WEEK'S MINING NEWS

Otago Witness, Issue 2983, 17 May 1911, Page 28

WEEK'S MINING NEWS

May 10. The following are the latest returns obtained by the Paterson's Freehold dredges: No., 1,16 oz 2dwt, for 136 hours' 'work; No. 2,14 oz, for 134 hours' work. The master of the Mystery Flat dredge reports that the face was three, and a-half chains wide last week, and the average depth 9ft, with red sand bottom. The wash was getting a little deeper, and he expected an improvement in the returns. The return of 14oz 15d\vt retorted gold, obtained by the Central Charlton dredge Inst week) was for 118 hours' work on cuts 2 and 3. The old pump belt parted on Thursday evening, but it was immediately replaced by a new one, and dredging was resumed at 10 o'clock the same night. The wash is not looking so well on the present cut,' but should improve as the dredge works further over on cut No. 3. The return won during the past'week by the Kaiaunui dredge was for 130 hours' work. Both plants—namely, the dredging and pumping—worked most satisfactorily all the week. The prospects on the bottom were gocd in places, but the overburden, which had to be put through the machine, materially affected the returns. The bottom was patchy, with red and '-vhite clay, the' wash being very hard. The secretary of the Nokomai Hydraulic Sluicing Company reports that a full week's sluicing was made at No. 1 claim, and gocjd progress was made. The weather is very dry, with frosts at night, and the water eupply is diminishing fast. There was Slenty of water for the three claims on londay, ' Ist inst., but no'w there is no* enough" for two, and so six heads had to be diverted from the Lion race, and the No. 3 claim had to be closed down. No. 2 is working "full' time. ' ." r > '

May 11. The master of the Olrig dredge reports that he had a steady run-last week on some fair wash.

The sluicing arid elevating claims on the Nevis and Luggate are all steadily at work, water beirfg plentiful. The secretary of the Hartley and Riley ' Company- received a telegram from the dredgemastsr .on-the 10th, stating that he had resumed operations at ■ p.m. on Thureday. : '.'■;' _;■•'- -'- The Rise and Shine No. 1 dredge Bft ahead last week on a cut 603 ft widfc. and from 42ft to 48ft deep. The bottom consisted of clay and a--little coal. The prospects had not materially altered. It is probable that the Electric No. 1 dredge will resume operations 'some day next week. The. master of the No. 2 dredge reports that the river; will probably be favourable in about a fortnight's time to drop back'and work the deep ground, the nights being frosty and the river falling steadily. . - . • -. The New Trafalgar dredgemaster, in his weekly report, states that two-thirds of the face is now in solid ground, the centre of the present part giving the best indications. The last cut across brought ill rougher ground, ,with a number of boulders, while the rest of the cut nest the southern boundary continued.. deep and drifty. A body of floating reef has now corne in jtetf where the bottom dips off the *o"!id ground. The dredge is 'working well and putting through a large quantity "of aiaterial. The master of the Lady Roxburgh dredge reports for the week ended 6t& inst: —"We commenced the week on the outside of the out, and found that much drift had gathered in the paddock. Prospects continue good on this side of the face, while

on the inside another 20ft ahead will bring us into old ground, which would have been out out last week but for the extra ground taken in outside. I expect to cut out the inside block this week, when it will be necessary to stop for a short overhaul to re-key the top tumbler and fit plates and to- move the body of the tumbler back on the shaft. Many of the buckets also require the bushes turned. The river has been falling steadily for the past few days. I expect the overhaul will take one week. The tumbler will be our most difficut job." The following items are from the Wakatipu Mail; —"Most of the scheelite mines on the higher levels on Mount Judah, Glenorohy, have closed down for the winter months. Reid and Lee's mine is still actively . engaged, and the battery and concentrators are kept busy.—The Arthur's Point Gold Mining Company has come to on arrangement with Messrs M'Mullan and Sons to use the water that was originally used by the Big Beach Company to work a portion of the beach near the mouth of the gorge. The Arthur's Point Company proposes to work the river-bed ! . rendered practically dry by its tunnel, by hydraulic means instead of undermining it, as originally intended.

May 12 The master of the Masterton dredge reports a return of 15oz 7dwt for 116 hours' work, and adds that he commenced! boring on Wednesday. The Blackwater River dredge, after about a week's cessation from work for repairs, resumed operations on Wednesday, and, from latest reports, all was going well. Work was continued towards the western section of the Waikaia claim during last week, and the upstream part of the cut is now being squared up. There is no change to report in the prospects, and all the gear is running well. The Success dredge had a fairly good run of 127 hour 4 s last week. There is not much change to renort except that the pug is cutting out. This has interfered with speedy working of the ground, and no doubt has lessened the gold yield as well. In a few weeks' time the returns from this dredge should improve considerably. The manager of the Muddy Terrace Sluicing Company reports that the recent rains which fell a fortnight ago enabled the manager to get 10 days' run on No. 1 elevator paddock, with a result of lOloz of gold. The water has now, .-unfortunately dwindled down owing to clear days and frosty nights. No. 2 elevator, which was standing ready during all the dry season, has now been sunk in a paddock on MacKay's Flat, and good, payable wash at once obtained.

The Koputai dredge obtained a return of 13oz sd\vt for 155 hours' work. rp, May 13. lne secretary of the Hartley and Riley Company sent the following telegram from the dredgemaster on Friday afternoon: 'No wash-up; dredging steadily." s The ground on which the Chicago dredge is working shows considerable improvement, and last week's return would have bean larger but for the amount of travelling drift.

. The Electric No 2 dredge resumed operations for the season on Thursday afternoon on the Cairnmuir side of the river. The dredgemaster reports that frosty nights are being experienced, and that the river is receding.

The two Golden Beach dredges are working steadlily with (says the Wakatipu Mail) highly satisfactory results. No. 1 is just turning round with a view to taking a cut up along where the top loam has bean stripped. No. 2 is working on the west side of Dry Gully and heading into the bank. .

The master of the Sandy Point dredge states that he worked 125 hours last week. The width of the cut was 100 yards, and the distance worked ahead 6ft. The ground continues deep on both sides of the cut, the centre being the only part the dredge is able to bottom. As a matter of fact, "it is getting deep right across the face, and at present only about half the cut can be bottomed. The parts that the dredge is able to work, however, give fair prospects" The Talisman Consolidated Company .has despatched the following cablegram to London : —" No. 13 level south drive, progress 48ft, width of reef 12in, value low; driving north off No. 12 winze, progress 24ft, width of reef 66in, assay value £5 17s; driving south, progress 22ft, reef wider than drive, assav value £3; sinking No. 15 winze, progress 10ft, width of reef 30in, assay value £8 9s 6d.'

The master of the Lady Roxburgh dredge reports a return of 250 z. Ho states that he cut out on Wednesday night, and will stop for repairs to-day.

May 15. ..Owing to the recent unfavourable condition of the river several dredges have had to suspend operations, and consequently the number of "iturns for last week is somewhat reduced. The return of 17oz 16dwt from the Golden Sun dredge was obtained from the east side of the cut, where the prospects are fair.

There was no wash-up on the Otago No. .2 dredge last week, as opening out work is being continued. As a convincing proof of the very marked retrogression that has taken place in the dredging industry in Otago during recent years the following remarkable illustration speaks for itself. When in Roxburgh district recentlv twp Dunedin gentlemen in Messrs J. N. Lawson and J. Scoular paid a visit to the Lady Roxburgh dredge, and while there Mr Lawson casually inquired of the dredo'emiaster nfi to the nature of his crew. He received the reply that the crew was an excellent one—in fact all the members of it were dredcemasters and had each, at one time or another, been in charge of a dredge. May 16. Tlie Molyneux River was 6ft lOin ab n ve the normal mirk at Alexandra on Monday, and the weather was fine. The return from the Molyneux Hydraulic dvnrlcre la,=t weak was 220 z. The Chicaso dredge last week obtained a mturn of 13oz lOdivt for 321 hours' work. The Blackwatcr River dredge did not wash up last week, but everything continues to run smoothly. The No Town Creek dredtre continues to fret satisfactory returns. The wash-up for last wer>k'r=; operations produced 41oz for a, rim of 126 hours. The return from the Rise and Shine No. 1 dredge for last week appeared incorrectly in yesterday's issue as 80oz 17dwt. The correct return is 560 z 14dwt for 138 hours' work.

Our last_ report from the Muddy Terrace Sluicing Company stated that the water supply had aga-in run down. However, the rain that fell towards the end of last week had evidently been fairly heavy

in the south, as the manager telegraphed on Saturday afternoon that there was sufficient, water to enable him to run all the plants fully. The work at the Cromwell mine in the low-level tunnel is making steady progress. This tunnel is now in a distance of 350 ft. At 340 ft a nice-looking body of quartz, Bin wide, was cut. This carries gold, and also contains some bunches of sulphides. The lode strikes about east, and is in uniformity with other lodes in tho district. The new discovery has been opened up about 2ft. The return of looz 2dwt of retorted gold fiom the Central Charlton dredge was for 135 hours' on part of cut No. 3. Tho wash treated was poor, and, being very tight, imposed a severe strain on the machinery. Another four days' work, the dredgemaster estimates, should see the present part worked up to the boundary, after which he anticipates tnat better returns will be obtained.

During last week dredging was continued on tho western portion of the working flaos ait the Masterton claim. There has been .no (alteration in the depth of the ground, the deepest portion (27ft) being only Bft or 10ft wide. The wash is showing a slight improvement towards the centre of the working face. The sample of gold won during the week was much coarser than any obtained for some months. A slight mishap caused some time to be lost at the beginning of the week.

The drive along the course of the new ore body at the 1100 ft level at the North Mount Lyell mine (Tas.) has passed through 60ft of metal. The face now is in rich ore. and shows no limit as to the quantity of oro to*- be mined. At the 1000 ft level, No. 40 stope, the ore body is opening up well. This is to the northward of the No. 34 stope. An output of from 10,000 tpns per molnth is easily maintained, without stressing any of the producing ends of the mine.—Mining Standard.