The Mines.

Otago Witness, Issue 1540, 14 May 1881, Page 11

The Mines.

' The returns of gold exported from Now Zealand duricg the quarter ended 3let ult. are gazetted. There has been a marked decrease all over the Colony as compared with the corresponding quarter of 1880, the total diminution of export being nearly 40 per cent. The value of the gold exported in tho March quarter of 1881 amounted to L.202,232, as against L 318.208 in the same quarter of 1880. Auckland exported gold to the value of L 23,799, or about 50 per cent, lees thaa ia the March quarter of the previous year ; Nelson, LIOOO, or 75 p6r cent, less; West Coast, L 95 280, or nearly 30 per cent, less ; Oiago, L 82,167, or nearly 40 per cent. less. Marlborough exported none at all, whereas in the corresponding quarter of 1880 the export was LBSO. Wellington was accredited with an export of one ounce, which was valued at L 6, the value in all other cases being tak-an at L 4 per ounce. It might perhaps be rash to assume that all Wellington gold is worth 50 per cent. more than that obtained elsewhere, but this certainly seems to be implied by the return quoted. The total export of gold from New Zealand from Ist April, 1857, to 31*t March, 1881— a period of 24 years— has reached the large value of L 37,582,865.

The Arrowtown correspondent cf the Cromwell Argus writes .• — " The Macatown reefs are now gradually sinking into their winter eleap, not, however, wifchou*, making a final effort for more cake before the frost; sets in. The Gladstone are now busy crushing at the Maryborough battery stons from the reef recently struck, which continues to look premising. The Maryborough Company are getting un with their tramway &nd preliminary \v< ik, and will have their works in an advnoc?d state by the opesing of next season. The Ladya Fayre is still yielding some go^d sjtrne, tha reef continuing at an average width of two end a-balf feet. The Hom&ward-Boimd hr-vo started crushing again to-day, and sire putting through Btone from ib.9 levels lately opened, Great failii 13 still expressed in the low level, and recent prospects have confirmed tbe anticipations formed of its command of payable stone.

If frost doea not Bet in 100 soon, a crushing will yet be had from this mine- The New All Nations Company are making preparations for the continuance of work during the coming winter. The Tipperary Company are still in full work raising and crushing stone without intermission. Roberts and Clarke are busy raising a trial crushing from tbeirnew prospecting claim on the Shotover dipß of the Macetown formation, and an encouraging yield is confidently expected. In reference to the Cromwell Company's mine at Bendigo, the Cromwell Argus says :— We are glad to state that the mine still keeps up its reputation for steady if not brilliant yields, notwithstanding the croaking of a few in times past. The principle body of stone is found in the low or 320 ft. level, although the stuff afc present being put through the battery is from both levels The reef in the low lev6l is large and well defined, ranging frsm two to five feet m in thickness, gold Bhowing freely throughoat F the whole body. Crushings from this lode show over an ounce to the ton. At the 120 ft level the reef is also fair, but variable in dimensions. Altogether the mine is now most promising, and we understand that an inspection last week by two of the Dunedin shareholders afforded them great satisfaction. MrTodd, several manager, and Mr W. Ware, underground manager, are evidently men who understand their business. About 50 men are employed by the company at present. Hitherto only 15 head of simpers have been going, but with the increased supply of water available at this season it is probable the whole battery of 20 heads will now b8 employed should stone keep up to the average quantity now in sight. When severe f rests set in, of course the steam power will come into operation. Mr Thomas Hunter received a telegram from Lyell on Friday,, stating that the United Alpine Company had crushed 164 tjns of stone, which yielded 252 ounces of amalgam. Mr J. J?. Wai son received a similar message. The promoters of the Beiu Doran Qaartzreef, Saddle Hill, have commenced operations energetically. On the south Bide a driva h:is been made, following one of the main leaders to the main reef. On the north side the main reef was discovered about 18 years ago, and in proximity to it a nugget weighing upwards of 2oz was discovered, but quartz-reefing not b^itsg then iv vogue, the reef was covered up and grass allowed to grow over ifc. After securing the ground the promoters made a drive into the side o£ the hill to seek the reef, without success. Professor Uirich, who visited the ground, indicated itH direction, and recommended work being carried up tho base of tho gully. Four men are now at work setking for the reef, and sluicing the ground as they progress. The men, some of whom are experienced diggers, have washed from half a psnuywrnght to a pennyweight; k> the tia tlu-h ot rough gold. Several small migsjets were obtained by hand. From tho quantity of rotten quart?: and tho tough and ragged appearance of the gold, tlie

men are confident of being in close proximity to the main reef. The promoters contemplate having a machine on (Hethering ton's) capable of crushing 80 tons of quartz per day, and in the gully ono of Afhcroft's roiary machines, i'ne promoter*, some of whom are resirt nl ia V\a North Tdi<=ri ami ovhers in Green Islam', are sanguine of raalisiiig bar<dsoinely cut of bc>th reefs. A somewhat important prrepectus i« that of the p-opesed Waitahuna o>>ppernaining Compa.y. The mim is a 1 ; present tho properly of Messrs Watson, JBucban, and parly, who, iv order to raise the necessary capital to work the lode properly ar.d to tho best advantage, are now offering two- thirds of thoir property to the public. Apart from the question of the value of the lode — although there is indeed no quo* tton 0!i the point, as will be admitted when the percentages of ore are known— there is this point; of view, tbat the industry is one the successful development of which is highly important to the Colony. So far, copper mining has never been fairly tried here, but we hope to sea the shares ia thn Company f o off rapidly, and aa attempt mad« under favourable auay ! ces to successfully establish tho inau.il.ry. Sontu Australia alone, of the eiator Colonies, has ex- i p. «i ted copper and copper ore to the value of L 16,000,000. ' ] The Reefton Herald states that Courtney's express arrived from fcbo Lyell, bringing 500oz of gold, being the result of a crushing of 70 tons of Htone from ihe RJaruia Company. This mine is owned Ly four men. A few weeks ago (^ays the Mataura Ensign) we mentioned tbat Messrs Barbary and Smith had started to sink a deep abaft at Waikaka for mining ipurposee, and we are now able to report Ihdr progress. Tn6y have got down to a depth of 205 feat. The fir-<t few feet of feirking wai through clay, and from that down to 25 feet was wash, such as is usually worked at Waikaka. Next they had, to a depth of 125 feet, tough black clay, known as "Jerry's pug," followed by 10 feet of drift sand. Then cune 20 feet of red sand, 50 feet of white pipeclay interspersed with layers of white granite. They are now on a heavy and favourable quartz wash, WenoticedwhenatWsikaka,last week another whim in course of erection for !\Tr Edge. We wish him success in his undertaking. Mr J. F. Watson received a telegram on Saturday from Reefton stating that the Welcome Company's return was 585 ounces of amalgam from 90 tons of stone. Mr Thomas Hunter received a telegram from Reefton stating that the Welcome Company had crushed during the week 100 tons of stone, which yielded 585 ounces of amalgam, from the blankets alone, The Hobart correspondeat of the Sydiey Morning Herald has some interesting particulars of the quartz-reefing mania at present existing in LautoastoD, from which we iearn tbat resfs have been opened lip and some excellent samples tested. For iostanee, the following :— 11 In oonneotlon with these mines samples bave iv several cases averaged at the rate of no less than 40. z and 50 zto the ton, whilst oa more extensive trials 4>>z and 5 z to the ton have been actually obtained. Now the Great Tasmania and Florenoe Nightingale Companies, at Beaconefield, have both crushed at the rate of over 2oz to the ton, in very large quantities. Last Saturday the result of the latest crushings of these two companies wa3 brought into Launceston iv the shapa of two cakes of gold which together weighed 38760z, or 2cwt lqr 161b, worth L 14,528. The directors of the Great Tafinania next day declared a dividend cf T/3 n share, making a totaJ of L4l a share, or L 123,000. And the mine was bought by the half-dczen men who own it for LSOOO odd ! About, one half of tbe shares are held by Mr W. Hart, M.L A., wbo, if the yield only continues at this rate, will receive some L 50.000 a year from this single venture ; and there is every prospect of an indefinite continuance of thtse splendid results. As far as caa be judged from appe»ranc.3B and such trials a? have been made, soveral of tbe companies that are now prepyfrif,' to crush, such as the Royal Taßman, Victoria, and ko forth, will pay equally well." And again :—": — " At North Mount Cameron, where such extraordinarily rich reefs have been discovered, the progress is reuoarkeble, and the Mount is a hivo of coining industry. Nine months ago it was a sheep-walk. Mr J, F. Watson received a telegram from Reefton on Monday stating that the return of Ihe United Alpine Company for the week was 447>.z. of retorted gold. The Golden Fleece Company's return for tbe week was 138 iz. of amalgam from 136 tons of stone. There Is little change in affairs at the Thames goldfieWa (sa>s our Auckland correspondtnt), the want of water having operated greatly against crushing operations, consequently the yield for this month is only a libtlo over 2000 oz. Some fresh, country between the Tararu and Karaka Creeks has lately engaged the attention of prospectors, and a number of claims have been taken up. The reports from the Upper Thames districts during the pist fortnight bave, on the whole, been favourable. Perhaps the moat important feiture has been the starting at tho Te Aroha of the new quartz-crushing battery, by which the lodes of the district will be at last tested and thoroughly proved.