WEEK'S-MINING NEWS

Otago Witness, Issue 3006, 25 October 1911, Page 28

WEEK'S-MINING NEWS

:. October 18. The master of the. Mystery Flat dredge " reports that the ground has become very deep. Some fairly good wash lias been met with, but a layer of pug clay, which overlies the wash, makes progress somowhat alow.

The'Ferry Syndicate and Lowburn dredges are working steadily, and are getting very fair returns. After putting a new wheel and pinion on the elevator of the Karaunui dredge operations were resumed at 1 o'clock on Friday morning, the 13th inst. On Saturday afternoon one of the pins on the elevator broke, causing a stoppage of nine hours. Several o f the buckets had to be taken off and others put in their places. The master of the Good Chance dredge, writing under date 14th inst. stated that the river was going down steadily, being then at the 4ft 9in mark at the Alexandra bridge, but the weather looked anything but settled. If the river recedes to the 4ft 6in level and the weather looks settled dredging operations will be resumed in . the river, proper. Writ ma: under date October 14, the master of the Masterton dredge stated that since last report the wash on the eastern half of tho working face had become poorer. On the western half the wash continued to look good, and was extending a • little towards the westward. The clay in the stripping was still very heavy, and showed no signs of decreasing. The progress report of the manager of the tvlount Lyell mine for the fortnight ended October 4 stated tin a* the usual smelting work ceased on September 25. The only work in hand was the supply of power to the North Mount Lyell mine and of electric light to the works and Queenstown. Owing to the strike everything i>t the converter plant has also been at a .standstill since September 23. A total of 3955 toes of blister copper were consigned for the half-year, ended September 30. \ The secretary of the Nokomai Hydraulic Sluicing Company reports that good progress was *made at No. 1 elevator last week.' No. 2 washed "up for 590 z iOdwt. .411 tho plant is out of the paddock, a stone waU has bean built, the nozzle lines laid, and everything is ready to start blowing off '"tho overburden. Work was resumed at No. 3 with three shifts with a full week's sluicing. The taili.ngs are a little troublesome, but more room for stacking will beavailable when the first paddock is finished. There was a light fall of snow on Friday night. October 19. The Rise and Shine No. 1 dredge worked a cut ot bOOft last week, making Bft ahead. The ground was from 42ft to 48ft deep, and the bottom consisted of various clays, sandstone, and coal. Prospects were similar to those of the previous week. During the week ended Wesdnesday, 11th October, the Waikaia dredge worked on the east part of the face, and up to that date no definite change had occurred. Up till yesterday, the west portion of the face was worked, but operations are now bsing carried out on the eastern side. The dredgemaster does not look for any improvement in the return for about three weeks. The Success dredge had a fair run of 113 hours last week for a return of 31oz 16dwt. The deep ground has slewed round, end at present is bearing away on an angle across the flat. During the week the bottom in the deep ground rose 3ft, but the wash remained unchanged. As tho deep ground was rather narrow a portion of shallow ground on the south end was included in the cut, and was found to contain fairly heavy clay. - . . During Jaat week hie Ek-ctric No. 1 drodgo -worked 140 hours for n, distance of JSft mov«l aWd. Tho fromation of the twUmn cojmiatftd of a pipeolay and Band«tono nature. Tho <septh in *tho deepest

part of the cut was 48ft, and the rise in the reef was shallower on the Cromwell side than in the previous week. The prospects towards the end of the week showed an improvement, and on Saturday were fair. The gold is similar in quality to that previously obtained. The Electric No. 2 dredge has been pulled ahead 25ft, and since then the mats have shown an improvement. The dredge will shortly be taken to where it /previously worked, and will be dropped back a few lengths to where it opened out on rough ground carrying fair prospects. The weather was cold and showery and th© river was keeping low. There is very little snow coming away this year, and the general opinion is that the river will be very low this summer. No doubt," however, the first warm rain will cause a rise, though it may not last long. At the New Trafalgar claim last week the face was widened out about 30ft, the ground getting much shallower -all across the cut, and an average depth of 20ft being dredged. Rougher ground, with a good many large stones, was coming in, and better indications were showing than for some time past. The dredgemastea: intended to continue widening out during the present week, and he expected that the forward movement would give greater facility for working as the dredge was rather cramped for tailing room. Some new buckets were put in the chain on Monday and Tuesday.

October 20.

The secretary of the Masterton Company reports a return of 240 z lOdwt for 130 hours' dredging The past week's return from the Koputai dredge amounted lo 230 z lOdwt for a run of 139 hours.

The Mystery Flat dredge washed up for a return of 12oz 18dwt for 125 hours' work.

The. master of the Sandy Point dredge was engaged all last week in effecting re.pairs to the screen, main elevator, first motion bearing, and boiler. Dredging was recommenced at 3 o'clock on Tuesday afternoon last. ' October 21. The past week's return from the Karaunui dredge was the result of a very broken run. In "reporting a return of 240 z 6dwt for 111 hours' work the master of the Success dredge states that the creek was in flood all the week, and that only five shifts were worked on the deep ground. The master of the Lady Roxburgh dredge reports under date 19th inst.:—" We are still lying up at the Teviot siding, and have rebushed - the links, changed the lower tumbler, overhauled all the lines, cleaned and_ scraped the pontoons preparatory to tarring, and overhauled the centrifugal pump, changing disc inside wall and spindle. I expect to move out at the beginning of the week, when all the works on hand, v including the large boat, should be completed."

October 23. As the No Town Creek dredge resumed work only on Friday night there was no wash-up last week. The Golden Sun dredge had a broken run last week. She will be moved further up the river to-day. We are advised by a correspondent that the Havelock Sluicing Company's ground keeps about the same, and the water supply, which is drawn from one of the best rights in the district, is fully maintained enabling work to be carried on at full time. October 24. Monday, being labour Day, was observed as a holiday on the Dunedin Stock Exchange The master of the Chicago dredge reports a return of 4oz 6dwt for 122 hours' work in the old paddock. The dredge was pulled ahead two lengths during the week. The Rising Sun dredge worked 132 hours and shifted ahead 15ft on a cut 90 yards wide. There was no change to report in the nature of the ground or the bottom wc rked, except that several large waterworn boulders, locally known as Chinamen, were brought .up. Thj machinery ran well.