MINING NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14231, 30 November 1909, Page 3

MINING NEWS.

WAIHI.

SINKING OF No. '\ 5 SHAFT.

[BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

Waihi, Monday. The preparatory work has been completed, and a start will bo made to-morrow morning to sink the No. 5 shaft from the 1000 ft level in the Waihi mine, with a view to opening iip at greater depth, approximately, 1150 ft from the surface. The sinking of th© shaft will occupy about six months, after which crosscutting will bo proceeded with to intersect the reef system. The Waihi Grand Junction Company will also ' commence sinking in a few dajs from No. 5 level, in order to be in a position to explore the mine at greater depth simultaneously with the opening up. of the Waihi mine at 1150 ft. _j

WAIOTAHI. The manager of the Waiotahi mine reports for the week as follows;-— _ ■ . The inspection of the boilers being completed, work in the mine and battery was resumed on Friday last. During the stoppage several necessary repairs to the machinery and plant were made. ; , . No. 4 Level: The crosscut into the mam reef from the hangingwall drive is in a distance of 19ft.. At this point we appear to have touched tho footwall of the main reef, but immediately underneath th© main quartz is a network of quartz stringers which are carrying good mineral indications, and colours of gold are seen. It is difficult yet to say what extent there is of it until further work has been done. The third stop© on the hangingwall leader is in progress, and good dabs of gold are seen. Cleaning up for the month will take place on Wednesday. - MAY QUEEN. Th© manager, of the. May Queen mine, Thames, reporting on the 26th inst., states that the gritty quartz and clay formation met with in the crosscut being driven to cut; the north-west lode in the. early part of the previous week has been cut into for about 7ft. ; It appears, he says, to be a large clay break, mixed.with flinty quartz. Stoping is proceeding as usual on th© footwall , branch of No. 4 lode, above the ' level, and the quartz being won frequently yields a little nicked stone and should be of fair grade. In the intermediate drive the hangingwall branch leader is looking very promising," and the quartz at each breaking down shows gold pretty freely. A few pounds of picked stone have been secured from it during the week. Tlie footwall branch of No. ; 4 lode going eastward is being stoped on. The leader is getting larger going upwards and the quartz is showing more gold. _ The manager of the Moanatairi section states that the rise at No. : 3 level is now up lift above the back of the level, with no change to report. NOTES. During the* past week tho drive on the Cambria reef in th© Thames mine has been advanced 15ft, the reef and country - being both of a favourable description.

In, the Tararu mine the contractors have extended No. 4 level crosscut 16ft, leaving 97ft jet to be driven to intersect the lode. Tho country rock penetrated■■ during 'tho week is a splendid class of sandstone of a congenial character, being mixed with quartz and mineral veins of a promising nature.' - ■"

The new battery for the Tairua Golden Hills , Company is now all > but * completed. ] On "Saturday a party from Auckland visited the works, and part of the machinerj was given a trial run. Everything went most satisfactorily. The battery, which is costing £15,000, will be capable of .treating 1500 tons of ore a month, the; estimated cost of mining. and treatment being £1 a ton.

At the' Champion mine, Puriri, the only work at present in hand is the 'continuation of the crosscut in the east wall of the south drive. This is noW in 20ft, but so far the men have hot met anything payable. A good flow-of water is issuing from the, face, which is generally a sign of a reef 'being in tho near vicinity, and, according to measurement, ; the men should cut the eastern branch 'in another 20ft: of driving. This branch,* says the manager, is the one that carried the best gold on the surface. The battery is now closed down, and everything has been cleared up.

The manager of the Royal Oak mine, Coromaudel, reports that during the past week in the second . stope east* from ; the winze he '■: obtained < stone, showing blotches of gold. The leader is small. In the leading stone off the j winze tho leader is also small," and at present is hot I showing gold. It is quite probable that the manager this week will resume sinking the winze, the reef there being large and in a good class of mineral country. The men have >. now cut through the, reef in No. 6 face in the main level. The reef varies from 18in to 2ft in thickness, and looks well.

According to the- manager of the '■ Old Hauraki mine, Coromandel, < the rise at tho 400 ft level has been put up r another 4ft. The reef continues to carry good»mineral indications, though no gold; has been. 4 Seen. 4: At tho 300 ft level, No; 9 : reef, the Reading stope south has been advanced 10ft. No. 1 stop© has also been advanced a similar distance, the quartz showing blotches of gold, and providing a few pieces of picked: stone. No. 2 stop© has;; been commenced, and a few colours of : gold were seen in , it. on Thursday. In the rise for the wins© on Leggc's reef 6ft . has been risen.

At the low level in the Pride of Tokatea mine, Coromandel, driving on the course of the footwall lode is being continued. Iv A more kindly class of country is being met with, and'; during the last few feet strong mineral veins have been passed through. Stoping east and west on the cross lode is in progress. The ore coming to hand from the stope west is of good quality, and up to 26th' inst. 19lb of picked stone were bagged, and gn additional 41b the following day, with strong dabs of gold left showing. At the smithy level there is no improvement in the ore. but the country is first-class, * showing strong minoral indications.

At the Phoenix and Tairua Dreadnought mino a decided change has taken place in the country rock now being penetrated. There is no pug, and the rock is more jointy, consequently better; to - break, and there are now plenty of beautiful minerals distributed through the ground. "There is no'doubt," adds the manager, "that we are entering; a -grand channel of country. Today we ; passed 'through.; a mineral vein of solid iron pyrities, just what some of the Thames people would like to see striking into a reef.; Should we ; cut the reef where I think it is, there _ only remains 54ft ;to be driven to complete < the contract and get to tho desired point. If the underlie of the lode is in a westerly direction we may, strike ;t before'the 400 ft are driven."

In the. Kuranui-Caledonian mine, Thames, the drive on Grahame's leader has been, extended 17ft. The leader is now about 3in thick, and is composed -of kindly-looking brown quartz, with patches of nice mineral hero and there. The footwall crosscut has been driven 40ft in the south side of Grahame's level, but being in a poor class of country operations on it for the present have been suspended. A crosscut ■is now being put in from the , north side to : intersect the leaders cut in the crosscut from the stopos above, , but these, after, 26ffc of driving, have not been met with. The manager says it looks as if they: do not live clown to Grahame's level. , The leader cut in the crosscut from the stdpes, in which a little gold was seen, has been driven on for 20ft with little improvement.

The contractors in the New Comstook mine have advanced. No. 2 level; 30ft for the week, making a total distance from the mouth of 190 ft. : The country is still firm and good shooting. The men are now on the company's boundary, and with , another 150 ft should be near the Victoria l reef. ' At the low level rising on the Comstock; reef has been extended 10ft. ; The reef is'still intermixed with mullock, and has been left for the present. , About 997 ft from the mouth of the; low?level a start has been made to drive on the Stirling reef, where all the water is coming-in. In the hangingwall the country at ■ the present face is . a nice blue andesite,; highly mineralised, with a small leader being driven on. This is probably, the continuation _of the Stirling reef, but with a little driving more will be known about it. ): '■'■'':■ .■■'.,■:.'".: