THE MINES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1787, 20 February 1886, Page 10

THE MINES.

Messrs Gow and Baker, well-known Orepuki miners, have completed arrangements to proceed to the West Coast on a prospecting expedition. They intend to give the Coast a thorough overhaul, and for this reason have taken some months' provisions with them.

We take the following mining items from the Cromwell Argus : — " The new system of dredging — that is, new so far as the Kawarau and Clutha Rivers are concerned — promises to become a payable industry, although up till now the , machine on the Kawarau has barely paid working expenses. It has been found that the riverbed is securely paved by a coating of cement '• over which the buckets have no effect, and a system of strong iron spikes is being tried with the object of breaking through this. A trial of Messrs Cooper and Co.'s dredge on the Clutha has been made, and the owners are sanguine of success. A second dredge now building at Albert Town, to work the upper waters of the Clutha, is rapidly approaching completion. A project is on foot for diverting the Roaring Meg Creek and working the present bed. The promoters are very sanguine of the result turning out a ' big' thing. Another enterprise of a kindred nature is under way, being nothing less than the diversion of the Arrow River at a point about two miles above the township. The ' natural facilities for accomplishing this are undoubted, and as the river-bed at and near the point intended to be laid bare yielded in the early days of Fox's large quantities of gold, the •show' seems to be a remarkably good one. The venture is in the hands of a private syndicate, among whom are a few experienced men ■ from this district, who have great faith in the enterprise." Mr A. Evans received a telegram from ' Queenstown on the 12fch stating that the crushing just concluded at the Phcenix mine had yielded 1400oz of gold from 730 tons of stone. The battery is now stopped to permit of the connection being made with the electric motors.

The Minister of Mines, at Tapanui, on Thursday, examined the new gold workings, with the view, it is said, of declaring the Pomahaka Valley a goldfield. In the afternoon the Minister received several deputations.

The legal manager of the United Alpine Company, Lyell, reports the yield to be 4120 a amalgam, plates only, from 237 tons of stone. ' The Mataura Ensign reports that on the field to the southward of Gore along the watershed of the Waimumu there are now engaged about 30 men. Herrett and Co. are sluicing right in the bed of the gully. Their present face is about 9ft deep, more than half of which is washdirt. The wash is water-worn quartz drift. All the stones are smooth and round. The wash is of a reddish colour, and contains little or no black sand. The bottom is a stiff bluish clay with the least perceptible' quantity of grit in it. The gold is of the scaliest nature, although a shotty piece weighing about five grains was exhibited by the party. AH the rough gold hereabouts is impregnated with quartz. The party express themselves satisfied with their prospects.

The result of the last washing-up of the Phoenix mine, Skippers Reefs, is 1400oz of smelted gold from 730 tong of quartz. This (says the Wakatipu Mail) is a better yield than previous crushings ; but the manager (Mr F. Evans) informs us that it is not because the stone was any richer, but for the reason thac during the latter period of the crushing he decided to discard a large quantity of the casing, which contained no gold. The battery is now to be stopped for two or three days to undergo alterations for adapting it to the electric power, after which the stampers will again be worked by steam temporarily, provided all the electric machinery is not complete, as the paddocks are full of quarts and the men are busy getting out more.

The Tuapeka Times learns that gold has been struck by the miners employed in carrying on Jboring operations at the Island Block. A new get of boring-rods is being procured, as the set at present in use is not giving entire satisfaction. We learn from our correspondent at Riverton that a party of prospectors is about to proceed to the West Coast, making a commencement .close to Preservation Inlet. The prospectors, Messrs Gow and Baker, are experienced,,miners from Orepuki.