QUEEN OF BEAUTY.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4266, 2 September 1882, Page 2

QUEEN OF BEAUTY.

A farther breaking down took place early this morning, resulting in a very large amount of specimen stone being bagged, as the following telegram will show:—" Obtained this day 2cwt of specimens and 601bs picked stone.—Seobge Black." This makes a total of 4cwt of specimens and 1721bs of picked stone for two days, the largest yield for a long time from one mine on this field _ Since my last visit the main drive, which takes in the whole width of the reef, has been carried forward close up to the face, and securely timbered and slabbed on top in readiness for stoping. The rich parcels of specimens, obtained yesterday and to day came chiefly from the fobfcwall leader in the bottom level, in which such a splendid show was left after the specimens were broken from it about a week ago, This has now been taken down right up to the face, about 25 feet from the winze, and the drive is again being pushed ahead. The stone coming to hand from here is very similar to that met with all along the drive —the heavy class of mineral and small vugs being still plentiful. Gold is freely seen in the general dirt, and, though among the mineral, seems to be I very free, as is shown by the battery, where nearly all the gold is caught on the plates, and the tailings are/comparatively speaking, very poor. The junction" of the Queen of the May reef has been met with, but "the size of the new body of quartz is not yet determined. It is, however, composed of goodrlooking quartz, and gold has been, seen in it. It is about 20 feet east of the winze. Two stopes, one on either side of the winze, have been started. The.one westward has been advanced altogether about 4,5 feet, but the other not more than 8 or 10 feet. These are much dryer than the bottom drive, and consequently work can be carried on better. The reef in the eastern stope looks very well, and gold was showing plainly in some veins in tbe hangingwall. . Some good stone was obtained kere yesterday. The reef appears to be larger in the stopes'than in the drive below, but the veins of quartz are very similar. The largest -quantity of the crashing dirt is coming from here at present. At No. 7 level the contractors are pushing on the drive on the main reef seaward in a good class^of country. The body of quartz is about 2ft thick, and looks well for gold.. It is very solid, and carries a percentage of favorable mineral.

THAMES GOLDEN CROWN. The manager cleaned up and retorted yesterday afternoon, and the gold was melted this morning into an ingot weigh* ing 2590zs 16dwts. This is for a month's work at the battery, during which time the usual average of 300 ton? of quartz has been treated. The return is a much better one than for some months back, and we hope it will be kept up. It is also worthy of note that this is the first time during the; past two years or more, the Golden Crown yield of gold for the month has exceeded that of the Waiotahi, though even now the quartz from the Crown is not so goodras that from the Waiotahi, the excess being caused by the large quantity treated. WAIOTAHI. [Retorting for the month took place this morning, and after melting the return weighed 2390zs gold, for which 233 tons, of quartz have been treated. . ADELAIDE. The propriotors, Messrs Mcllhaney and party, have completed a crushing of 24 loads of general dirt at Ball's mill for the 6plendid return of 184ozs melted gold. ' ALBUBNIA.

Driving is being continued on what is supposed to be Dixon's reef at the Whau level,, and the face is now within 15 feet of being under McLean's workings. No defined body of quartz has yet been met with, though a little was visible in the face yesterday. It is possible that the manager is on the wrong reef, so when he get 3in the full distance, which will be about a week hence, he wilt crosscut into the hangipgwall, where McLean's leader will certainly be found. The clay seam on which the drive is being put in was met with in Connon's block (which is just above McLean's), and there the' leader was found some distance in the hangingwall, so it is quite possible it has dipped towards Dixon's reef, and then dipped, away again before it reached the Whau level. SOUTHERN CEOSS. The manager has now a party of men: engaged cleaning out a drive at the 70 feet level of Tookey's shaft. Prom this he expects to get to a cross-leader, which he intends to test. The drive at the 400 feet" level on the main reef) seaward/ is - being pushed ahead. Some of the quartz is white and unpromising-leokingj but other portions are more favorable; and carry a large quantity of antimony and also a percentage of silvery mineral, both of which are considered fair indications of gold. The rise from this drive is going up as quickly as circumstaaces will permit. The reef has been passed through, and about sft of the hanging wall portion is now being risen on. The quartz is of a more promising nature than that in the drive, containing more silvery mundic. A good strong color of coarse gold was seen in a piece of stone broken from about the centre of the body of. quartz in hand a day^ or two ago. Tie stone in which it was found contains a large percentage of good mineral, in whicn,the gold is embedded,, which speaks better for, ; the reef than if; the gold was quite free. The discovery is not important in itself, but still it proves that gold exists on that side of the shaft, and no one knows in what quantity, as it is entirely virgin ground. The manager has not yet rev ceired instructions, but it is probable that a trial crushing will be treated from theY rise shortly. -