MINING MATTERS.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XIII, Issue 3635, 24 June 1880, Page 3

MINING MATTERS.

Amuenia,—Tllo manager's weekly report is as follows: " Sons of Freodom tunnel; The reef to which I alluded in 017 last report in this level has now come across the' drive and junotioned with the main reef. It is composed of very hard quartz; We have just reached the footwall, but I cannot say much about it until we get further ahead and strip some: of the reoffor the next breaking down, Dixon's level: Cleaning out and repairing this drive is still proceeding, and I have this day started i men to clean out and repair Dixon's drive on Whau level, and to make ready for sinking winze on Dixon's reef. 180 ft level, east: Driving has been carried on by contract; 3«ft hare been driven during last fortnight. Latterly tho reef has become smaller and hotter defined, and I believe it to bo good payable dirt. Stoping is also being carried on on this level near Whau boundary, and where we are pro- : curing some good picked stono and good crushing dirt, Hanging, wall loader: Driving was suspended hore for some time owing to the leader being broken up, until the loading stope was pushed forward. Since then the leader both in Btopes aud drive has greatly improved showing colours of gold, with a few specimens occasionally. Stoping on hanging-wall leader and Sons of freedom

**—" r^-mrmrmrmsßaQ. rec.f has been carried on with the usual satisfactory results. Intermediate level: Stoping has been carried on east and west where we obtain some good speoimens' and picked stone with a good show still,, left in faco. We have had three interim retortings during the month and have now on band 16didozs sdwts retorted gold, so that wo may expeot a fair return afc tho final retorting for the month, Battery: ' At present there are 12 heads of stampers employed on company's stuff, and 10 heads for Scott and party, company's tributers. : Everything working satis* faotorilv,«THOMAß EiDFOBD.-June 22. •1880," : Eeubbh Pabb. — Tho' drive at tho hopper level is now ia a distance of 140 feet and is going through a good class of country, The reef which the drive is going in on js now about 10 inches in thickjaoss, being a oompact well-ctofinod quartz,.and carrying two good • No gold has yet been seen in it, ; but it appears to contain bettor looking J minerals at present than at any time since work' was commenced on it. At the Unicorn level several tons of quartz have been broken from the big roef in both ends. On Tuesday a start was mado to sink a winze on the footwall portion of tho lode at.tho_ point where tho best minerals were seen in the quartz whilst breaking out tho late crushing. _ A start was also mado to bale out a winze closo by which was sunk on tho footwall leader a depth of 50 feet some years ago. The reason for baling out the water in the winze is to keep it from running back into the one which is now to be sunk, and also to'provo the value of tho leader. The manages has commenced to erect a quartz hopper out < oq the surface near the smithy, close by the mouth of the.Sons of Freedom tunnel, from which he will be able to convey the quartz to another hopper to be erected by the side of the Alburnia hoppers. OaliEdokian.—The manager reports as follows upon the operations carried on in the mine during : ;the past week:-"The oross.cut at the No. 3 level is in 66 feet, The hanging-wali of the lode is stripped in the face. It is apparently a strong body of stone, and the hanging-wall shows good minerals, but I cannot -speak of its: value farther until it is cut into. Winzo from No. 2 level: I have resumed sinking under the lode here. The footwall is well defined, and the stone is rich in mineral so far as it can be seen. New poppet heads: The wheels are in position on the new structure. The old " shearlegs" and poppet heads are being cleared away, I expeot to, put on the new ropes about Wednesday, — THOMAS. Jaheb, . 21at June, 1880, New. Goideh Gbown.—No, 1 reef in ■ the oross-out at , the battery ,level is being stripped in both directions with good speed, but it will probably take until to- . morrow to strip sufficient so as to ensure,, a good breaking down. A few pounds of nice golden stone have been obtained from the small leader in the' cross-cut at the battery leivel during, the last day or day. There is nothing fresh' to report from the other workings. Kubanui Him.—At the' 360 feet level the main lode has been stripped for a length of 15 feet on the hanging.wall side during the week, but no ..quartz has been broken from it, At the point where the specimen leaders butts against the ' lode a rise is being put up for the purpose of carrying along a stope on the • leader above the back of the drive. TKe leader averages about 4 inches in thick* ness, contains excellent : minerals, and shows gold freely; ' New Nobth Devon.—The tributers, Garvey and party, obtained the splendid yield of 821|ozs melted gold from their crushing of 61 loads of general dirt and \ Bow,t of specimens, and pioked stone, ' The quartz was broken from the 'Sons of > Freedom lode about 100 feet east of the Alburnia boundary and 30 feet below the : . Whau level, The lode in the present workings is over six feet : thick, oontains good minerals,'and shows strong cajoura of gold. ■ While taking out this crushing the tributers were driving upon the lode, but,now■ they are. in ,a. position to com« menbe'sloping operations also, which will be the means of enabling, them,\to" break out the quartz with quicker despatch. They will probably have'time to break out two more orushings before their tribute term expires, which is about; the 12th of August,next., , .\r'