MINING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11303, 22 December 1898, Page 6

MINING.

CENTRAL OTAGO"MINING NOTES. (From Oub Own Correspondent.)

At Kentliorn Sligo Brothers' have had some very, nice cakes from the old Crcesus, but I cannot say whether the returns, are likely to continue or not. Several others are doing some fossicking, with fair to indifferent results. The Bonanza mine, I am sorry, to say, is reported to have shut down, whether,for the holidays or permanently is net yet known. There has been a, very large expenditure of late, and some very promising stono was met with, but its'extent was limited. The mine might pay tributers, but I. do not think would justify any large expenditure in development work. Cunningham and party, at Stoneburn, are erecting a .battery, to be driven by water power, but unfortunately the chances of a fair supply of water are very limited.' _Glover and Sutherland, at the Stoneburn, continue to get very profitable returns, and are, crushing full time with'steam power.

At Golden Point Messrs Donaldson continue to1 produce "gold and scheelite. They have just erected a 6ft Fruo yanner to save the scheelite, and are entirely satisfied with its working, as it turns opt the dressed scheelite ready for shipment direct from the battery, and the loss in the. tailings is extremely small, and only in the form of slimes. The dressed scheelite contains G7 per cent, of tungstic acid,.and Rt present is selling at a very high price—Jrom 28 to 30 marks per unit. The mine is opened to a considerable extent, and'shows a large quantity of scheelite. Tho gold in the stone leaves'a fair margin of profit, and the, scheelite may be' called a byproduct, and is equal to from 2Joz to soz of gold to the tori of qvrnrtz.: The battery is hindered by a short water supply, but 1 understand it is intended to procure an oil engine io augment tho motive power. Messrs Donaldson by their enterprise in erecting machinery to save tha scheelite—which previously went to waste—are 'deserving,of .the thanks of the community for establishing a new mining industry, and one which, ia likely to be. a success.

At Macrae's Flat the-dredge pontoons are complete, and the machinery is being got in position, but it will be some time yet before active operations in dredging, can take place. Meantime the water supply is becoming scarce.

All Auckland telegram states that during the year the seven bullion-producing mines in the Ohinemuri'district produced £420,690 worth of gold, being £126,393 worth more'than the returns for same period last year, and JE27,091 (worth more than the total: returns from Auckland goldfields for 1897.. The Nonpariol mine crushed 88 loads: of dirt mid, 201b picked stone for a return of 420z retorted gold. The Moanataiari tributors crushed' 138 .tons ore and 781b picked stone for 2620z sold, of the value of #711. During the year s]6f> tons ore and 4081b picked stone were treated for a yield' of 27<Mo!i gold, valued at £7566. • The May Queen crushed 99 tons ore for 6502 gold. The ore crushed during 12 months yielded J5600?.

The Miller's Flat Electric f>redging Company (Limit-eel)-.was registered ori'Tuesday, and at,a meeting of shareholders' the .provisional directors were appointed. At a- subsequent meeting of provisional directors- held the, same day they appointed Mr Edward Trythall interim secretary, and the office of the comnany No. 1 Bond street, Dunedin. They also allotted the shares of tho company. Steps are being taken to remove the dredge to Miller's.Plat without delay. The Vincent dredge was formally handed over last Saturday by the contractor. Mr M'Kechnie, in the presence of Mr AY. H. Cutten, .the engineer, and Mr James Hewitt, tho dredpemast.cr. Aftev shifting- tlie Vincent about SnOyds higher un the river she was given n, trial run, when nil the machinery was found to run -with satisfactory smoothness, while, to crown thp general success, the. colour was discovered on the mats. Monday, or' Tuesday at the latest, should see tlio Vincent in full swing.