REEFTON MINING NEWS.

West Coast Times, Issue 3748, 11 April 1881, Page 2

REEFTON MINING NEWS.

[Inangahua Hebaxd, Apbil 7.]

Welcome. — Thia battery was again started on Saturday last, reducing stone for the company, and will be steadily employed for some time to come, as the plant is in thorough working form. Inside the mine, operations are going forward similar t to those of previous months. The chief work is breaking down quartz. Fair progress is being made with the extension of No. 6 level, this work being performed by contract. The sinking of the winze, which is to be put down below the intermediate level to connect with No. 6 tunnel, was let last week to Keenan and party for £3 7s 6d per foot. Upper Battery.— The Hopeful Company has come down with a parcel of stone of about 130 tons ; and, at the time of my visit yesterday, the fifteen heads were operating on tbe same. The stamps bad not been in motion sufficiently long to form an opinion as to what would be tbe probable result of the crushing, but the stone is generally considered of good quality. Juat-in-Tirae. — In the winze, where the chief works are being carried on at this mine, the lode is of good width, and the gold is often seen freely. In the course of a few weeks, possibly there will be a crushing of the stone raised from this portion of the claim, when shareholders and others will be able to form an accurate conclusion as to the value of the block* As the stone raised in this mine has greatly varied en several occasions, it is certainly wiser to await the conclusion of the crushing before hazarding any estimate.

Fiery Cross.— There is a small quantity of quartz lying at the lower paddock, the product of the late sinking of the winze which has been sunk below the 300-foot level. The stone when crushed is sup • posed to give a yield of an ounce of gold per ton of stone. Nothing: has been said as to when the quartz will be put through the battery, but considering that the stone is so near to the mill, it may be assumed that it will be reduced not long hence.

Specimen Hill Extended.— According to the directions given of the length to be driven before the line of reef is reached, the time the existing contract has been in force, together with the favorable country through which the work is being takea, shareholders should not be surprised if quartz were struck within the course of a week or so. The driving is going for a block of quartz that is exposed ou the upper tunnel, and it should be no difficult matter to drive for tbe line, when there are such ample data upon which to base a calculation.