MINING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 7926, 18 July 1887, Page 2

MINING.

NOTES FROM REEFTON. (Fbom Ode Own Oobbespomjent.)

Reefton, July 17. The following are the battery returns for the past week:—Globe, 381oz amalgam from 190 tons; Progress, 1290z of amalgam from 90 tons.

Big River Exended.—The returns did uot come to hand last night as expected, the cleaning up having been put off till to-day in consequence of the presence at the battery of three well-known Reeftonites, each being anxious to learn the result and get back first to Reefton to operate on the market before the manager could get in. In order to checkmate this little move the manager, as well us the resident director (Mr Walker),decided to defer the clean-ing-up till to-day, and the trio of enterprising speculators had to return empty-handed. There is no official information as to the probable return' but the general report predicts ;2oz, and transactions in the shares are said to have been effected last night at 11s.

Keep-it-Dark.—lt is expected the battery ie started to-day or to-morrow.

Globe.—The manager reports as follows:— " The winze is down 33ft, of which 10ft Gin was sunk during the week. There is no sign of the footwall as yet. From the top of the winze to the bottom is only 18iu from the perpendicular (alluding to the upright position of the lode). I tried some stone to-day. It is very good stone. I can see a lot of gold in it It is as good as the stone on Wednesday and Thursday. lam filling the west end. It will be fiuished this afternoon. The contractors have not started yet.—J. Greenish, mine manager." Things are quiet all round, and there is a great- absence of mining news of any moment.

According to the Duustan Times,the manager of the White's Reef Company, Old Man Range, lias.'opeued out on a shoot of stone 2ffc 3in in thickness about 15ft west of Andrew's shaft. This phoot has every appearance of lasting to the rise, a distance of 250 ft, as the reef can be seen in this rise 15in wide. Should it continue that distance there would be about 300 or 400 tons of

stone to crush, which according to the prospects should average an ounce to the ton. At the end of the main tunnel another shoot has been risen

on about 25ft, about 3ft 3in thick. This shoot oi stone is very rich, but full of nnmdic. This ii

the only shoot that has been found in the main tunnel, and from appearance may open out into a solid reef. It is probable that it is the same shoot that was met with in White's upper out, and if so there should be a good deal of quartz got from it. The gold would, however, be difficult to save, owing to the large quantity of rnuudic, unless a berdan was used. Taken altogether, the prospects of the mine are much better than have been seen for a long time. The manager is enlarging the quartz paddock, and expects to have about 300 tons ready for crush-: ing in Ihe spring, and as the company now possess a water race from Butcher's Gully, it is not likely that any stoppage of tho battery will take place through the want of water. The same paper states that the five dredges at work on the Molyueux, near Alexandra, are paying well.

The Tuapeka Times states in reference to the visit of Mr Longbottom, from Victoria, who is reporting on the Blue Spur claims in the interest of the London syndicate prepared to purchase them in case of a favourable report, that he visited Waipori on Thursday and examined the source oil the water race, with which he was pleased. It is stated, but our contemporary does Dot vouch for the authority, that Mr Lcingbottom, while of opinion that the Spur is a good enough m-o----perty, r.t the same time thinks that it has been a trifle overdrawn itt Home.

Tho Timaru Herald stated that Captain Malcolm, who has returned in the Stella from the Sounds, reports that at Milford Sound a dozen men are at work independently, and aye getting gold m small quantities. In proof of ohis it may be mentioned that from certain oF then Captain Malcolm received 13oz of the precious metal in discharge of liabilities. At Big Bay two parties of several men in each are still actively employed, one being engaged in putting in a drive into tho ■ hillside, and the other working a beaoh claim. Good prospects are being got in the drive, and the beach workings yield gold sufficient to pay tucker.