MINING NEWS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XX, Issue XVI, 16 April 1898, Page 473

MINING NEWS.

SHAREMARKET. THE gold returns for the past week total £10,230 5/6, and included amongst them are several yields worthy of note. A trial parcel of ore from the Mercury Bay district returned £45 19/ from one and a-half tons, which goes to prove that district is well worth the attention of prospectors. The Tandem Company’s return from a trial parcel of 20 tons was, however, not so satisfactory, the bullion won being only valued at £l5. The first return from the Moanataiari Company’s new battery was £1638, and this is not the whole yield, as the cleaning up has not yet been finally completed. The old Try Fluke mine at Kuaotunu contributed £5OO worth of bullion. The Woodstock Company, as was anticipated, did not have a good return this month owing to the change in the process of treatment. This will, however, only be the case with the first crushing. The Waitekauri Company’s return was again well up to the average, and that from the Waiotahi mine at the Thames showed some improvement. The Waihi Silverton Company had a fair return, but here again the shortage of water for motive power has been felt. Business on the Exchange has been interfered with by the Easter vacation, but values all round were well maintained. Monowais had steady enquiry at 3/9, but buyers still declined to quote. May Queens were a shade firmer, buyers offering 6/. Alburnias were also enquired for each day at 3/1 to 3/2. A few pounds of picked stone were obtained from the Bunker’s Hill mine during the week, but this did not affect the price of shares. For Waihi Silverton shares slightly better prices were offered, but few transactions were reported. In cheaper stocks attention was paid to Golden Leads, Victorias, Imperials, and New Whaus. In the case of the latter stock recent developments of an encouraging nature resulted in a number of shares changing hands at low prices. Grace Darlings and Fortseas had considerable demand earlier in the week, but later on the enquiry died away. Taken altogether, the market presented a more hopeful appearance this week, although the holidays naturally interfered with business.

MAHARA ROYAL. £535 FROM 315 TONS. Cleaning up for the past month’s operations at this Tapu Company’s battery shows a slight increase upon that of the previous month. During the period named 315 tons of ore were treated for a yield of 1730 z 14dwts of gold worth £3 Is 8d per oz, total value £535 Ils 6d. WOODSTOCK RETURN. The cleaning up of the Woodstock Battery for the four weeks ending March 26th, is £782, from 310 tons completed, and 275 tons still under treatment. The small tonnage crushed is due to the shortage ot motive power during the past dry weather, and insufficient vattage accommodation for the treatment of ore. The number of stampers dropping lias lieen from 15 to 20, according to the water power available to work them. MOANATAIARI RETURN. An interim return has been given regarding the result of the first crushing at the Moanataiari Company’s new battery. The result of the treatment of the concentrates will not be available for some time yet, so that all known so far is the yield from the plates only. This shows that bullion worth £1,638 15s 3d was obtained from 1,220 tons of ore. ROYAL STANDARD. At the Royal Standard mines, Wharekerauponga, as is generally known, a change of management has lately taken place, Mr Pascoe having succeeded Mr J. G. Ralph as general

manager. Mr Pascoe, after thoroughly inspecting the mine and works in progress, has entirely altered the scheme of operations. All works in connection with the erection of the battery, construction of water races, tramways, etc., have been suspended for the present, and the whole staff of men has been concentrated about the mine, with the object of thoroughly developing it, and determining whether the erection of a battery would be in the best interests of the shareholders. A large amount of work is being carried out, and in a systematic manner, reflecting highly on the energy and ability of the general manager. MONOWAL - The ore from this mine treated by Professor Black with the permanganate process was assayed by Mr Allen at the Thames School of Mines with the following results:—Before treatment, gold,9oz 14dwt 2gr ; silver, 5460 z 16dwt Bgr. After treatment, gold, 1 Idwt Bgr ; silver, 5090 z 3gr. The assay value per ton before treatment was £93 10s and afterwards £53 3s 4d. It will lie seen that the process is a success as far as the recovery of gold is concerned. Professor Black does not claim to save silver by this process as that can be readily done by the usual leaching system, It should be mentioned that the stone was selected by Professor Black, who, in order to thoroughly test his process, took a very heavily mineralised sample, so that this is not considered an average value for the whole width ot the lode.

MARIPOSA RETURN. £6OO FROM 383 TONS. Another cleaning up has taken place at the Mariposa mine, Kuaotunu, the return this time amounting to £6OO. For this 383 tons of ore and 360 tons of tailings were treated. W AIHI-SIL VERTON RETURN. £ll6O FOR THE MONTH. Owing to the water still being scarce only 860 tons of ore were treated at this company’s battery during the past month, and 150 tons of tailings were also put through. The bullion obtained was worth £ll6O. KAPANGA COMPANY. This company put through some ore last week which yielded bullion valued at £ 93. WOODSTOOCK. The first clearing up by the wet process of treatment has not yet reached that stage when the actual results may be stated, but it is satisfactory to learn that the system can be considered a success. THAMES HAURAKI. The draining of the deep levels at the Thames by means of the Queen of Beauty shaft is an event anxiously awaited by owners of adjoining mines. The satisfactory news has been cabled that all the necessary machinery for starting the pumps will be shipped on the 15th inst. Most of the pumping machinery at present to band has been erected, and as the balance will probably be at the Thames by the end of June, the commencement of pumping operations to drain the deep levels should be started at no very distant date. The high and low pressure cylinders are in position, the pump quadrants ami rising mains are also in course of erection.

N.Z. TALISMAN. In a report furnished to the Talisman Company, it is stated that the Talisman reef, which was known to pass out of the Talisman ground into that of the Crown Mines, has now been definitely proved by underground workings to re - enter the Talisman claim, and further more that this extension of the reef has been placed beyond all question for a distance of not less than 900 feet through the Bonanza section of the Talisman Company’s property by means of surface workings, while there is every reason for believing that further operations will prove the reef to be continuous throughout the entire length of this section of the property, or a further distance of I,oooft. The reef, where intersected in the prospecting crosscut from the No. 4 level after the ore body re-enters the Talisman claim from the Crown mines, has an assay value of £4 18s 3d per ton ami a decided dip to the West. These discoveries greatly enehance the value of the property by increasing the available ore supply beyoml what had already been blocked out for stoping, and constitute the most important development which has occurred since the property was acquired by the present Company. It is also satis-

factory'as confirming the views which have been held by the management since the property was taken over. WAITEKAURI RETURN. £4,759 FROM 1,675 TONS. During the four weeks ending March 26th the quantity of ore treated at the Waitekauri Company’s battery was 1,675 tons, which yielded bullion to the value of £4,759 19s 9d. KAPANGA TRIBUTERS. Messrs Andrews and Gunn, tributers in the Kapanga mine, Coromandel, had a parcel of stone treated for a yield of bullion estimated to be worth £ 180. NOTES. New Whau. —Colours of gold were seen in the new leader in the low level. There is a probabilityof picked stone being obtained as development work proceeds. The mineral indications are really good. Puru Consolidated. The reef in the south drive, No. 2 level, when broken down this week showed strong colours of very coarse gold, in fact, the coarsest yet seen in the mine. The reef is a stronglydefined body of stone, two feet thick, having a large percentage of good-looking mineral showing through it. This is encouraging, as proving that the gold is carrying down.

WEEK’S GOLD OUTPUT. Company. Tons. & s d Mariposa 383 600 0 0 Kapanga 93 0 0 Mahara Royal .. 315 535 11 6 Woodstock .. 310 782 0 0 Moanataiari .. .. 1,220 1,638 15 3 Waitekauri .. 1,675 4,759 19 9 Kapanga tributers .. 180 0 0 Waiotahi 100 420 0 0 Waihi-Sil verton 850 1,160 0 0 Mercury Bay parcel 1£ trial 45 19 0 Tandem 20 15 0 0 Total £10,232 5 6