MINING NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14336, 5 April 1910, Page 3

MINING NEWS.

THAMES DEEP LEVELS.

THE COVENANT DEED. ONE SIGNATURE REQUIRED. ,L

Ox being interviewed by a Herald representative concerning the outcry at Thames regarding the non-starting of the Thames deeu levels scheme, Mr. C. Hudson, a membo* of the Thames Deep Levels Board of' Management,, held out hopes of an early commencement • being made with,-this important undertaking. " The position," he .said, "is that we are waiting for two companies to in their contributions. • The reason for these companies not having paid in their amounts up to the present is because the deed of covenant, embodying the agreement with the Minister for Mines, has not been signed by .all the Companies concerned. The, draft deed having been initialled bv all the companies affected, the deed itself was drawn up, and this has now been signed bv all the companies, with the exception of the May Queen Company. I understand that there is nothing in the way of the May Queen Company signing the deed, and that the signature of its representative will be attached in the course, of a few days. When this has been done we can expect the outstanding contributions to be paid in to the Board, that being the understanding, and when the amounts have been received the work, for which the necessary preliminary arrangements have been made, will be undertaken. Provided the deed of covenant is.signed, and that the outstanding contributions arc paid in, the Board-will meet on Monday next, to make final arrangements for starting the work." ' ' \ 's OLD HAURAKI. ; \ ■ / LATEST DEVELOPMENTS.;:;' , [lit TKLEUttAPH. —OWN CORIIKSPOXIJENT.J Cohomaxdel, Monday. In the rise above the intermediate drive J in the Old Hauraki mine, at the point I where the specimen stone was won, gold is showing about 12in in length, and from lin to 3in in width. Rising is proceeding, and a further breaking down should take place this week. At the 400 ft level, at the point where the first gold was found, rising was commenced to-day, all the necessary timbering having been completed. In the seaward face, on the new reef, the lode is. over 2f.t in width. There is a strong flow;- of water here. ,' . ' •.,«,'■' ';- 3 '. :H; The manager of the Old Hauraki mine, Coromandel, reporting for the week ended April 1, states: — '■'•/ -' ' ~; , : . . ' 400 ft Level.—New reef :. Advanced 4ft; total from rise, 52ft. The reef has opened out to about 2ft in width, and is very wet. Green Harp Reef: Advanced sft ;, total, from rise. 49ft. The reef took a sudden turn to the right, but is making on its course again. ~""' , ' ~ Rise No. 2: The timbering -is completed, and rising will be commenced to-morrow. -\ Intermediate Drive : The leading stope wcs' advanced Bft; total from rise, 22ft. - The reef in the back of the stope is from 3in to lOin in width, and is well mineralised. > .* Vt Rise: Advanced 4ft. The reef is from lin to 6in in width, and gave 601b of specimen stone. Gold is showing in the back of the rise. ' '"-■ ""■ Bunker's Intermediate:- Advanced 4ft; total, 30ft. No change to report. * . ''"''v 300 ft Level. New reef Advanced 6ft; total, 55ft. The reef is small and the country hard. . '••'. 220 ft Level (to locate new reef): Driving will bo commenced in a day or two. Crushing: Crushed 50 tons goneral dirt and 2801b of specimen stone for 2680z of retorted gold. '■'',/[ ■'•. WAIOTAHI. % The manager- of the Waiotabi mine reports for the past week as follows:— • ' No. 6 Lovcl: The stopes on the dropper arc in progress, and good colours of gold arc seen. No. 5 Level: The sixth stope on the Cure reef west of the rise is being continued as usual. The reef is about 9in wide, and good dabs of gold have been - seen during the week. Intermediate Level: No work has been done here during the week. No. 4 Level: The stopes on the hangingwall leader aro in progress, and occasionally good colours of gold aro seen. The rise on the main reef is up 25ft from the back of the stopes, or 42ft from the back of the level. The small stringer, which is from half-an-inch to an inch in width, is now going up on the bangingwall of the main reef, and has shown colours ; gold The quartz in the hangingwall portion of tho main reef is carrying a little, bright mineral, but is now more of a mullocky character. . -■ ;.-.. The Mary Ann No. 2 level crosscut is in. 289 ft from the shaft. , \ : >;'.'•- : \ /' The battery is now idle owing to . the break down in the county water-race.' , MISSOURI. . The manager of the .Missouri mine telegraphed as follows yesterday:"Missouri reef has opened out to full width of rise, showing payable prospects. Forwarding samples to town for assay." NOTES. In the Pride of Tokatea mine work is pro-' ceeding in the different faces, but there is no improvement in the ore being broken. The crosslodo in the rise over the smithy lovel maintains its size and kindly appearance. The new lode at tho smithy level is at present disturbed, and does not prospect as well as formerly. At the low level favourable country is being broken, but nothing of value has been met with.

No. 1 level in the Tairua Gem mine has boon advanced 20ft, making the' total distance driven 222 ft. The country being penetrated is a very superior class of brown sandstone, with quartz and silica veins in strong evidence. The Cave reef should be to hand in approximately another 60ft of driving. This should only take about four weeks or thereabouts, and should the present class of country continue it is hoped that payable values may be met with.

According to the manager of the> Royal Oak mine, a start has been made to open out westwards from near the bottom of the winze, and a marked improvement has taken place in the ore which has been broken. Some of the quartz taken on Thursday showed colours and narrow streaks of gold. '• I have every reason ," says the manager, " to believe from present indications that before driving many feet the lode will increase in size, and gold will be produced in greater quantity."

At tho Tairiia Golden Hills mine the contractors extending the low level crosscut are making excellent, progress, the total distance driven having reached 952 ft. A further 200 ft of driving will bring this work vertically under the lode at No. 3 level. The distance from thence to the intersection of No. 1 lode should not be trreat, as, from the available data, the lode does not show any great underlie. The country driven throiigii is of an excellent class, being well oxidised. Crushing has been temporarily suspended for a few days, pending the installation of a mechanical agitator.

The manager of the Handsworth United mine reports that the leading stope is now along 70ft south and 40ft north of th* main pass, whore the winze came through to the low level, and a little gold can still be seen in the north end. In the south end the lead is ud against a flinty reef, but appears to be cutting, right through it. No. 2 stope has been beaten along 35ft north and 42ft south of the main pass, and is still oroducing good dirt. About 121b of specimen stone came to hand for the week. In the Otama section tho low level has been extended 32ft. The lead is still small, but shows visible gold in the stone, which is being saved for treatment.

In the stopos above the intermediate level in the New Waitaia mine the reef is 9in wide, showing nice dabs of gold, and prospects well. Stoping off the rise south of the slide at No. 5 level, about 10ft of reef is stripped, and hangs up well. The reef looks strong here, and gold can be seen at one point at the bottom of the stope. Driving is being continued north at the intermediate level. The reef dipping east is striking another (probably No. 5) dipping west, near the back of the drive. Ine manager expects to meet with the slide in this drive at any time now. The contractors have still good country in the low level, 'having driven 20ft for the past »e»i'