MINING NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13453, 1 June 1907, Page 3

MINING NEWS.

GOLD RETURNS. RECORD MONTHLY YIELD. Tjie gold returns from the goldfields the Auckland district for the month of May, \ just concluded, amounted to £188,489 7s, but some small parcels bring the aggregate up to £188,509 7s. -These figures .constitute a record for a monthly period, but this has been brought about by the fact that from three of the large bullion producers of the dktrict (Waihi, Talisman, and'Graud Junction), two returns have been ■ received between May 2 and May 30. The second return to come to hand from these mines accounts for a total of £74,554. Of the aggregate amount, Ohinemuri district contributed £165,723 12s 3d, Thames £21,975 17s lid, and Coromandel ; £809 16s lOd.. The individual returns are as: follow: — OHINEMURI. '■ Waihi, 27,655 tons ... ' ... * £64,010 0 0 Waihi, 28,382 tons ... v ...... 64,196 0 0 Grand Junction, 3442 tons ... 7,955 12 3 Grand Junction, i 866 tons , ... 6,400 0 0 Komata Keels, 2260 tons ... ... 3,526 0 0 Komata Beefs, 2150 tons ... ' ... 3,958 0 0 Talisman, 4136 tons ... ... 11,345 0 0 Crown, 1813 tons ... ... ... 4,333 0 0 Total Ohinemuri district ...£165,723 12 3 THAMES. Waiotahi, 1407 tons, 8551b picked stone ... ... ... ... ... £19,272 8 2 Southern Queen, 201b. ore, 261b picked stono ...... ... i 65 2 9 May Queen", 312 tons (interim) ... 322 0 0 Kuranui, 15 tons ...•...'... 110 0 0 Watchman. 2 tons (trial) ... 6 7 0 Tairua Broken Hills, 550 tons ... 1,800 0 0 Golden Belt, 220 tons ... ... 400 0 0 Total Thames district ... £21,975 17 11 . . COKOMANDEL. Royal Oak, i ton ore, 26f13b ; picked stone, and parcel ... £693 5 9 Old Haurald, 3 tons, etc. ... ... 100 0 0 Monte Christo, small parcel ... 8 11 1 Golden Hill, 17cwt ... ... ... 8.0 0 Total Coromandel district ■~.. £809 16 10 .".-, SUNBEAM. ' The manager reports that during the last week the stamps .worked 122 hours, and crushed 40 tons of ore, producing 450z of amalgam and 1 ton' scwt of concentrates, of an average value of £21 Is 3d per ton. The amalgam on hand amounts to 5400z, and concentrates to Id tons. - -''.. ' Reporting on development work, under date May 29, the manager says that stoping operations over the back of No. 1 level has been carried on as uistial the second stope is now beaten along for a distance of 200 ft, and ,the ■: third stope taken out for a length of 40ft. The whole of the ore broken . from these stopes is being sent to the mill, and the value of the ore is slightly lower than that crushed during the previous week. The contractors made a start with the driving of No. 2 level west on May 30. : ■

PRIDE OF WAIHI. The annual meeting of shareholders of the Pride of Waihi Gold Mining Company, fixed for yesterday, lapsed on account o*f the small attendance. The report drawn up by the directors states that ■■ as the operations in the Waihi Extended mine were not sufficiently far advanced at the expiration of the last period of protection over the Waihi Beach, the directors of the latter were unable to decide upon a scheme of operations, and therefore secured a further six months' protection. This will expire in July next, when it is hoped, now that the Waihi Extended have met with the reef they have been driving for in their ' low level, that the Waihi! Beaoh directors will be in a position to formulate some scheme for developing the property. The balance-sheet shows receipts, including a balance of £542 lis lid, to amount to £550 19s lid, and expenditure £53 13s 2d, leaving a credit of £497 6s 9d. . ' '■ NEW SYLVIA. The manager of the New Sylvia mine reports, under date May 9, that he has passed through the hard bar previously reported, and has got into country of a firm nature, which is good for blasting. The men employed have made very good headway. ; ; ; COPPER MINING. THE MAHARAHARA COMPANY. Mr. A. G. Barnard, one of the directors of this company, has just returned from a visit to the property, where, in company with Mr. J. C. Macky, another director, he spent six days inspecting the mine and workings. Messrs. Barnard and Macky express themselves highly pleased with all they saw, and much impressed with the possibilities of the mine. In his report to the directors Mr. Barnard says : —First we inspected the two outcrops, 200 ft above the No. 1 level. There has been no. work done on these lodes since the 6 tons 3cwt 171b of ore was taken out for shipment to Melbourne for treatment. The work done there has exposed a large body of good ore. No. 1 level: No work has been done here since cleaning up, as it was considered advisable by .Mr. Shepherd,- the supervisor, to proceed with the requirements of the No. 2 level. We had a shot put in the lode in No. 1 level, which brought down a large j quantity of good, high-grade, -payable'ore, showing copper freely, and well mineralised. This lode is 9ft 6in wide, and has been driven on.3oft, leaving good ore underfoot and overhead full width of the ; drive. There has been a drive put in from No. 1 lode for 30ft, through good limestone country. There the big lode, No. 2, has been intersected, and cut for 55ft. This i lode is riot so high a grade as No. 1, bear- j

ing from 11 to 5i per cent, copper. Much cannot be said about this lode at present, until cut in the low level, which* will prove if the lode, continues, and also its value. Should this lode improve in' the lower level, which from indications we have every reason to believe it will, there' will be '400 ft or" backs, which means an enormous quantity of ore to be treated. No. 2 level: This level is in 6Coft; the lode is 13ft wide, and looking well. We also had a shot put in this lode, and brought samples to be assayed. Underfoot on this lode is where • the stone came from which assayed 48 per cent, bornite copper, 3oz silver, and l*oz gold. There is a large,quantity of water making underfoot on this lode", which is a good indication of valuable ore bodies. The new drive, now being continued, is in over 30ft. and should intercept No. 1 lode in about 40it. Then a start will be made to drive lor No. 2 lode. Now air pipes are connected and working satisfactorily, good progress should be made. The manager's cottage, office, and assay-room are just about completed, and the timber is being cut' for the men's cottage. The weather has delayed progress in all outside work, but next week should see everything completed. The grant of £200, made by the Government towards the improvement of the track to the mine, Will be of great assist* • ance to us, as at present everything has to be packed. ; "

ANTIMONY MINING,, ; , FAVOURABLE PROSPECTS AT RUSSELL. With the substantial advance in the market value of antimony during recent years, brought about principally by the "many uses to which the metal is now being put to advantage, attention is being directed to the development of the country where antimony is found to be outcropping. An Auckland syndicate, has taken up 173 acres of freehold land, situated about 12 miles from Russell, and with Mr. J. F. Goldsworthy as manager, and a staff of seven men, have during the last two and a-half months carried out considerable development work on the property, resulting in a, fair-sized quantity of sulphides and oxides of antimony being obtained. 'This, the first shipment, has been forwarded London for sale. In the course of a chit with Mr. Goldsworthy yesterday, a Herald representative secured some details of the work done, and what the company has in view. So far two lodes have been proved to exist, but' up to the present operations have been confined to . No. 2 lode, on which a level (No. 1) has been extended seven fathoms. Of that distance five and a-half fathoms is on payable lode, the present face showing 18m; in width, and composed' of a pronounced body of gossan of a very favourable description. No. 2 level has been extended 14 fathoms sft, the first 7£ fathoms carrying a strong payable lode, consisting principally of cupel quartz, iron, and oxides and" sulphides of antimony.. For 5£ fathoms the lode is small and poor, but it"has improved in the last few feet,; being now 2|ft wide and carrying a band each-of sulphide and oxide of antimony of a payable character. While no development work has been done on No. 1 lode, its appearance, where seen on the surface, indicates that rich metal will be obtained as the drives are opened out on it. - - -' - - ' -

, "It is the intention of: the syndicate to continue Nos. 1 and 2 levels on No. 2 lode, to bring in a, water-race for dressing purposes, and to erect a Cornish mill and. Blake crusher, together with jiggers and screens, the plant being capable of treating from 10 to 14 tons of ore per day; of eight, hours. -Thev syndicate has also cleared creeks and erected a wharf capable of holding 15 tons of ore. ■■ < • Mr. Goldsworthy, says the prospects',; so far as can be seen, are very promising indeed. The lodes are. strong, and. the surface shows' antimony in numerous places, and he has no doubt that when opened out below, good and payable quantities of the metal will be found.: The mine is easily worked, as from the low level backs can be obtained for fully 270 ft, so that pumping operations will not be necessary for a considerable time to come. The lodo has been traced for fully one and a-half miles through' the property. The 'March quotation for reguius antimony was from £104 to £108 per ton, and star antimony is valued at about £130 rjer ton.

SOUTHERN DREDGING RETURNS. ,' [Is\- TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION. ] ' DuNEiiiN, Friday. .-;■. The following dredging returns have been received: Koputai, 630z 4dwt; Mystery Flat, 540z 6dwt; Muddy Creek, sloz 7dwt; Electric No. 1.,. 40oz 4dwt; Ma*terton, 350z; Chicago, 30oz 14dwt; Waikaia/ 290z 2dwt; Central Charlton, 260z lldwt; Hartley and Riley, 20oz 16dwt; '\ MolyneauxKohinoor, , 20oz 3dwt; Kura, 17oz 17dwi; Garden Gully, 16oz 18dwt; Electric No. 11., 14oz5dwt; Charlton Creek, 14oz. .'.••.' MINE MANAGERS'' REPORTS. May Queen Extended (May'- 28) On the ' Rocky Point reef (west) we have driven sft past the junction of the Adelaide west branch and Rocky , Point reef and have seen strong colours of gold at each breaking down, though not eo freely as at the junction, where, I am of opinion, there is good ore overhead.- lam therefor^suspending .operations in the = face for the present and starting a rise on the junction - mentioned. Thi3 work will be started to-morrow (the 29th).. In the Vise on the west Adelaide branch a stope has been carried forward to the main break, the quarts'. being much stronger, but not up to expectations in value. Rising for another etope is in hand and the leader looks : well enough to improve in value at. any moment. There are fully 20 tons of ore on hand from the Rocky Point "reef, but I am endeavouring to get on to ore of richer value before crushing. . , ' " :