THE MINES.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 129, 21 November 1885, Page 2

THE MINES.

New Find.— The most important feature connected with the working of this mine is the excellent show which the reef is making as driving is continued northward in the low level. During the last fortnight u free scattering of gold has beea visible through the whole body of stone, which is now five feet in thickness and seems to be increasing in size. The face of the drive is now approaching the north end of the workings in the Arizona level above, but there is yet some three or four hundred feet of untried ground towards the northern boundary, and there is reason to expect that for a considerable part of this dislance the lode will continue to prove payable. The fact of the reef maintaining its size and showing the metal so freely as it is now doing in this level, augurs favourably for a continuance of the gold downwards, and gives encouragement for the commencement of a low level, which, it may be assumed, will now soon be staited. Fiom the other parts of the mine the stuff being got is of the usual average quality, and calis for no speuial tion. Colonist. — Operations ore pi ill confined to btoping out the block between the intermediate and low lewis, the stuff from which is sufficient to keep ten head of stampers employed at t«ie batteiy. The show on the plates gives promise that when the monthly cleaning up takes place, the return •*% ill be a fair average one. Galena. — Stuping is going on in the places from which the recent good trial cru.^hing was taken on the Kus. 1 an 1 2 reefs, both of which still show gold in encoura^iu 0 quantity. A branch .tramway is now being 'laid to connect the nuikiugd \»iili the m.iin counl.y line, an) tue upper hopper from the Eureka claim is b"ing brought down for re eivaiou a., the end of this tramway. Af soon as these wurus arc completed crushing wili again be started, and it is expeetel tliaf a 00 or 60-ton parcel will be forwarded to the battery for treatment in a month or so. Silver Kimq. — Two men are still employed breaking out quartz from the reef, but as the results from the test parcel sent to the Thames for treatment have not yet been received, no fair estimate can be formed of the value of the stone at present coming to hand. Premier. — Work is being carried on near the surface on that side of the oIJ working next the main buck rsef. A trial lot is no.v in pioouss of treatment at the mill, and Until it is finished nothing definite can be known as to the general quality of , the staff. WAioiiONGOMm- — A large portion of the reef in the Provincial portio.i of the ground is now being stripped, and is ready for breaking down as soon as satisfactory information is received from the the Thames regarding the trial parcels sent there for furnace treatment. Three lots of five tons each from the Virginia City, Three Fools, and Provincial lodes respectively, were sent down, but thenvalues have not yet been ascertained. Should they prove payable, the Working staff of the mine will be largely increased, and operations pursued with vigour in the different lodes. The tramway works in connection with Fergusons battery are being pushed on as rapidly as the weather will admit of. About twenty men are employed, and the upper section is no\t finished. The whole of the material for the lower grade is lying at the 1 top ready to be lowered as soon as the earthworic of the t lower portion is completed. Satisfactory news is to hand from the prospectors' claims at head of Tui Creek. During the week some spleiidid looking stone lids been" taken from that part of t the reef which is being opened up near 1 the boundary of Nos< 1 and 2, and com-: petertt judges say it vies in appearance 1 with anything yet obtained at Kanwga-, hake. Small sample lots have been sent: to Auckland and the Thames to be; tested, and if the anticipations that have; been formed regarding the value, of the, ore are realised, the ftititre prosperity of; that part aUhejtfsinofc may be looked) upon as assured* '»•» •- '. >-/ <The contractors |or t _tho constrttcrionj of the road to tho.Tui Greek claims Ua)s macjo: g^odi progress witLtbeir y orV,,bu~fa the \veajhV',''wjijclifhas; been suily^svto; retard toll .sui&o ijoporaiipns/ I as; kept-

, thetn.^ b£e¥ considerably; , Hiul it not^ 'been {of^this hindrance the^ track wonKl? by this time "have - been available for traffic! up to: the claims, UnderJtayouf»iblo conditions it; is likely tojbei cotnpleted in a week or ten days from now.'