THE HAURAKI MINE.

Thames Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 17762, 9 December 1929, Page 5

THE HAURAKI MINE.

POSITION REVIEWED.

MORE DEVELOPMENT. AT THE 500 FT. LEVEL. The Coromandel County News reports as follows on the Hauraki Mines: The development works carried out in the Hauraki Mines Consolidated property at the 400 it. level have opened up a new area of heretofore unexplored auriferous* country of great promise. The Stoekwood Reef has been proved to be bold-bearing for a distance of 70 ft., along its course, and some stone has been obtained that was decidedly rich and the gold coarse; the puggy seam running with the main ore body has likewise produced quite a number of pieces of solid quartz, rich in gold, some bfeing fully lib. ill weight; the country is all that could be desired and the reef is a fine body of ore averaging 12in. in width. /Rising and sinking on the Stoc-kwood Reef was undertaken at a point where rich ore was obtained, and it was proved to continue downward as far as sinking was continued, a'depth of 20ft. Stoping on the main ore body has been in progress for some time and two trushings of approximately £soo,and £3OO in value respectively have been obtained; stoping is being continued and the reef has. maintained its size, the country continues to be of a kindly nature, and strong blotches of gold were seen when the reef was broken down; everything leads to the supposition tjiat a bon-, anza patch is somewhere about, but so far it has proved to be elusive,' and the question arises as to whether it l is likely to be met with overhead or under foot, and many experienced mining men incline to the latter opinion. The only way to make sure, is toj undertake both Works, and while stoping will be continued overhead preparations are being made to commence development work at a depth of 500 ft. (10ft. below the present level, and 80ft. under where gold was carried downward). The face seaward ,at the 400 ft. level has been carried forward, the Green Harp Reef was passed and driving continued towards the Venus Reef which is estimated to be a. very few feet ahead of the present lace in country containing indications favourable for gold: The mine contains nurilerous reefs that have proved highly gold-bearing in the . past, and there is enormous sc-opq f° r exploration with good prospects of success. It would, however, take a great deal of money and a small army of miners to develop even a few of the 'points that offer prospects of success; and, pei’force, it is only practicable to explore one section at a time, and even this involves considerable expenditure. In the near future it is hoped that work will be in full swing at the 500 ft. level as well as being continued at the 400 ft. level, and thereby increase the prospect of unearthing a bonanza. ' ‘

The Hauraki shaft is down 550 ft. and a chamber is constructed at 500 ft., from whence it is proposed to drive under the run of gold met with in the Stoekwood Reef. The main plunger pump has been overhauled and everything is in readiness to., resume unwatering below 400 ft-. It is intended to crosscut from the 500 ft. chamber .toward the Union Beach shaft; and, in the opposite direction, with the object of locating the downward course of Legge’s Reef (that produced a great deal of gold and enable £144,000 in dividends to be paid by the English company then operating). The Government is giving a- £ for £ subsidy for development work at- the 500 ft. level. The first reef that should he cut in the Union Beach claim direction is an- Bft. ore body which was intersected in the shaft when sinking below 50ft.; then the Green Harp and others of the Hauraki and Union Beach reef systems should come to hand. The estimated distance to the Stoekwood Reef is 800 ft. The distance to intersect Legge’s is problematical, owing to displacement by faulting above the 300 ft. level. From the foregoing it will be seen that the company has quite a pretentious scheme of development in view, and with work in progress both above and below 400 ft. it is enhancing the chances of unearthing another big patch, which would probably make the Hauraki Consolidated a mine with years of profitable work ahead. At all times mining is speculative, and the only way to prove a theory is to turn over the ground, but the past history of the property is such as to leatLone to suppose that persistency will have its reward. ’,. ( . , In breaking down m the north end of the Stoc-kwood stopes recently, some very strong gold was seen in the main reef, n few pounds of picked stone being selected. ■ .