MINING NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15123, 14 October 1912, Page 5

MINING NEWS.

DOMINION.

HEAVY FLOW OF WATER.

Tuf. manager of the Dominion mine, Karangahake. telegraphed on Saturday :— " Tapped a very heavy (low of water ah low level. Work will be discontinued until it, eases off,"

OCCIDENTAL

SOME BRIGHT PROSPECTS.

[BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

Thames, Saturday,? Continuous work has been carried on during the past year from the 70ft; level on the Occidental'and now reefs, but work at present is principally confined to the latter. This lode, which appears to bo a, branch off from the former, was first discovered by the present manager (Mr. Oasely) striking away from the main reef on the footwaJl side. On its being driven on the prospects met with were of such a promising nature as to .induce the management to .suspend operations on the main reef for the time and devote, their energies to the development of the new one, seeing that it offered greater possibilities from the fact that as far as was known no work had previously been done on it in any part of the mine. A distance of about 200 ft was therefore driven on it southwards from the Junction, and a block of this, for a length of about 100 ft, is now being sloped with profitable results. The lode averages from 6iu to a foot in thickness, and shows strong dabs of gold at each breaking down, and parcels of picked stone are secured from time to time which materially contribute towards the good returns obtained from the periodical crushings from these workings. The total amount of ore crushed from these stopes since February is 160 loads, for the very satisfactory return of £5158.' A winze is also being sunk below the level on the same lode, and this is now clown about 30ft. the load being a full foot in thickness, and has shown good gold all. the way down so far. There is. therefore, every prospect of another good block being opened up below the present workings, i

THAMES DEEP LEVELS. [BY teleghafh.—-own correspondent.] Thames, Saturday. Work in the face of the main deep levels crosscut is still at a standstill, pending the arrival of the Government diamond drill. In the meantime the Victoria crosscut is being proceeded with, a further distance of 57ft having been driven during the past fortnight, making a total distance of 222ffc from the mam crosscut. The present face is now directly under the Waiotahi main shaft. The country is still of a close-grained nature, and quite dry.

MAY QUEEN. [BY telegraph.—own correspondent.] Thames, Saturday. Operations in the May Queen mine are now confined to the development of the low levels. The drive on the Exchange reef westward from the main crosscut is being continued for the purpose of making a connection, with the. workings from the south crosscut on the same reef. ' A small break has been passed through during the week, which has had the effect, of heaving the reef to the right of its original course._ The reef has now been picked up again beyond the break, which appears to have had a beneficial effect on it, as the quartz being broken has improved in appearance, and is now showing some good strong dabs of gold. The stoping operations on. the Exchange reef on the eastward side of the main crosscut are being continued, and are still producing ore of payable quality.

WAIOTAHI. General repairing works to the Mary Ann shaft and the various levels have been in hand during the past week, and are now about completed. A start will be made on Monday to drive on the footwall dropper at the No. 7 level towards the point of junction with the main reef. The water is still standing in the main shaft, and does not appear to he inclined to drain away at present., notwithstanding the fact that the Victoria crosscut is now right beneath it. This, no doubt, is owing to the exceptionally closer nature of the surrounding country which will not allow the water to drain through it.

DREDGING RETURNS. [BZ telegraph. PßESS association.] DcxEDrx, Saturday. The following dredging returns are to hand:Waikaka United. No. 1, 19oz for 132 hours; Rise and Shine, 320z for 135 hours; Rising Sun, 38oz odwt for 129 hours; Waikaia, 220z 6dwt; Masterton 20oz 9dwt. MOUNT LYELL RETURNS. Br Telegraph.—Prefs Association.—Copyright. MiruiourtN'E, October 12. Mount Lyell mine returns from September 5 to October 2 (inclusive) show that 26,443 tons of ore were treated, and also eight tons of purchased ore. The converters produced 562 tons of blister copper, containing 556,0000z of copper, 26.2250z of silver, and 7430z of gold.