MINING NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13938, 21 December 1908, Page 5

MINING NEWS.

KAPANGA TRIBUTERS. A RETURN OF £35. The Kapanga tributers (Martin Brothers) have crushed a small parcel of stone- for a return of 12oz of gold, with about £55. VICTORIA. [BY telegraph.—own correspondent.] Thames, Saturday. A rather unaccountable rise has taken place in the shares of the Victoria Company during the week, and rumours are current that important developments have taken place in the mine. These, however, aro without foundation. At No. 4 level development works are proceeding on a reef about 10ft in thickness, which was intersected in the northern crosscut (driven at this level two years Vigo), and a winze has been sunk to a depth of 28ft, but so far, although portions of the reef look favourable, no gold has been seen. It is now intended to drive a crosscut from the bottom of the winze northward to intersect a second reef cut through in the drive above. At No. 2 level a winze has been sunk below the lovel on Williams' leader to a depth of 60ft, at which point the junction of No. 2 reef was mot with, and up to where the No. 2 reef was stoped out from No. 3 level. It is, howover, intact from this point upwards, and a block is now being opened up for stoping on No. 2 reef, and Williams' leader, which, from hero upwards, are running parallel some 2ft or oft apart, and they can both be taken out from the same stope. About 60ft in length has now been opened up, and it is intended to extend this by driving an intermediate level on the*, lodes eastward from the present face, so%,hat there is every probability of the block proving a fairsized one. The height to No. 2 level is 60ft, and the prospects met with during the sinking of the winze were sufficient to warrant the belief that the block will bo payable so far as the small loader is concerned. This is the same leader from which Sayablo results have been obtained above No. 2 level during the past year. ALBURNIA. [BY TELEGRAM*.OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Thames, Saturday. During the past week the work of forming the No. 4 level in the Alburnia mine at a height of 400 ft up the main rise has been in progress, and a few days more will complete this work, after which the rise will be continued direct to connect with the bottom of the Sons of Freedom level, a distance of about 140 ft. A PROGRESSIVE COAL MINE. [BY TELEGRAPH.PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Christchurch, Saturday. The diresctors of the Westport-Stockton Coal Company returned yesterday from a visit to the mines. They express themselves as being highly pleased with the progress of the works. The plant is working well, and the production of coal is steadily increasing. More men are required for driving electric locomotives, and when these are obtained all will be in perfect order. TRANSVAAL RECORD OU — UT. According to the report of the Transvaal Chamber of Mines the total gold output of the mines of the Transvaal for the month of October, 1908, amounted to 594,0540z for the Witwatersrand district, value £2,523,3u3, and 23,69"00z for the outside districts, value £100,629—a total of 617,7440z of fine *old, and a total value of £2,624,012, being an increase of 30,1100z in weight, and £127,900 in value, as compared with the month zi September, 1908, and constitutes a record cf 29,9310z over the previous highest output. The total Transvaal profit for the year may be estimated at something like 12j millions sterling. New producers have recently entered the listthe Main Reef West, Simmer Deep, Jupiter, Cinderella Deep, West Rand Consolidated, and Aurora West out.no dividend declarations will be forthcoming from these companies for a time. On tho other hand, it is likely that one or two companies that have been productive for some considerable time, but have not been declaring dividends, will make distributions to shareholders.

DREDGING RETURNS. [BY TBLEGRArH. — ITIESS ASSOCIATION.] Duxedix, Sunday. Tho following dredging returns have been received: Golden Bed, 31oz lldwt: Otago No. 1., 230z; Otago No. 11., 15oz; Waikaka Queen, 15oz: Molyneaux Hydraulic, lk>z. NOTES. The manager of Lanigan's antimony mine reports that the reef in the main level has been very hard,' owing to a flint seam coming through the footwall, and into the reef, carrying antimony through it. There are sin of antimony showing in the hangingwall, bearing into the reef. The manager of the Tairua Leads mine reports that the crosscut has been advanced a further distance of 9ft, ' making the total distance driven 84ft. Two men have been taken out of the drive last week for a few shifts to get timber, hence the lesser distance driven. The country continues of a blue andesite, but there is more quartz intermixed with it, and from appearances it is thought a reef is being approached. The drive is all timbered up, and will bo made secure before the holidays. In the Tairua Triumph the manager reports on the 16th inst. that the drive has been extended 7ft for the week, making the total distance from the mouth of the tunnel 184 ft. The country passed through is rhyolite, rather hard for good progress, and very dry. Silica seams are occasionally met with, carrying iron pyrites, but otherwise there is no change since last report. The No. 1 winze. is down a total distance of 48ft, with no further change of country. As the water hero is getting troublesome, the men have started work in the crosscut to rise, with the object of getting a connection as early as possible.