Wakatipu Mining Notes.

Otago Witness, Issue 956, 16 May 1889, Page 12

Wakatipu Mining Notes.

(Fboh Oub Own Cobbbspondbnt.) Abbow, May 13. ] A notice appeared in a recent issue of the ] Witness of a new blastiug compound introduced by Messrs Nobel Bros., speaking highly of the ] innovation. It may be accepted that in the hands of many users of blasting compounds the material employed does not receive sufficient * attention in adapting it to' the nature of the [ rock to be worked, or so excellent a compound : as Nobel's gelatine No. 1 would be, in. spite of ! its advanced price, in greater demand, and consequently more easily and generally obtainable. The contractors of the Arrow Falls Company I have just finished as hard a bit of rock blasting as has perhaps been done anywhere in Otago, so 8 that they have had ample opportunities of test- 1 ing the strength of blasting material, and they ~ give the palm to Nobel's No. 1 gelatine, going so far as saying that without it they could not . have made the contract pay. - UPPEB SHOTOVEB. The Gallant Tip for the past fortnight put I through 121 tons of quartz, the tables alone yield- , ing 151oz of amalgam. Thus it will be 3een „ that thin mine maintains Us yield with wonder- t ful regularity. The lode in the mine also keeps up its character for permanence, continuing of a uniform width and richness. , I Washings up at alluvial workings are now going on or finishing off, but the yields are kept strict seorets. , MACETOWN. „ The Premier stone recently struck in No. 1 level holds on, and promises to lead to something good. Driving on it is continued. - The Sunrise Company are now busy hauling and crushing, as the time draws near when the weather may put a stop to it any day. However, it is likely that they will be able to put " through the anticipated quantity of 100 tons. R LOWEB 3HOTOVER. * The Big Beach Gold Dredging Company's a dredge at Arthur's Point continues to do very P well, averaging half ah ounce per hour, and * working day and night, putting through about l 60 tons per hour, through a gold saving appa« c ratus of the most primitive description. It }' should, however, be mentioned that the present . manager is not accountable for the plant. v The Last Chance Company is in liquidation. * It is, however, understood that a fresh company ° is being formed to work the ground upon an *? entirely new plan.. * o Notes from Nenthorn. £ (Fbom Oub Own Cobbespondent.) c, The Croesus Company have commenced stop- n ing operations at a depth of 50ft. The Saxon ti company have struck the lode in the cross-drive, si They put in from the shaft, and the reef is from c 2fb to 3ft wide. The ,Ould Ireland party have cut a trench tl across the line of reef, and are now en gaged" in y putting down a shaft. The stone in this reef promises to be rich, and some very fair speci- V. mens can be obtained from the shaft. a; Ashby and party have struck, a very rich si leader in their claim at some little distance from tl the maiu reef, and'the stone is surprisingly nob, S though not of a great width. The Eureka oon- ti tinue« tp tnra oat good stone! ' The Premier is ti being prospected' systematically, but with what bi results I am unable to state.' All the other, I

claim* on Nenthorn we op to expectations; only waiting for a battery to. be pat upon the field, when the, owners will go ahead with stoping operations. .- ■ ,■ . Mp Norman has a scheme in hand for tha erection, of an electric qaartz-crashing batter y at Nenthorn, and he., is meeting with,' very generous support from the miners on, the field. n , Notes From Waitahana Gully. (Fkom Our Owjj Oobbkspondeht.j The water supply at Waitahuna Gully was slightly improved by the damp' weather last week,' but is still far below requirements. The past four months have been so dry that sluicing was very much hindered, and other gold-wash-ing also. There is nothing new transpiring. Work at Havelook Flat goes on as usual. The water supply in the Waitahuna Gslly neighbourhood is a matter worthy of consideration, as a permanent supply, would cause extension to the industry. Where water is available suitable processes are generally found to work ground, "the working of which otherwise is out of the goestion. By the construction of reservoirs^' for which the contour of the country is adapted, the water supply could be considerably improved through collecting storm waters which we see now and then flowing past and on .to the'ooean. But means are required to do this, and until there arises confidence in the auriferous and other resources of this district the subject will remain in abeyance, and no surveys, plans, or estimates by skill in the form of C.E. M.E. will occupy the minds of any, either for mental pastime or definite purpose.

There was lately sold a one-fourth share in Oalanan and party's race and claim, the competition being keen. This indicates the value of water rights in the locality. The Nenthorn reef discoveries, and also the Stewart's Island dawnings, show what mining fields yet remain to be found. Perhaps the reefs in this neighbourhood may prove worth working when skill and means are available. The reef under Table Hill tried, or rather nailcanned, some 26 years ago by Jenkins and Schmidt, is of the same texture as the old O.F.Q. at Waipori— a mixture of dark blue slate and quarts, and the prospects then got indicate it as worth looking at, out not without ample means, the water being present in quantity. Many other reefs are known of, out the surface show is not attractive. The successful working of many quartz lodes would likely be followed could the stone be kilnburned before milling. Mention was made in the Victorian Mining Report for 1886 of a case at Maldon, where stone burned yielded from 8s to 12s per ton more than unburned stone, and that the owner of the mill intended to continue the process. A more perfect mode seems to have been patented in South Australia by David Hutton and another, who propose to use a kiln capable of burning 25 tons at a time. After the mass is heated to the required extent steam is forced through the kiln. I merely make note of it, and await to hear further of the process. Possibly if there was a furnaoe at Lawrence, Waipori, or in this district capable of roasting up to 2cwt or 3cwt heavy sand, sulphides, quartz, or such like, it would be reproductive. I have often thought that the poorer cement seams here and at Wetherstones are worth such a trial as burning before otherwise reducing, and mayhap the South Australian patent alluded to above may be suitable. Golden drifts, &c, we have, but the right process to work them is yet to be thought out. N