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Souvenir Mine. —There was 52 tons of quartz crushed for 240z. 7dwt. of gold. Several other small claims have been worked for small returns. Otunui District. There has been no return from this district, although occasionally parties visit the ground. Pubiri District. Puriri Claim (Four men's ground).—One hundred and forty tons of quartz crushed yielded 470z. of gold. There is a small battery of six stamps and two berdans at this mine. Puriri Prospectors' Mine (Thomas O-illan, owner). —A considerable amount of work was done by the present owner, three men being employed, and 121 tons of quartz was crushed for a yield of 1730z. 16dwt. of gold. A battery of sixteen stamps and four berdans, driven by a Peltonwheel, is situated about a mile from the mine. Taip.ua Distbict. Bonnie Scotland Mine, 5 acres (Mr. Finlay McLiver, owner and manager).—Three men were employed, and 124 tons of quartz crushed yielded 91oz. 19dwt. of gold. About 100 ft. have been driven on the reef, and 40 fathoms stoped out. There is a battery of ten stamps and four berdans driven by water-power at this mine. OHINEMURI COUNTY. Mabatoto District. Maratoto Mine, owned by a Sydney company, was worked by three men up to the end of November last year, afterwards no work was done. The mine, crushing-plant, and machine site and water-race have since been sold to Mr. Judd of the Thames, who intends working the mine. The total quantity of quartz crushed was 135 tons for 6250z. of bullion. Two or three small parties have been occasionally prospecting the district, but so far with meagre results. Kabangahake Distbict. Ivanlioe and Truro Mines, 42 acres (Mr. C. P. Cox, owner; Mr. John McCombie, manager). —■ Six men were employed, and 136 tons of ore were treated for a return of 119oz. of gold. The reef worked on was about 3ft. in thickness. Two prospecting cross-cuts were driven a distance of 230 ft. and 112 ft. respectively, and a considerable amount of surface trenching done. The battery consists of four heads of stamps, two pans, and one settler driven by a Pelton-wheel. Provision is made to allow the slimes to settle, and. use the water over again. Woodstock United Mine, 30 acres (Woodstock United Gold-mining Company, owner; Mr. John McCombie, manager). —The average number of men employed during the year has been six. About 200 ft. of driving has been done on the lode at two or three different points, and the quantity of ore broken out and dealt with was 149 tons. Of this lode 51 tons were sold at a figure ranging from 50 per cent, to 72-J per cent, on its assay-value, which proved it to be worth £2,431; and the purchaser shipped it to Frieburg for treatment there. A parcel of 98 tons was reduced by battery and pan amalgamation for a return of 280oz. of gold, and this result was slightly over 50 per cent, on the assay-value. The lode from which this stuff was obtained averages 18in. in thickness, and there are now to grass about 20 tons of ore, ranging from £15 to £50 per ton in value, as the result of the stoping operations upon it. Croion Mines, 116 acres (New Zealand Crown Mines Company, owner; Mr. John McConnell, general manager; and Mr. G. McGregor, mine manager). —Mfty-five men on the average have been employed. Two hundred and two tons of quartz and three tons of tailings were treated by the Cassell process for a return of 1,1860z. lOdwt. of bullion, value £1 14s. lid. per oz. The quartz was obtained from the low levels opened on the reef on either side of the Waitawheta Stream. This reef averages from 4ft. to 7ft. in thickness. The depth of the lowest level from the county road is 600 ft.; and 378 ft of driving on the reef, 80ft. of rising, and 61 fathoms of stoping have been done. The quartz from the low level is conveyed to the battery with great difficulty. It has to be hauled across the Waitawheta Stream on a wire tramway, run along a ground tramway, and then hauled by a wire tram again across the stream up to the mill. The company have decided to construct a tramway and erect a new crushing-plant on the left bank of the Ohinemuri Eiver, about 80 chains from the mine. The excavation for a ground tramway is nearly completed, only one bridge over the Waitawheta Eiver being required. The particulars of the new crushing and treatment plant are given in the description, by Mr. McConnell, attached. The plant at present in use consists of three Lamberton mills, a stone-breaker, furnaces, and fifteen agitating vats, ten solution-pumps, three Felton presses, three solution-tanks, and six towers, &c. The following is a rough description of the new plant being erected by the New Zealand Crown Mines Company, Limited :— Water-power: By means of a 4in. by 2in. framing, the water will be taken from a point in the Ohinemuri Eiver, above Karangahake, and conveyed to the battery, a distance of 80 chains, giving a fall there of 70ft., by which, with two Pelton-wheels, 140-horse power will be obtained. The Peltons are 7ft. in diameter overall, and the water-column 44in. by 150 ft. in length. Crushing Machinery : One Lamberton stone-breaker, capable of reducing 70 tons of ore per day, fine enough for feeding into stamps. Twenty head of dry stamps, 9cwt. each, which will reduce 30 tons of ore per day sufficiently fine to pass through a 60-mesh screen (3,600 holes to the square inch). The crushed ore will be conveyed from the stamps by means of a revolving tube, and deposited in the store-hoppers, either in connection with the percolation, or agitation-plant.

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