MINING AT THAMES.

Thames Star, Volume XXXXI, Issue 10451, 28 October 1904, Page 4

MINING AT THAMES.

A (MARKED' REVIVAL. ————— ' THE WORKS IN PROGRESS. Al (HOPEFUL. OUTLOOK. I SOME INWERESTING DETAILS. Since the publication 1 of our last article dealing with mining generally in the Thames and districts immediately adjoining, at considerable improvement has been effected, and a substantial addition has, we are pleased to see, been made to the number of men employed- Tti is be hoped that the revival will continue and that additional capital will be provided! for the development of the various propertiesl, and that soon will be heard the rumble of the batteries) that have been silent for so long. Referring first to the Thames district, there has been a decided improvement im several properties. Already crushing operations are proceeding on behalf of two mines, and it is hoped that permanent work in other batteries will soon be commenced- Inl The New Moanataiari Mine 'the principal work has been sinking on the winze oni the Cambria lode, famous in early days for its rich yields >of gold. The winze was sunk to '68ft, after which a rich mineralised vein Was followed in the direction of the old tributers' works, where Rowe and party secured such good returns', and into which wmneation has just been made. In conversation with the manager, he expressed the hope that the improvement would continue, and: fronu the indications when our representative last visited 1 the mine, there is every probability that such, will prove to be the ease- Unfortunately some rash individuals 1, optimistic beyond all reason hn,ve played some 'extraordinary tricks with the shares of this 1 and other' companies 1, with the result that as is always the case; a "ood deal of disappointment has inevitably followed. As to the mine itself there has been very little change, and as we have stated the indications are as favourable as: ever-

—,Im tlie Allmrnia Mme — j a contract for drivingl 100 ft on. the , No. 1 lode intersected in the main Moanataiari tunnel has been let, j while a, words; of considerable import- ' since: has also been, started, that is the sinking; of a winze on the same lode at a point where the reef gives very promising 1 results. Unfortunately a, .considerable flow- of water has been met with, and. operations may be retarded for some time, but, any difficulty in this respect will sooni he overcome, and there is every indication that the quality of the ore will showi ido'iisiderable improvemlenjt. It may be 1 said that for some time past —Tlie May Queen Battery— has been engaged in crushing ore irom the New' Moanataiari and Old Alburnia mines. Tlie former isl said to be shaping! for a payable return, but the returns from, the latter-have not been, as -good as was anticipated—At Ta.raru' — ■Mr Powell is still steadily employed in, the Tararui Creek mine, and although none of the shares: are. held in New Zealand, it being praqtioally" a privately owned mine, our readers will he .pleased to learn that the pro- . spe-cts! of late have considerably improved, and that in some sections, quartz showing: gold freely has been obtained!. This is good news indeed, and leads to the hope that before long the battery will be^ engaged in , crushing! operations. Further up the creek the development of —The Eclipse Mine—■ is being carried out, and the management have been a little despondent in not finding the improvement that I was anticipated. Operations are being vigorously pushed on, in. the hope that an improvement will soon follow. In the I i Kuranui-Cailedonia.il Mine— : the boring operations have ceased, ! and unfortunately no quartz was intersected down to 1500 ft, though, the management were anxious that tho hole should be extended untiL a greater: depth was reached so> as to see if the lode expected', the (Cambria:, existed at. that depth. Tlie conditions im- < posed by the Diamond Drilling Company were, however, such, as to preclude the possibility of having! them, entertained, and the boring plant was 4 therefore removed. Tho operations now being carried out by the company are! the sinking of the winze on ' the 'Cambria, lode with, what, are con- | siclered! to be encouraging results- ' There is a. probability that additional capital will bo available for 1 the dev'elO'P'inient of this mine. —S'axoni and. Victoria— Ther'o is nothing fresh! to' report j on the operations of the Victoria or Saxon companies.. Tlie Victoria is operating on the well-known Mariners' lode 'tout so far nothing of a sensational natiu'o has' been obtained, though the prospects are promising. In the Saxon mine the men are employed! on the No. 2 Cardigan lode, | which yielded some good returns when worked by thei tributers, and now that the necessary - connection ! has 1 been made ■with! the crosscut ' from the Exchange shaft, it is ex- ' pccitedl that before long quartz will be obtained from which crush ings ' can be made. —The New 1 Una iCloinpany— j are working' from* the May Queen , Extended crosscut, and should have i the Rocky Point and May Queen Ex- j tended lodes in hand before very | long- When these are intersected, there is little doubt that, other payable crushings will be set-wed on behalf of this company. —The Monowai Mine— . at! iWaiomo is to be prospected by means of a low! level, this being part of ai general scheme of development outlined! Vy Mr H- H. Aidam.s, the superintendent. The necessary plant is now available for'the use of rock drills, and work is to be pushed on at once. Im j —The Mahara Royal—at Tapui rfie principal operation is the sinkingl, of a winze fronn the low level soi as to> intersect, at a depth, * valuable chute of gold met witb above, and! from which splendid returns were «wuye.<il- ,-

—A# Neavesville—■ the erection of a 40 stamper battery at the Golden Belt battery is progressing satisfactorily, while the mine is said to. haivie donei very well indeed. There is now a considerable quantity of quartz at grass', and it is hoped that crushing operations will be commenced early next year. —In the Broken Kill Mine^— at Tadrua,, which has been somewhat quiet of late, the work of sinking on * the run of .gold met with in the upper levels. has been commenced. The management is ho,p'eful that the same payable blociks opened up on the lodes above w rill be available at a. depth.