MINING NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15884, 3 April 1915, Page 5

MINING NEWS.

TALISMAN CONSOLIDATED.

LOW-LEVEL DEVELOPMENTS.

WORKS AND PROSPECTS.

[by telegraph.— COl

Waihi, Thursday. In company with the superintendent, Mr. H. Stansfield, your representative inspected the underground workings of the Talisman mine at Karangahake to-day, commencing at the bottom level (No. 15), where the drive north from No. 12 winze is now out 428 ft and that south 360 ft, making tho total distance driven 788 ft. After passing through faulted country in the north drivo a few days ago the values came in again, and for the last 15ft driven pay oro has been exposed, the reef in the face being about sft wide, carrying high-grade sulphides. Another .it to 25ft of driving should bring the north face under No. 6 winze, which is down 113 ft below No. 14 level, and has been in high-grade quartz for the whole distance sunk. In tho south drivo the reef in the face is somewhat broken up, as was the case at about the same point on tho level overhead, where further runs of pay oro were opened up going south after tho disturbed area had been passed through. Unquestionably the results so far at No. 15 level have been disappointing when compared with the long runs of sulphide oro opened up in the drives on the Bonanza chute at No. 14 level, but sight must not be lost of tho fact that similar horizontal blanks were met with over the No. 12 and other of the upper levels, and that as the reef was followed down the values made again between the levels. That the blanks at No. 15 level do not extend up to the No. 14 level has been already proved by the winzes being sunk from the latter level. Nos. 2 (depth 22ft), 6 (depth 113 ft), and 15 'depth 4ft] winzes are all going down in good grade ore, and the distance between the first and last-mentioned winzes is 920 ft. The No. 12 winze was in rich sulphides until within 30ft of No. 15 level, but in the Nos. 8 and 19 winzes the values have been erratic, sometimes good at other times poor. The tonnage of ore of milling grade between these levels will only be determined when the necessary connections have been made and the management can block it out on four sides, but it is already evident that a considerable quantity of quartz will be made available. As to what may be met with before the fifteenth level only time will toll. All that can be said at present is that the country rock in the bottom working continues of a favourable description for gold, and that the laminated country met with at No. 14 level, and regarded by some as an unfavourable indication, has disappeared, and it was evidently onlv a local featura Another point of interest will be the advancement later on of the drivo north on the Bonanza section of the Maria reef at No. 15 level, bevond the Woodstock fault. At No. 14 level the values were found to bo pitching north, and extended 200 ft further in this direction than at the thirteenth level, being then cut off by the fault. That the values at No. 14 level cut off at the fault may prove a mere coincidence, as the reef was made before the fault, and there is no reason why pay ore should not live further north nt tho bottom workings. At i tho Nos. 11, 12, and 13 levels payable ore was met with on the Woodstock and I Talisman chutes beyond the Woodstock fault.

In the Woodstock section of the mine ! the drive south has been advanced 1217 ft from the main west cronscut, and is in close touch with the drive north from the Talisman No. 14 level. A connection will I be effected in a few days, and will enable I the miners to reach their working points I more speedily, and generally improve the i conditions. The hangingwall portion of the Maria reef intersected bv a crosscut casi at 423 ft south of the main west crosscut has been driven on for some little distance. A nice compact bodv of stone is showing in the face, about 3ft of which, on the hangingwall side, is worth £2 per ton. The reef shows a decided improvement in value compared with the corresponding section in the workings overhead, and has averaged about 26s per ton for the distance driven. Going north the drive from the main Woodstock crosscut is out 750 ft, and crosscuts are being thrown out east and west in the Tankanei Hill, that to the east being out 207 ft and that west 183ft>. The country rock is of a good dpscription, and quartz formations have been cut in both crosscuts, the largest being in the crosfrut east, its width being 4ft to sft. They do not, "however, carry ore of payable quality. I Both crosscut's will be carried further out, the object of that going east being to cut the Maria reef, which had not been followed from some distance owing to the main crosscut having been carried along to line. As soon as the crosscuts have determined what reefs exist the exploratory drive north into the Taukanei Hill will bo resumed and pushed on to the point where good ore was won on the surface workings years ago. The Talisman shaft is now down about 120 ft below No. 14 level, and when this reaches tho No. 15 levej and a chamber and storage hopper have been excavated driving to connect with No. 6 winze will be commenced, the distance from the shaft to the winze being 360 ft to 370 ft. As the north drive in the Talisman section will be under No. 6 winze in a few days driving towards the shaft will be put in hand when a connection has been made, and with these works proceeding simultaneously it should not be long before stoning operations on a comprehensive scale are in progress at No. 15 level. In the meantime certain of the blocks of pay ore at the bottom workings can bo stoped and filling material used from the drive from No. 6 winze towards the 6haft.