WEEK’S MINING NEWS

Otago Witness, Issue 2924, 30 March 1910, Page 28

WEEK’S MINING NEWS

March 23. The master of Paterson's Freehold No. 1 dredge reports a return of for 122 hours’ work. The Mastery Flat dredge was stopped for about' three shifts last week for boilerinspection. The cut was ab«j*t six chains wide, and the quality of the wash, was not quite equal tc. that .if th© previous week. The Masterton dredge had a broken run over the full length of the cut last week. > The prpincipaj stoppage was for boiler’ inspection and changing buckets. The ground is still /deep, and the bottom k> a red sandy,clay. V./ , - , , , . During th© past week tne Waikaia dredge continued work on the same Hhe of ground <as previously. The dredgemaster reports that the greater portion of the face is now composed of blue wash aiuT pug, the red wash having sheered west into the river portion of the claim. The prospect® improved last week, but went off again on Monday. On Tuesday the boiler was inspected, and a section of liners was put in the screen. , ■ ~ „ The manager of the Old nauraki mine reports, having started breaking down in the rise in' the intermediate level. He obtained 201 b of specimen stone, and gold is still showiu.r. .. ■ , _ . The low-level crosscut in the lairua Golden Hills min© is reported as showing a general improvement in the last 300 ft, -and the present’face is very promising. The secretary of the Nokomai Hydraulic Sluicing Company reports that good progress has been made at No. 1, though the ground is still hard. The water supply was alack on th© 14th and 15th. The,.supply since has been fairly good and steady. At -No. 2 the work done has been mainly confined to sluicing to a low level, and it will be some days before elevating is resumed. The dam emptied on th© 18th. No. 3 reports that the creek has been turned and the elevator ready for sinking. As it rained, on Sunday night, it is expected that sluicing is now in full swing. . The Minos Department has lost no time in connection with the prosecution of work connected wich the development of the Thames deep-level tunnel, as the Under- . secretary for Mines has wired the board that the draft deed of covenant has been forwarded to the Crown Solicitor for signature

A dividend (the 3Sth) of 2s per share, payable this day, has been declared by the directors of the Rise and Shine Company. " March 24.

Th secretary of the Otago Company reports that the No. 2 dredge h-d a full run last week, but obtained very little gold. The repairs to the No. 1 dredge ar« mak-

ing Satisfactory progress. The master of the Olrig dredge reports -. fair ruri during last week, a few showers having augmented the water supply a little. The ground is still looking poor, but the dredge will soon be alongside the 6pot where the Springvale dredge worked some

years ago. The South Wakaia dredge worked on a lace three and a-quarter chains long last week, with a depth of 24ft to 25ft on a maori bottom, there. being no alteration in the wash. Boiler inspection caused tome broken time, but the machinery was .working well. - Riley's Revival dredge is still undergoing alterations. The old elevator is being' replaced with a longer one, and lighter.buckets will be fitted t< it It will probably be early in May before this dredge gets fairly at work again. The master of the Punt dredge reports a. fair-run last week. The dredge worked ahead 16ft on a threerchain cut. The wash improved on Wednesday in the centre of the cut, which is about half a chain wide The bottom has been level all the week, and the black sand in the wash is getting finer. ■ . A report from the secretary of the New Alpine Company states that the Contractors completed the 150 ft of cross-cutting at No. 7 level on the 11th inst., without disuslosing any values. The crosscut is still ki hard sandstone, but a little easier than Mien last reported on. A further contract Bts been let, and contractors are now

ritnmencing to drive-west. .- The .master .of the Good Chance dredge reports that shifts were resumed on Monday week, and . dredging was carried on steadily all the week. A number of large stones coming'up in the buckets, and A gond' deal of time is occupied in breaking them In some places large numbers of flat stones .come-up from old- tailings nnd block the drop ,sbute. He opened into the 3ank where, the ground i* rather deeper tnan \ on the - outside of . the out. Where solid ground is met with it is very rough and stony, and is hard on the bucket lips. The ground ,s very patehy frith a soft, rea elajr bottom. The goW is Sry fine, and does not show on the mats 15 weigh* well, A large quantity, of

lead and quicksilver A'as mixed with the gold, and made it difficult to clean. The ground is from 25ft to 30ft deep from the water level, but as the river ' is, falling, •he does not expect to be able to work there much longer. ■ The machinery is working well. '-'"

The Electi-'c No. 2 dredge left the junction of the Kawarau and Glutha Rivers yesterday, on her way down the Molyneux to the company's claim, which will probably be reached, to-morrow. The dredgemaster* and his crew have had an anxious time since leaving the old claim on the Kawarau, having to pass two sunken dredges on the way down. The worst part of the river was the reef and jutting rocks on that position known at'one time as the Richards Beach claim. Fortunately for the company, the high river has favoured operations in that direction, and,trnen the necessary repairs and exchange* of ladders have been completed on'the No. 2 dredge, the river may be low enough to permit the yr.esump- ' tion of dredging operations "this season. The dividend of 4s per share now declared by the directors of the Masterton Company, amount returned to shareholders up to £5 18s per share, or a total of £29,500. March 26.

The master of the Rise and Shine No. 2 dredge, reports having resumed dredging about neon on Thursday. The Dunst'an Timies i states that the dredge belonging to the Cromwell syndicate is being warped up the river to the old Electric. Extended, and Cromweu claims, which were recently acquired by the syndicate. The Auckland Stock Exchange .has (says an exchange) been notified that the Ross Goldfields Board has decided that the chairman" alone should give out information to the Stock Exchange and the Press Association. Any information coming from another source may therefore not. be reliable. In the" drive north at the low level of the New SyMa mine the reef keeps its course, but varies in value, the .ore being more of a puggy nature, with galena embedded in the pug in bunches. ..When assayed separately, it,gives very fair values. _ This face is getting under Cjuinn's winze, in ,the upper level, from which it is reported very rich ore was,obtained..

Operations have now been fairly started (says the Thames StarV to treat the cinnabar ore found Karangahake. A Novae furnace has been erected, which is stated to be the latest method adopted in Russia for dealing with cinnabar ore. .It. is believed that the Mackaytown cinnabar mine will prove a thoroughly payable proposition. Tests have proved that the ore is of good grade, and should these be borne out by the treatment of bulk parcels the returns will be in, every 7&y satisfactory."'" The Government has offered a bonus of 4d per pound for; the first 100,0001 b of marketable quicksilver free from impurities produced in .the Dominion, and the Ascot Syndicate hopes to\. secure that bonus.' "-'

The Cromwell correspondent of. the Dunstan Times is of opinion that had the .drift not been so bad in the. river the return of 73g02 got by the Rising Sun dredge, would have been nearly 90oz. The dredge has fully 400 yards to work with her present cut before reaching her top boundary, where the small Punt dredge got returns of 50oz, so it is not unreasonable to suppose that rich returns will continue. The late flood has benefited the Sun Company to the extent of about £2OOO, as it has washed away 10ft of sandy loam off about 10 acres of ground on the flat on the eastern portion of the claim. This loam would not leave the buckets, consequently a large Quantity of washdirt was emptied back in the well-hole and lost. It is computed there are yet 15 years' work in the claim. March 28.

In reporting: last week's return the master of the Punt dredge states that prospects are improving-. According to the Alexandra Herald, since the Molyneux Hydraulic dredge stopped working over three months aigo a considerable amount of overburden has been sluiced off, thus allowing the dredge to get over more bottom, and an improvement is expected in future returns. It is reported that the.Manuherikia Com- | pany will apply this week to the Warden's Court at Alexandra for a certificate of abandonment over the old Moa claim. The latter is situated at the junction of the Molyneux and Manuherikia Rivers, and is said to be held at present by someone for a syndicate. Apparently (says the Alexandra Herald) there are-a few rich alluvial deposits yet unearthed in this district. We understand that two miners have struck a very rich run about half a mile from Alexandra, immediately alongside the Roxburgh road. The prospects are said to be phenomenal, and the miner& are confident that they have developed a very rich property, which will yield satisfactory returns for at least the next two years.

An exchange says: "Messrs Kitto and party are now engaged in erecting a pair of currentrwheels to work their pumpiner plant at Doctor's Poini. These were formerlv on the old Lowburn current-wheeler, from whioh they were taken. As soon as they are placed", in position and the plump affixed .the "pine line from the pontoon to the claim, which is situated about above river level, will be connected. Tfos nrocedure is_ a rather unique m alluvial rnininar, and its success will be watched with interest. The members of the partv are deserving; nf everv success for their enerjjy and outlav. and as they are faid to possess. a very rich claim, it is hoped their .anticipations will be realised." ...... March 29.

The secretary of the New Roxburgh Jubilee Comn»ny reports a return of 20oz 15dwt for 119 hours' work. The master of the Rising Sun dredge reports that he dredged 124 hours last week and worked. ahead 12ft on a cut 140 yards wide. He lost one shift effecting some necessary renairs. The ground continues to improve. The bottom worked was mostly sandstone. Prospects continue fair, and the , machinerv is running well. The approach of frosty weather -is expected to cau.se the Molvneux River to recede rapidlv to a workable level, and it is anticipated that the gorge dredges will soon be in full swine again. , Last week's return from the Rising Sun dredge was 85oz. lOdwt for 1?4 hours' work. This return.is a record for that dredge. News from Manila states that Mr Gordon, formerly manaeer of the Paracale Dredging Comrjany, has started work on two quartz claims in the Paracale district, and several other claims owned bv miners in the locality. The company organised to

exploit this holding is, it is reported., backed almost wholly by New Zealand, capital. According to the correspondent of the Philippines Free Press of February 12, the Stanley Paracale was at that date negotiating about 1500 cubic yards of ground a day, and getting out about 60oz a week. He says that the' dredge is rapidly approaching some very ' good" ground, one of the richest spots in the claim,' and that when it gets working there it will double and treble its prosent output. It is reported that the unwatering of the Ross Goldfields mine has now been practically completed, and arrangements "are being made to install two large permanent pumps,' which will' lift 200 gallons per minute more water than both the sinking pumps. With these pumps the manager expects to be master' of the situation, and will then proceed to take out wash-dirt, and hopes to have a good showing.