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considerable quantity of gold has been obtained on the upper levels. The No. 3 level is connected with hoppers, which are placed a little above the level of the Waitawheta Creek. On the opposite or north side of the creek a drive is in course of construction in what is known as the Truro Section, which will come under the rich shoot of ore formerly worked by the Sir Walter Scott Company. Crushing Plant. —The plant consists of drying-kilns, similar in construction to those lately constructed by the Waihi Company, rock-breaker, ten-head stamp mill, and cyanide plant. This plant was purchased by Mr. H. Adams at Waiorongomai, being portion of the large battery erected by the Te Aroha Gold and Silver Company. The stamps are of the American pattern, Bcwt. each. It is intended to give these a drop of sin., and run them at a speed of about ninety-five blows per minute. Dry-crushing is to be resorted to, and the fine pulverised ore treated in a cyanide solution. The ore is brought from the hoppers on a ground tramway, leading from the Crown Company's mine and over a bridge across the Waitawheta Creek, near its junction with the Ohinemuri Eiver, where the loaded trucks are then raised on an inclined tramway by means of a water-balance to the level of the top of the drying-kiln, which is about 50ft. above the level where the ore has to be emptied for the rock-breaker. The kiln where the ore is dried is 40ft in depth and 17ft. in diameter on top, having an egg-shaped bottom, and is covered with a shed. The drying of the ore is continuous. When a certain quantity is taken out at the bottom, more raw ore and firewood is placed on the top, and by this means the kiln is always kept full and burning. The kiln being constructed on the side of a hill, a drive is put in from the face to its bottom, and by a tramway from this point the dried ore is delivered into two hoppers, which in turn deliver it automatically to the rock-breaker. The broken ore from the rock-breakers is delivered into automatic Challenge orefeeders, which feed the stamps, and the pulverised ore from the latter is conveyed into the perco-lation-vats. The ore is conducted by gravitation through the whole of the different processes from the time it leaves the hoppers which feed the rock-breaker until the gangue is landed on the waste heap. Cyanide Plant. —The cyanide plant consists of eight square percolation tanks, each capable of treating 7 tons of ore, a solution tank, and three sumps, 10ft. by 10ft. by 3ft. deep, made with brick walls and lined with concrete. Close alongside the cyanide plant is a laboratory fitted up with all necessary materials and appliances for testing and assaying ores; and adjoining this is the smelting room, with furnaces and all appliances. The whole of the plant, although small, is very complete; but if the quantity of payable ore in the mine justifies a larger plant being erected there is plenty of room for the erection of same. During the year ending the 31st March last there was 546 tons of stone crushed, which yielded 7960z. by amalgamation and 1,9720z. by the cyanide process; while forty-five men have been employed about the mine and works. Talisman Mine. —This mine adjoins the Woodstock and Crown Mines, being on the upper side of the range going towards the trig, station. This mine was put on the London market with the view of forming a company with sufficient capital to thoroughly develop it and to erect machinery; but the local shareholders, after waiting a considerable time without receiving any encouraging information that a company would likely be floated, formed a local company, and after prospecting for some time determined to have a trial of 280 tons of the lode tested, and made arrangements with the Crown Company to have this done at its reduction-works. The result of this crushing and treatment of the ore with cyanide solution gave bullion of a value of £2,348 12s. Although the cost of the crushing and treatment of this ore was very high, it nevertheless was the means of establishing confidence that the mine was a valuable property, and enabled the company to get a syndicate to construct a plant such as has been erected for the Woodstock Company already described, on the payment of £500 in cash, and giving the syndicate the reserved shares which had not been disposed of. Messrs. Price Brothers, of the Thames, have got the contract for the machinery and plant. This, in itself, is a sufficient guarantee that good plant will be put on the ground, as nothing but first-class work has ever been known to be done by this firm whether the contract price pays them or not. As soon as it is completed this company is likely to get good returns from its mine. The property comprises an area of thirty acres, through which the lodes found in the Crown and Woodstock Mines are likely to pass; but it was not known at the time of my visit whether the lode in the Talisman Mine from which the crushing was taken was one of the lodes in other mines or not. Sufficient work has not yet been done to determine this. A level has been continued along the lode in a northerly direction towards the Woodstock with the view of identifying it with one of the lodes in the Woodstock Mine. The lode averages in this level about 2ft. in thickness. Again, the same level has been continued for 270 ft. along the lode in a southerly direction, and it was from this place that the crushing already referred to was taken. A winze was in course of construction in the southern end of the level at the time of my visit to this district, and the lode continues to maintain its width, having the quantity of the ore quite equal to that found in the level. A large supply of ore is on hand, ready to send to the crushing plant as soon as it is completed; but the company will have yet to get an economical means of transit of the ore from the mine to their reduction plant, which is to be erected at nearly 1,500 ft. lower level than the mine-workings. An aerial tramway will probably be the most convenient means of accomplishing this ; but the steep character of the ground will necessitate a powerful brake being applied if a large quantity of ore has to be delivered. During last year there were fifteen men employed in the mine. Bonanza Mine. —This mine adjoins the Talisman on the top of the range and on the watershed falling towards, the Eotokohu Gorge. The lode being worked in the Talisman Mine should pass through the ground. The operations at the present time are purely of a prospecting character. Earl of Glasgoiv Mine. —This mine adjoins the Crown and Bonanza Companies' properties. Two small lodes are being worked, which are said to give a yield of from 4oz. to Boz. of gold to the