engaged at other work, fixing timber cutting drain, and cutting through the reef. The reef is still a large well-defined reef,- and heavily charged with minerals. I have called tenders for this work, and now enclose them for your approved. " j