MINING NOTES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XVII, Issue IX, 29 August 1896, Page 269

MINING NOTES.

Occidental. —The crushing returns from this Thames mine improve each month. This week the manager telegraphed the result of the crushing as follows:—• 24 loads of quartz treated returned 650 Z of retorted gold.’ Taranaki (Te Aroha). —The following terms have been offered by cable from London for this property. The offer is /T.soo cash, one quarter shares paid up in a company to be formed with /Too,ooo capital and a working capital of £25,000.

Victoria (Thames). —The new reef shows a thickness of rgin., and a trial crushing of the quartz broken from the level before meeting with the old working gave a return at the rate of one ounce per load. Another stope has been started over the eastern intermediate level. The quartz broken shows gold freely, and a few pounds of stone have come to hand. In the western intermediate drive the leader is small, being split up into a number of small stringers all of them carrying gold, white about I2lbs of picked stone were selected. The reef in the stopes above No. 1 level shows gold at each breaking down. The gold is found in ‘ pockets.’

Maori Dream (Kuaotunu) —No. 5 reef is about three feet wide and carries a little gold. Hazelbank (Thames) —Darby’s reef maintains its usual thickness, and produces a good class of crushing dirt, amongst which gold is freely seen, and izlbsof picked stone have been selected from here.

Queen Annie (Waitekauri). —The deeds and reports on the above property are now being prepared for the floatation of this mine in London.

Leading Wind (Manaia). —The ore in this mine is estimated by the manager to go / io per ton, and there is a large quantity now at grass waiting treatment. Gold is very freely seen through the stone in No. 3 reef. Tui.—The English company that bought this property at Te Aroha are about to start work to vigorously develop the Champion lode. The working capital is fixed at £20,000. All Nations.—This property has also been taken over by an English company, the working capital to be ex pended being £20,000. Fleming’s Freehold (Tapu).—The drive is now in the reef a distance of 10 feet, and colours of gold can occasionally be seen in the stone. Pigmy (Coromandel). —The leader has much improved latterly, and is about seven inches wide, giving good loose prospects of gold in the rubble, besides which gold can be seen in the stone.

Royal Sovereign (Wharekeraupunga).—We have cut through the reef, which is about 14 feet thick. Bunker’s Hill (Coromandel). —The drive on No. 1 reef has been advanced 14 feet in this direction. When breaking down colours of gold were seen in the quartz.

Brilliant (Kuaotunu).—The Wheal Basset lode is 2 feet 6 inches wide, and gives fair prospects. The lode becomes more solid as driven on.

Golden Point (Tapu).—On the nth the development of the first lode met with was commenced. The quartz broken down showed gold In the drive the lode shows an average thickness of 18 inches, with gold very freely distributed through the stone. Rothschild (Karangahake).—The reef is 12 feet wide. Golden Hill Extended.—ln the eastern drive, a strong leader has been cut, in which a little gold is seen. Pride of Tokatea.—The lead in the second stope has varied from two to four inches, and good blotihes and

colours of gold have been seen each breaking down. The leader that has been carried along on the right hand side of drive shows a very good prospect of loose gold, and has widened out to about nine inches of crushing dirt. Another lead eight inches thick was cut, which showed good picked stone, containing very coarse gold. About 701 bof good specimens have been secured. Gold is also showing freely in the general dirt. Towards the end of the week another nibs of specimens were obtained from footwall lead in winze. Occidental (Thames). —No. I leader shows colours ot gold. Empress (Coromandel). —Gold is still obtained from the reef at the low level by washing. At No 3 level the reef is 3 feet 6 inches, and is improving as it is driven on. This is about 7 feet thick, and runs right through the centre of the mine.

Diadem (Kuaotunu). —An offer has been made for the option of floating this Kuaotunu property on the Home market. Mr Cheal has been instructed to prepare the requisite plans and reports.

Britannia (Coromandel). —The leader which was intersected recently in sinking has now been broken out, and it appears to increase in size as it goes down.

Monowai (Waiomo). —The Glasgow Company has notified that it is ready to go to work immediately the property has been transferred. Golden Horn (Tapu).—A small reef about 9 inches in width, showing gold abundantly intermixed with kindred minerals has been cut.

Grace Darling (Waitekauri). —The reef in No. 2 level is four to five feet in thickness. Portions of the ore are largely impregnated with sulphides, and should give a good assay return. In the Portsea section the reef is six feet thick, and in places is also carrying a good deal of sulphides. Golden Lead (Coromandel). —When breaking down several nice pieces of quartz were got which showed gold freely.

Karaka Queen. —The ore coming to baud shows gold freely. The lode has been opened up for a distance of 60ft, averaging from iSin to 2ft in thickness. Gold is seen at every breaking down. Orlando (Thames). —A small leader has been intersected which shows coarse gold at each breaking down. Four-in-Han 4.—The main reef is keeping its average size, and shows colours of gold. A few pounds of picked stone continue *0 be got from the stone.

Sceptre (Wharekeraupunga).—A nice looking reef was cut in this mine, which is heavily mineralised and about iS inches thick.

Napier (Tiki). —Good dabs of gold are seen in the stone in No 1 leader.

Nonpareil (Thames). —A good supply of crushing dirt is coming to hand from the Queensland reef.

New Whau (Thames). —In the Middle Star section a few strong colours of gold are seen in the reef which is 3 feet 6 inches in width.

Katie (Coromandel). —Aitken’s reef has been uncovered in the trench. It is a good body of stone, and gives dish prospects.

Kuaotunu. —An oxidised vein about one foot thick has been cut, which carries nice colours of gold. Al (Kuaotunu). —The new reef is two feet six inches t lick and carrying gold. Waitekauri South. —The reef in the crosscut proves to be gold-bearing.

Welcome Find (Coromandel). —When breaking down some of the stone showed strong gold freely. The lode is from two feet to eight inches in thickness. Bell Rock (Thames). —A leader has been found on the surface, stone from which shows colours of gold. Mariner (Karangahake). — No. 1 reef shows 4ft of quartz.

Victor Waihou (Karangahake).—The No. 2 tunnel, in which the lode was recently intersected, is now in 430 ft. The ore body met in this crosscut is 2ft wide of very fair looking stone, and is traversing an excellent channel of ground. South British (Karangahake).—ln the Dubbo level a reef ">ft wide has been intersected, which gives colours of gold in the dish. Comstock (Waiomo).--The lode is now a compact body of quartz 2ft 6in in thickness, and carries a large amount of silica.

City of Auckland.—The Vale of Avoca leader showed strong dabs and colours of gold at each breaking down. May Queen Extended (Thames). —A large lode eight feet in diameter has been opened at its outcrop on the surface. Colours of gold can be seen through the veins forming the lode.

Coromandel Freehold. —Mr J. A. Marshall is going to London in order to float this freehold property on the Home market.

Buffalo (Coromandel) —The big reef which has been the centre of operations lately is now opened up a distance of 54 feet on the footwall side. At the last breaking down colours of gold were seen. Progress Castle Rock (Coromandel). — From the reef in the rise about 81bs of good picked stone were obtained this week.

Pride of Hauraki.—When breaking down a nice leader of gold was seen freely in the stone. Madge (Kennedys’ Bay).—The gold got from No. 1 lode is of a coarse heavy nature, and the quartz looks really well. No. 2 reef is also giving better prospects. Fiery Cross. —An assay made of quartz from the Fiery Cross mine (Wharekeraupunga) gave a total bullion value, Z"i3 7s id per ton from the footwall, and /'zi 17s 7d from the liangingwall of the reef.