THE UPPER THAMES GOLD MINES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 10008, 20 December 1895, Page 5

THE UPPER THAMES GOLD MINES.

A TOUR OF INSPECTION. [by our sfkoial keportbb.] No. 111. WAITEKAURI G.M. CO. Oe course the chief interest in the Waitekauri distriob continues to centre on the operations of the Waitekauri Company, where works are being commenced and carried out on an extensive scale, involving the expenditure of large capital in exploration works and in machinery. Tho amalgamation of the Golden Cross and Koiriata Companies, and the successful flotation of the joint properties in London, and the adoption of an expansive scheme of operations such as I have alluded to, makes the Waitekaarf at present ono of the most interesting scenes of development in the whole of tho Thames Peninsula.

In the Golden Cross section of the Waitekauri Company's mine there havo been some important developments, bub operations have for the most part been confined to tho Golden Cross reef, on what is known as Corkett's level, that is of coursoso far as work on the lodes is concerned. When I last visited Waitekauri in February this lino reef had been drivon through, and it showed a width of 25 feet of fair class ore from wall to wall. A drive on tho hangingwall side had also been commenced and carried I think for about 50 feet, with highly encouraging indications and good assay averages. Since 1 last saw this lode tho drive lias been extonded along tho hangingwall for a total longth of 701 feet, but at intervals of 50 foot crosscuts have beon carried through tho reef from hangingwall to footwall, and ib has given an avornire width of 20 feet. For tho purposes of ventilation as well us to open blocks for sboping three rises have been carried through from Corbet!,';- lovel to the surface, their heights ranging from 108 to 140 feet, and all are of course on tho hangingwall side, where also a leading stope has boon carried on for a length of 200 foot, as much for the purposo of providing ventilation as for ore. Only about six foet of tho lode has so far boon taken out, but the fact that tho whole of tho ore treated at the baitejy during tho last 12 months has come from this drive and stope affords an ample test as to its valuo. Its quality was £5 10s per ton up to tho last 10!) foet of driving, and for this distanco tho ore has been of lowor grade, and is not being milled at present; for although it may provo remunerative when the larger reduction works are in operation, it would not do to put it through tho IU-stamper battery now at work, on the Golden Cross aoction of tho mine, more especially when there is very much better ore to operate on. In the battery level operations have for the present been suspended, although tho lode at this point has been extensively opened up, having been driven on for a length of 520 feet, the course of the lode being generally northeast anil south-west. Sloping was also carried on for 100 feat, and (ho ore was worth £6 por ton, but as it got poorer going into the hill work has been discontinued on it for the present. A promising-looking now reef, found at this level, did not meet expectations, and the assays, not being satisfactory, its development was deferred until the future plan of operations enables the management to devote more timo to it. Having thus referred to the actual operu tions in progress on tho reefs at present, I may now explain the works in progress, and the scheme of future development of this vast and important property. To begin then at Corbott's level, a main engine shaft has boon startod, It is 14 foet by 7 feet clear of timbers, and is already down 60 feet. It will be continued to a depth of 120 feet, to what is known as tho kilns level, which will afford 100 feet of backs on the lodo. Suitable machinory has been ordered, and tho boiler— fine multitubular—is already on the ground, and land is being excavated around the shaft, for the requisite buildings and appliancos. At felio kilns level a crosscut is going through country to connect with thooncinoshaft.and it i* already in a distanceof '2'!'.lfeot, but there still remains 680 foot to drive, Lofore the shaft and drive are in communication. Of course the sinking of tho shaft will bo continued, to meet what will ultimately be the main level, and to which J shall presently refer, bub when tho shaft and kilns drivo are connected, all quartz will bo sent out through the adit, anil tho water from the shaft will only be pumped to this height. With the excoption of the ore reserved for treatment at tbe Cross 10 stamper mill, the remaind will be forwarded on a ground tramway to the mouth of tho low lovel tunnel, a mile and a quarter distant, and tlienco to the battery (on tho old Waitekauri battery site), a further distance of two miles and a-half, to the kilns above the battery. The intention is, when the main lovel connects with the shaft, that tho whole of the creek, after being used as a motive power at the present battery, on tho mine, will bo sent down through tho shaft to tho main level, which, giving a fall of 300 feet, will prove an effective force for driving pumping or other machinery. Tho main level is itself a huge undertaking. It will be more than a mile in longth —the actual longth from tho mouth to tho shaft being (5200 feet, or 6400 feot to tho reef. It is seven feet high, six feet wide on the floor, and five feet on tho roof, so that horses can be used in it if necessary. That was tho idea of Mr, T, H. Russoll when the work was first projected by him, and it is being given effect to. Tho wator-'-ace for the now battery will commence at the mouth of tho new low levol. It will be fivo feet wide, t wo feet and a-half doep, giving 190 feot of fall. Tho old battery has been dismantled as it is to bo replaced by an entirely new plant of 40 head of stampers weighing 10001b each, and equipped with a cyanido plant of 19 vats, each 22 foot G inches inside diameter. The excavations necessary to provide for these vats aro in a forward stage, and are being pushed on vigorously under the instructions and direction of Mr. Purchas, the company's general manager, while 'dr. Moore, tho mino manager, devotes his attention to the mining operations. GIiACE DARLING AND PORTSEA. These two mines being under the control of one manager may, I think, bo treated together, more especially as there havo been no recont discoveries in either of them, and tho works in both aro on a limited scale. In tho Grace Darling there aro only four mon employed putting up rises to tho surface, one to be used as a base of operations for stoping should tho ore prove payablo, and as a mullock pass to fill the stopes. Another has boon started south of the flatsheeb in the crosscut) at the same levol. At this level tho Grace Darling reef has been altogether opened for a longth of 300 feet (the level from which the oro already treated lias been mined). Its course is somewhat wesb of north, and taken generally ib would give an average width of 4 or 5 feob of ore, but in one section it almost disappeared. It became broken up and almost disappeared north of tho ground worked out for the crushings, but 40 feot further on ib made again as a compact, solid lode, regaining its old size of 5 feet, and this width it maintains in the north riso at a hoight of 20 feet above the level. The manager informs mo thai ho intends to fix passes and arrange for a supply of quartz, but nothing can now be done before the termination of tho holidays. The battery is just standing as I last saw it, and there are no alterations. The l'ortsoa people are sinking on the Grace Darling reef from tho Upper level. Ab the starting point there was a conglomerate mass of quartz from 20 to 25 foet wide, caused by the junction ol two lodes, and tho winze was started on the hangingwall side, Tho winze is down 30 feet, There was fair class oro to start on, but nothing is yet known about its quality in the lower lovel. Tho second winze is down 30 foet, and the reef is a well-defined body about 4 feot 6 inches, and portions of ib the manager informed mo, carried nice gold. There aro 72 feot of backs between the two levels, and from the upper level to the surface the depths would vary from 15 to 50 feet, There aro now about 30 tons of ore ready for treatment, when a suitablo opportunity offers. JUBILEE. The Jubilee mine, which, in a great measure, owos its present existence to the persistent endeavours of Mr. Kersey Cooper to revive the prestige of the district, and dovolop the resources of an important soction of the gold Hold, is now under the control of Mr. Raithby, as general supervisor, but Mr, W. Christie

has charge of raining o|Wrations. The newest development in the mine was the discovery ot a new lode three feet thick, and following the general course of tho reef system of the district N.E. and S.W., bub contrary to the general rulo it underlies to the west. It lias been driren on already for a length ot 50 feet, and I am informed ib assays well, bub no crushing will bo started at the battery before the cyanide planb is completed. Meanwhile the new low level of the Jubilee has been started from the north side of tho spar overlooking tho Waitokauri township at a level which will give 300 feet of backs under the existing lowest level of tho mine known as the Home level, and put in from the same side of the range. In _ the now level a reef, supposed to be the main Waitekauri reef, was (flowed for a length of 50 feet or thereabouts, but at this point a slido intervened, and the quartz was cut out. Then the course of tho_ level was altered to east and west with a view to pick up the lode again, but it has not been reached yet, although the drive is now in 500 foot, and at the face it is 900 feob I vertically under the outcrop of the reef. No proper working plan of this extensive mine has over been prepared, long as the property has been beforo the public, bub Mr. Adams is now preparing a survey plan and details of the whole mine, which will enable tho managers to decide on a proper basis of operations, and to define the position of the roof. This, I may say, is a drive which is being put in for the public bonefit, as well as in the interest of the Jubilee Company, and the Government subsidise it by contributing £750 towards tho cost. No subsidy will accrue until after 1000 feot of driving, but at least 3000 feet will have to bo driven before tho main lode need be looked for. Mr. Christie has sunk a winze on the Home level directly under the winze on the old Waitekauri lode, but when a depth of 30 feet was readied he was beaten out with water. Tho lode was four feet wide and auriferous, but tho best ore is on the hangingwall, where, for a width of 18 inches, it assayed for £3 to £5 a ton. Tho only otlior mine working in tho district at present is that managed by Mr. Seever, in which a prospecting drive is going to intersect a reef found in the ground on tho surfaeo.