MINING NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14867, 19 December 1911, Page 5

MINING NEWS.

WAIHI GRAND JUNCTION. LOW LEVEL DEVELOPMENT. / [by telegraph.—-own correspondent. * I Waihi, Monday. As the opening-up of the Grand Junction mine at i\o. 6 level is now being energetically proceeded with, a Herald representative interviewed the assistant-super-intendent (Professor Jarman) on the results so far disclosed, and accompanied him on an inspection of the principal working faces underground. Touching on the position generally, Mr. Jarman said that whilst much remained to be done in • the shape of the development of the reef system at the bottom level before a definite statement Could be made, a comparison of tho widths and values of the crushing material exposed by winzing and operations to date' at No. 6 level, with the results in the corresponding section of grouaid at No. 5 level, made it quito clear that the mine had materially improved with depth. 1' rom the shait to the toot wall, of the j Lmpiro Reef at Wo. o level, the main 1 south-east crosscut had passed through about Z2it ol pay ore, the remaining : quartz exposed being white and lowgrade, whereas in driving to the same point at No. 6 level, just upon 40ft of crushing dirt had been intersected, and the indications were that with depth the ; poorer material in evidenc© overhead was ! oecommg mineralised and carrying values. ; It was also worthy of note that the country rock at tho low level was of the right' description. With stronger and. better ■ mokes of ore coming in at depth tho management looked forward with confidence to an im- ■ provement in tho valuo per ton of the ore crushed compared with that handled in the past, and with the completion of tho additional filter plant at the mill, about the end of January, to a further increase in the tonnage treated. . During the underground inspection the east and wgst faces on the Dominion, the Republic (69ft south of shaft), and the footwall section of the Empire reef were visited, and with the exception 'of the west end of the Dominion (where tho drive has evidently gone off the values), all faces were showing ore of good milling grade. As the result of temporary congestion the advancement of the'southeast crosscut has been stopped meantime, but driving will bo resumed immediately after the holidays. Assuming that : the management make for the nearest point, the Royal reef should be cut about 600 ft, south of the present face, ami directly under No. 9 winze from No. 5 level. At 80ft down this winze showed 47ffc of mineral ore, worth between £3 and £4 per ton. On tho north side of tho shaft a crosscut is being thrown out to intersect tho Martha and Amy lodes, and has been advanced about 80ft through a favourable class of country rock. A more westerly course is being followed at No. 5 level, and about 100 ft of driving should bring the crosscut into touch with . the Martha reef under the point where a short run of payable ore was met with overhead. The sinking of the main shaft for No. 7 level and of the new shaft on the south-east portion of the company's property will also be put in hand after the holidays. THE MONTHLY REPORT. A report of tho work done at the Waihi Grand Junction mine during the fourweekly period ending November 4 states: —No. 4 Level: At No. 1 rise on Mary lode, tho reef is 37in wide, worth 18s 6d. No. 5 Level : Empire lode, No. 18 winze has been sunk a total depth 831 ft, width of reef 33in, worth £4 Os lOd per ton. Crosscut, at 70ft was extended 3ft, proving full width of lode at this depth to bo 30in wide, worth £6 14s lid. No 4 Winze Sunk total depth, 80£ ft, width 33in, worth £1 17s id. No. 3 Winze : Sunk total depth 102£ ft, width 42in, worth £3 7s Bd. Royal Lode: No. 10 winze Bunk total depth 81ft, width 35in, worth £1 13s Bd. No. 7a Winze : Sunk total 86ft, width 25in, worth £2 Bs. Crosscut ,at 50ft. Put in j 17ft,, shows 156 in of a, mixture of quartz and country, assaying £1 lie Id. Crosscut at 43ft, put in 6ift, disclosed the lode &iffc wide., worth £1 16s 3d. No. 9 winze is- partly in footwall country; 42in width of ore assayed £1 12s Yd. George Extension, No. 1 Winze: Started at a point 10ft west of crosscut has been sunk 12£ ft; 44in' wide, 'assaying £3 12s 4d. No. 6 Level: In excavating the south chambers tho footwall of the Dominion lode, was exposed, for a length of 30ft, for a width of 60in, assays on this length and width averaged £4 14s. South-east crosscut has been put in 63ft ; at 19ft the Dominion lode 1 was cut through, proving its width at this point 96in, averaging £2 17s. Dominion Lodo : West drive advanced' ll£ft; width of reef of 54in, worth £4 14s 7d. Royal Lode : At 70ft above tho level from 30ft to 100 ft east of No. 9 winze, showed values of £1 3s 3d.

WAIOTAHI. The manager of the Waiotahi Gold Mining "Company reports for the week as follows:— 7 level: The drive on the cross reef has been in progress, the face being now in a total distance of 227 ft from the chamber, leaving approximately a further distance of 25ft to drive to intersect the footwall dropper. Another break has now come in, which has again displaced the cross reef. The country is of a favourable character for gold, but none has been eeen during the week." NEW SYLVIA. The manager of the New Sylvia mine, Thames, reports (hat at the battery level two stopes are going between No. 2 and No. 3 rises, and the reef maintains its size and looks well. Two stopes are in progress between No. 3 and No. 4 rises, and a steady supply of ore is coining to "hand. One stope is going on the crossreef, and the reef is of fair value. NOTES. At the New Success mine, Coromandel, some very nice-looking quartz has been broken down. It was heavily charged with minerals, but no gold has been seen. A report from the Seddon mine, Waiorongomai, states that the main reef maintains its former size and appearance, and carries nice minerals. The reef recently met with shows eomo nice minerals, but no visible gold. The manager of the Hauraki Reefs mine, Coromandel, reports that the Hauraki north reef averages 6in in width, and strong colours and blotches of gold were seen in the quartz broken. In the Golconda reef no gold has been seen in the quartz. At No. 4 reef, 400 ft level, a few colours of gold were seen in the quartz.