MINING NEWS

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15235, 24 February 1913, Page 5

MINING NEWS

THAMES DEEP LEVELS. I j WORK TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED. " [BY TELEGRAPH.OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Thames, Saturday. The stoppage of the Thame?- Hauraki pump, which occurred yviaday. will use the suiTTansion ci tIH. w-m* ?' the 1 iXXJft Jovrt for the greater yiuet i<? next v.-.-'-T, un the water h clearer* on" 'cgain • : v> K it. Civ Victoria crosscut arid the May Queen drives. The latter company's 'v or kings are confined to the Exchange reef. In the westward drive from the main crosscut a total distance of 300 ft has been driven towards the point where the same roof was intersected in a branch crosscut from the south drive on the May Queen reef. So far nothing of a payable nature lias been suet with in this drive. The reef is about? 18in in thickness, and is carrying favourable mineral. Occasionally colours of gold have been seen, but the quartz on the whole is of low grade as yet. In the workings on the same reef eastward from the main crosscut the slopes have been temporarily suspended. The drive is being continued along on the main portion, of the reef which branches off from the drive previously driven on the branch lode at a point about 130 ft from the crosscut, and is heading away more to the northward. This drive has now been carried along for a distance of about 35ft from the Junction, and so far, although the reef is somewhat split up into several branches, the quartz is looking well and shows gold frequently. It is intended to continue the drive to intersect the junction of this reef and the No. 4 lode, which has always proved a consistent gold-producer in the upper levels of the mine, and if this is picked up in good country there should be a reasonable probability of a payable block being opened up on it.

NEW SYLVIA.

DEVELOPMENT WORKS.

[by TELEGRAM.own COBKESFONDENT.]

Thames, Sunday.

The various development works being carried out in the New Sylvia mine a-ro turning out- fully up to expectations. Tno battery is kept" constantly running on the ore coming to hand from the different levels and giving regular monthly returns of a profitable nature. At the 3S>o. 3 level extensive stoping operations are being carried on, five stones being in hand on a block 200 ft in length. The reef in these stones is of varying size from three feet to 12ft- in width, and the whole of the quartz obtained from them is reserved for treatment, and is of good grade quality. On Friday last 451b of picked stone was obtained from the fifth stope, where the reef is 12ft in width. Stoping has also been commenced on jthis level northward of the first rise of No. 2 level. The reef in this stope _ is a fins looking body of quartz about nine feet in width, and of good grade, and the extension of these stones in this direction will considerably increase the size of the block. At No. 2 level driving south on the No. 2 reef is in progress, and about 20ft has now been driven. The reef in the face is about 3ft in width, and so far _is of payable quality. A drive is also being put in to intersect the hangings-all branch and it is expected that this will be met within about another 20ft of driving. _ At No. 1 level cleaning out and , repairing the old level has been in hand which work is now about completed to the face, when it is intended to commence driving south on the south of the No. 2 reef, which is quite intact in this direction. In the new low level the crosscut has been continued on beyond the reef, which was passed through at the end of last year, and another body of quartz has been intersected about 12ft wide and heavily mineralised. This is now being driven on eastward, a distance of- about 20ft having been driven to date. During the last few' days another strong rib of quartz about 2ft in width has come in from the hangingwall and appears to be forming'a junction with the main body in the face. It is not quite .clear yet ap to whether the reef now being driven on is the main reef or not, but it is at present running in about the right course" for it, and the manager is of the opinion that it will prove to be so, in which case the drive on it will be continued to a point below the present workings at the upper levels.

OCCIDENTAL. [BY telegraph.—OWJT CORRESPONDENT.] Thames, Sunday.

The low level development works in the Occidental Gold Mining Company's property are still being continued. The winze below the bottom of the old lowlfvel has been sunk to a depth of 50ft, and from the bottom of this the reef has been driven on for a distance of 50ffc. For the greater part of this distance the reef was somewhat disturbed and split up in the drive itself, but appeared to bo more compact along the bottom of the drive, and also along the back. A leading stope lias now been started above this drive 'from the winze, and in this the reef appears to be improving both in size a.nd quality as the stope advances. The topes of the No. 2 lode above the old low-level are being continued, and are still producing a steady supply of -grade ore, which is being stored for treatment. TALISMAN. The following cable has been sent to the London office of the Talisman Gold Mining Company : —No. 14 level : South drive, progress 27ft, width of reef 54in ; assay value £3 6s. MAY QUEEN. The manager of the May Queen mine, Thames, reports that at tho No. 10 level (1000 ft), the Exchange reef going westward is now more compare and carries a good class of mineral. Eastward of the main crosscut the reef is looking well, and several good pieces of picked stone have been selected from the quartz broken.

DREDGING RETURNS.

[BY TKLEGRAnr. PRESS ASSOCIATION,] Dtjnediv, Sunday. The following dredging returns are to hand : —Electric 1., 320z Idwt.: Rising Sun, 30 7dwt; Sandy Point, 270z 2dwt; Olrig, 14oz ldwt; Mas tor toil, 12oz 19dwt.