MINING ITEMS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XVI, Issue 994, 28 November 1883, Page 6

MINING ITEMS.

New Zealand.

Mr W. L. Davis, manager of the Invincible Company's mine, Head of Lake, brought down on Saturday a cake of 118oz. of gold, the product of about 500 tonß of stone, taken from various parts of the mine. The company are busy crushing, and there are fair prospects of a good cake £or Christmas.— " Wafeatipu Mail."

We learn from the " Dunatan Times " that the large steam dredge which is now at work on the east Bide of the river, opposite Sandy Point, is on splendid gold ; and if the run of gold holds good for any length of time, the shareholders may expect some handsome dividends. Scott's, orDalziel's dredge, which is working about 200 yards above the Alexandra bridge is also on good gold.

A correspondent of the " Daily Times " says that a Mr Robin during his residence at Reefton, has completed a gold-saving contrivance, which he describes as a concentrator and an amalgamator of quartziailinga. Patente hwve been taken onb in New Zealand and Victoria, to which the latter Colony Mr Robin is proceeding to submit the invention for approval to the School of Mines in Ballarat, of which institute he was a former student. It is claimed for the apparatus that it is simple, inexpensive, and effective, and as the invention is the result of the study of a practical assayist, it is probable it will prove a success in all respects.

A correspondent of the "Mount Ida Chronicle" furnishes the following relative to operations at the Serpentine :-— The Golden Link Company have two teams at work carting quartz to the battery, which "is now in the charge of Mr Glass. There are about seventy tons to crush, but I do not know yet what the result will be like. There are numerous reports flying about ; meantime, I will hazard no conjectures. If the mine gets fair play the Serpentine will yet be a prosperous gold-producing district. There can be no doubt that if it were not for bad management in the past the reefs would be in working order at the present moment. I trust we will get over the difficulty and that the reefs will be worked steadily and carefully in the immediate future. This much I know, that the Deep Valley and Golden Belt Companies are determined to use every effort to dcv elope the hidden treasures of their respective mines.

Victoria.

"Writing to the "Leader" of the 10th instant, a correspondent at Castlemaine says : — Some good returns were obtained last week from three of our mines, the best being from the Garfield Company, Chewfcon, which obtained 203 »z. 4dwt, for the fortnight from 420 tons of stone, which was taken from all parts of the mine ; they have still plenty of stone to work upon. The New Era Company had nearly double the amount of gold this time to the last, having obtained from 800 tons of stone 1640z. 3dwt. smelted gold, which will give them a good profit after paying expenses. The returns from the Forest Creek Wabfcle Gully Company, Chewton, were also good, giving them over loz. to the ton ; 194 tons of stone crushed yielding 198oz. sdwt. of gold. The bottom level is extended 23 feet further. They are taking out 4 feet of stone, leaving apparently a large body of quartz west of the drive, which will be taken in stoping. The quartz crushed was taken from the different parts of the mine ; where they are working the stopes are still looking well. It will be seen we have from these three mines a return of 565uz. lidwt. of gold, a result which is very satisfactory, and must tend to improve our future prospects. New Sooth Wales.

It was reported in Adelong on 26 th October that the Great Victorian Amalgamated Company, having discovered payable gold below 1000 ft., have claimed the Government reward of £500. This same company received a reward of £1000 for the discovery of payable g>ld below 800 feet about seven years since. Ten tons of quartz from Cole and party, Mount Adrah, have just been crushed and yielded 320z An Armidale telegram of 26th. October states that from the Eleanor mine, three samples of quartz, sent to Sydney for assay, gave a return of soz, 9oz, and 23 >z of gold, and 6oz of silver to the ton respectively. The crushing machine will Boon be completed, when great results are confidently expected.

At Mount M'Donald, Tough and Co., tribntora in Woman's lease, from 23 tons of stone obtained an average of 3oz 9dwt llgr. There are only three in the party, and this will give about £17 per week per man. The vein is still looking well. At Temora mining matters are going on quietly. The abundance of water at present available has enabled washing to proceed briskly, and it is now evident that the alluvial ground is becoming gradually exhausted, as the supply of Btuff for puddling is falling off. During the week ending 27th October, Lucas and party crushed 44 loads of tailings, which gave an average of ljoz of gold to the load. On the 27th they washed a quantity of stuff overlaying the wash dirt, which yielded 18|oz of gold, or about a quarter of an ounce to the load. It is said that ELorton and party got 3>z of gold to the load from the road claim near the same place ; but the ground is of very limitel extent, and they are very guarded in giving information. Murray and party, of

the lower town, have washed 400 loads, which gave a return of about 8d wt to the load. Very little is doing in reefing, but there may soon be something to report, now that the South Australian Company has got to work again after amalgamation.

The " Albury Banner " says .-—Good prospects continue to be obtained by Devine and party in the Clina reef. The load has been opened out by a long cut, through the entire length of which the reef » fuUy 18in wide, the atone showing gold freely.