THE GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13306, 12 October 1906, Page 3

THE GOLDFIELDS.

WATOTAHI. ' 2icwr OF ' PICKED, STONE "FROM No. 5 STOPE. The secretary of the Waiotahi Gold Mining Company (Mr. G. S. Killing) has received the following telegram from the mine manager:—"Selected 2£cwt of picked stone from the fifth stope above No. 5 level." [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN* CORRESPONDENT.] u > Thames, Thursday. The workings at the different levels of the Waiotahi mine are being vigorouslypushed on, with no material change for the week, and a, steady supply of. payable, ore is being obtained from the various stopes and drives, sufficient to keep both batteries running steadily full time. In the Cure section at No. 6 level the western drive on the Cure reef has been temporarily discontinued, owing to the lightness of the air, and to remedy this a rise has been commenced over the main crosscut, to connect with the drive from the No. 5 level of the Mary Ann shaft. ' The second stope above the level on this lode is still being carried along westward, and is producing good quality ore with occasionally a little picked stone. At No. 5 level work has been resumed in the eastern face of the drive on the main reef, and there is a, large body of quartz in the face, which is lying very flat. The fifth stope has been commenced during the week from the No. 1 winze eastward on the run of gold, and this has produced about 4cwt of picked stone for the week, and also a, quantity of rich mineral ore. The only work in progress at No. 4 level is the carrying along of the stopes westward, which are still giving satisfactory results, the ore coming to hand from them being of good payable quality. Everything is working satisfactorily at the new cyanide plant, a portion of "which is now in full work, and turning out up to expectation. MAORILAND. SLIMES TREATMENT PLANT. [BY TEI.EGRArH.— CORRESPONDENT.] •Waihi, Thursday. The directors of the Maoriland Gold Mining Company at Waitekauri have decided to add a slimes treatment plant to the battery recently slatted, and until the work is completed the battery will be at a standstill. Consequently the return will not be available until the whole of the ore crushed is brought to the final stages of treatment. The manager of the battery (Mr. J. R. Noble) reports as follows: The total time worked by the stamps has been 15 days, during which they crushed 138 tons, being a little over nine tons per day. The total amount of ore crushed to date is 138 tons, which (with the exception of a few tons crushed recently and not yet assayed) shows an average value of £2 14s per ton, being a total value of £372 12s. From this amalgam was obtained valued at £97. and there are in various stages of cyanide treatment 88 tons of sand, valued at £138 4s. There is also stored in one of the sand vats 14 tons of slimes, assaying £2 13s per ton, and'having a total value of £37 2s. There has been a steady rise in the value of the ore milled, the last complete charge (37 tons) assaying £3 2s per ton, a value which leaves a good margin of profit. The 138 tons of ore crushed has resulted in the production of 50 tons of slimes, valued at £137 Bs, which, if not treated, means a loss of nearly £1 per ton on the whole tonnage crushed. This, of course, would be ruinous, and in accordance with instruct tions the erection of a slimes treatment plant has been Commenced, and is being pushed on with all possible speed. In the meantime the slimes being produced are being stored in some of the sand vats, the number of vats available for the treatment of the sand being thus reduced. The .stamps cannot be run for a time, but can" crush another 90 tons of ore, and at the same time the slimes can be saved, and by this time the slimes plant should be "In working order. There is on hand 1720z of squeezed amalgam, valued at £97.'' WAIHI CONSOLIDATED. [BY TELEGRAPH.OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Waihi, Thursday. A start was made this afternoon pumping from 250 ft, and the large pump is now to be .installed at the bottom of the shaft. When the water is reduced sufficiently to allow the sinking of the shaft to'be resumed tlie work will be undertaken. Tw,* shifts will probably be engaged on this work at the beginning of next week. The new boiler recently installed is working satisfactorily, and is economising the consumption of fuel. MINE MANAGERS' REPORTS. New Bunker's Hill (October 8): To-day we intersected another pug formation, about 2iu in width, which I think must be the hanging-wall leader of the lona reefit in of » most promising nature. This was not intersected in the ripe. In about two weeks from this date, if the country continues to keep the same, 1 expect to have out the shaft, and then 1 will bo in the position to place the men to prospect the moat likely places for gold. Wnilii Beach (October 10): the drive north on the reef has been extended 19ft for the week, making 695 ft from the main crosscut. The reef in the face is still split up, with trains of mullock through it'. Waihi Extended (October 6): For the week lift have been sunk in the main shaft, making 52ft below No. 3 chamber. The country lias been hard for progress, but yesterday a little improvement was noticeable, easier ground coming in. No. 1 winze lias been sunk a further sft, making 81ft. We still hove the footwall exposed and no hangingwall in sight. The reef here appears to he over 4ft in width and portions of the lode lookvery promising, the stone on the whole being of a more kindly appearance than higher up (be winze.