QUARTZ MINING AT SERPENTINE.

Otago Witness, Issue 1584, 1 April 1882, Page 12

QUARTZ MINING AT SERPENTINE.

With respect to quartz -mining at the Serpentine, a correspondent writes: — "Mr Warden Robinson paid us a visit on Friday last, and heard a number of applications for mining leases which have been pegged off to the westward on the line of Hoffmann and Co.'s Golden Link reef. Leases were granted to the following applicants : — Darlington and Party (Golden Belt), James Winter, F. W. Hoff- • mann, Edmonds and Askin (Golden Chain). • Applications on behalf of the Golden Link Company for sites for two dams ,and crushingmill were also granted. Mr Mouat, of Dunedin, appeared in support of the several appli- , cations lodged by the Golden Link Company, , and by Messrs Winter and Hoffmann. The pioneer Company (the Golden Link) have now , almost finished their extensive works', which have been in progress since the beginning of the year. The battery has been removed from its original site (about five „m iles away) to one a few hundred yards from the reef. Five additional head of stampers, manufactured by Kincaid, M'Queen, and Co., have been brought up from Dunedin, , And the large body of tradesmen whohave been hard at work here during the last few months will soon be on their way back to Dunedin, as the battery of 10 heads will be in full swing at the end of this week. On the claim itself the

work is in a satisfactory condition. The 'tunnel has now been pierced for a distance of i;li 420 ft' from the mouth, and fdllows the line of " !ttie reef for a distance of 230 ft. The reef in >! 'th^ tunnel varies in width from 3ft to 2ft, and • as freely as any of the stone hitherto f ''crashed. When the tunnel has been driven ,' 20ft' farther it will be directly below the shaft. 'The shaft has now been sunk 165 ft from the ' surface, and about 100 ft below the present workings. The contract for the sinking of the ' ' shaft' down to the tunnel will be finished, 'K^'the' present rate of progress, about the ' fond' of this week. The Company will ; 'then have a body of stone opened out ;' sufficient to keep the battery going for three or four years. The manager expects to have a very good crushing during the next few weeks, 'and I have no doubt another substantial cake

of gold will leave here for Dunedin before the 1 winter sets in. One threat difficulty which has ' hitherto beset the Golden Link Company, the • vtini of a regular water supply to work the battery, has now been overcome. Two large dam sites have been secured, and one of tne ' dams has now been completed. The water in this dam covers an area of six acres. The ' second dam will be from eight to 10 acres in 11 area; In future the Company will have a suf- . ficient water supply to keep the battery going ' all the year round. The Try Again and Golden Belt claims, which lie next to the Golden Link Company's ground, have now been pretty well prospected, with most encouraging results. I believe the Golden Belt Company are sending nine or ten tons of their stone down to Hindon for a trial crushing. The reef- has been Btruck between the Golden Belt claim and Winter'B new lease. It shows a width of Bft, with gold visible throughout the 'stone. A party at worken Edmonds and Askin's leasehold are following

with great success an example set by cortain 'Heathen Chinee' in the early days of tho Tipporary reef at Macetown. They are ope- : rating on the soft stuff on the top of the reef, and are said to be making about £20 per week per man. Not so bad in these dull times. This 'item' will doubtless be read with some interest by Dunedin shareholders."