MINING MATTERS.

Thames Advertiser, Volume IX, Issue 2463, 6 November 1876, Page 3

MINING MATTERS.

(Cm op London.—The quartz to which we referred in Saturday's issue as having been found in the lower level of the City of London mine proves, after all, to, be. the, main cross-reef of .the mine, although it was not at first recognised, having been intersected at a point where it was disturbed and broken by an old watercourse, but the manager on Saturday opened out on it, driving on its course in both directions for a length of four feet. The lode opened out, and now presents a face fully two feet, thick in both ends, as well as a good well defined clay wall, and better still, a very satisfactory show of gold. There have not been any specimens obtained, but from 50 to ;60lbs of stone through which gold shows in greater or less quantities has been selected. • The find is therefore a very im-

i portanfcone. It proves clearly- that the reef at this levels continues to carrygold, arid in what appears so far to be'quite as rich quality as in any of the previous levels, but more will be known of it ina few days. One,, of ...the. drives will reach the. winze which has been sunk on the reef to-night or tomorrow morning, and the managor will lose no time in extending the drives and opening up the level in order to have quartz available for crashing. The reef now to hand has always beon the main gold produoer.of the mine, and should it prove as rich in the present level as it did in the last and preceding ones-and there is no reason to suspect that it will not-the' shareholders may look to a series of highly remunerative crushings. Piako.—A retorting- took place' on' Saturday at the company's battery, and the first gold return, obtained since tile, present company took over possession of the mine and started their large crushing mill to work, was lodged in the Bank of New Zealand as the result of this crush- ; ing. The'amount "of: the'lodgment is i exactly lOOozs gold, but the quantity of

stuff reduced, for this -return has not | transpired. There is, however, do question but that the average is'low, and that the yield;is a poor one,' but the battery i \ when first started, was run on inferior stuff for many days, and a considerable time elapsed before the plates and gold-saving generally got into proper order.; Becently the stuff has been shaping better; and now that stoping is started, it is anticipated that not only will the mill be kept better employed than it has been up to the present, but that the quality of the quartz contained in the block will prove remunerative, , . Queen oe BEi.tjra.--As we anticipated, the return obtained 'by the Queen of Beauty Company from the, .retorting which took place on Saturday, after a fortnight's crushing at their own.mill, which was worked to its full capacity of 20 head of stampers, and nine days' run with 12 head of stampers at the Tramway mill. The yield from the former was 4280zs lOdwts gold, and from the latter 150ozs; making the total amount banked on Saturday, as the result of the fortnight's operations, 5780zs lOdwts gold. This will be melted to-day. This company has now engaged 10 head of stampers at the Piako Company's battery, which they intend to keep per« manently employed, and will start crashing there to-day. la order to enable this company, and others who may contemplate crushing at the company's mill a road has been made connecting with Bella-street, and leading up au incline built on trestle work to a platform, from which the quartz can be tipped out of the drays on to the quartz floor of the battery. GotDEN Cam?.-Patten and party, tributers of a section of the Golden Calf mine, finished a small crushing at Bull's battery for a payable return of 12ozs 2dwfc 12srs melted gold. . Young New ZEAuro.--Tlie gold resulting from the crushing for the joung New Zealand > Company, Waitekauri, at Wick's battery, was brought to town late on Saturday night and lodged in the Bank of New Zealand. The return amounts'to 55ozs 14dwts gold, for which there were 70 tons of stone treated. The average, therefore is fair, and when the difficulties arising from want of proper means of transit to the mill are overcome the mine will no doubt pay_ the shareholders, but the cost of transit is at present so great that it i* impossible to carrydn permanent crushing profitably. We may add that with the gold which was lodged on Saturday night, the manager brought down a nice parcel of 151bs of rich speci« mens which will be on view to-daj. WAHEKiUBi.—The gold resulting from the Waitekauri Company's cleaning up and retorting was also brought to town ; on Saturday night and lodged in'tlie Bank of New Zealand. The.exact returns was 3310zs lOdwts.' It will be melted to-day. QuEBNorTfIEMAY.-The usual fortnightly cleaning up and retorting for the Queen of the May Company, and for the quantity of stuff reduced a really excellent yield was obtained. There was only a reduced force of 14 head of stampers employed on the crushing, and for a portion of the time only 12 head were working. The result of the retorting was 2200zs Sdwts gold, and the total quantity of stuff reduced was 210 loads. The average is therefore above an ounce to the load, and this is, we believe, equal to the best that has ever been obtained from the mine from any extensive crushing. It is satisfactory to_ find that the reef, or rather reefs (for in consequence of the distance which divides the foot-wall section from the hangin'g-wall section is sc great that they have to be worked

separately) are considerably enlarged in size, and show gold freely, and there is a probability that the manager will soon find himself obliged to increase the crushing power employed, so as to keep pace with the output from the mine. A winze has been started on the course of the lode from tbo present JeyeJ, and rapid-progress is being mado with the sinking of the engine shaft for the purpose of'opening up a fresh level as soon as practicable, and before the presont blocks become exhausted. .

Ajax.—The. gold resulting from a cleaning up and retorting for tho Ajax Company after a crushing extending over a mouth and two days was brought to (own ion Saturday and lodged in the Bank of New Zealaud. The amount is 2170zs lOdffts. Tho average is much' bottor than that obtained from previous crusbiugs, but tho block, from which it 1 was obtained is exhausted, and crushing baa beon suspended for the purpose of: lowering the quartz floor of tho battery. The low level drive will intersect the, reef shortly, and it is going; through an excellent class of country. Little Agnis. -Taylor and party, shareholders of the' Little Agnes claim, Upper Tararu, had a cloaniug up and reporting at the Missouri battery, at which they have employed 10 h'oad of stampers (or some time past, on Saturday, and lodged the result in the Bank of New 2soalaud, where it was molted to a bar

weighing 83ozs Wdwts. There were about 160 tons af stone crushed for this return. The average, however, is ever,ipdwts to the ton, and is poyable, a great improvement has taken placo in the quality of the lode, and it has also become more developed, and the shareholders will to-day increase their crushing force to 15 head of stampers, which they calculate on being able to keep fully employed for some time to 'come. Welcome.--A small lodgment of gold weighing, after melting, llozs l7dwts was made at the Bank of Wow Zealand on Saturday on behalf of tho Welcome Company, Waitekauri, It was, wo learn, • the result of a trial crushingof 1(3 tons from the cross-lode which was recently mot with in the mine. :

Middle Stab Tribute;-™Kendall and party, tributers of the. Middle Star mine, crushed a parcel of 20 tons, for a return of Bozs 16dwts gold, y; :y