LANKEY'S CREEK.

Inangahua Times, Volume VII, Issue 1187, 2 October 1882, Page 2

LANKEY'S CREEK.

A Large portion of the machinery is now on the ground, and the remaining pieces are expected to arrive in a very short time. The preliminary works are all being vigorously pushed ahead, and every effort is being made to have the plant in working order at the earliest possible date. Shares hi the venture are firmly

held, and the future is looked forward to with good anticipations. WEALTH OF NATIONS. The general cleaning up took place at tlii3 battery on Friday evening after passing through 102 tons of stone, the result being a cake of gold weighing 191oz 13 dwt. This is a really excellent return, and gives an average of something like loz 3^ dwt per ton. The crushing leaves a handsome margin of profit, being something like three months working expenses. The stone was taken front 'the stopes in the winze, where the reef shows an average thickness of 4ft. The work of getting out stone for another crushing has again been resumed and in about six weeks timn there will be another crushing of about 200 tons, of the same quality. The sinking of the winze has been discontinued for the time being, but as soon as the stopes have been worked up sufficiently, operations will be resumed to follow the reef downwards. To-day hands were put on to sink in the old Vulcan ground, on what is supposed to be the Keep-it-Dark lino, here the reef shows a thickness of about 1 foot, but this is fully 300 feet above the lowest level of the Keep-it Dark, and the lode is expected to widen out as the sinking proceeds. Taken altogether, the prospects of the company are highly encouraging. GOLDEN FLEECE EXTENDED. The general cleaning up took place at the battery on Friday morning last, after thirteen and a half days crushing, the result being 499 oza. of retorted gold. The quantity put through was 290 tons, thus showing an average return of loz. 15dwts, nearly, per ton. Such an excellent return recalls the good old days and raises high hopes of the future of the property. The whole of the stopes are looking well, and the mine generally is in the most efficient worksng order. Before crushing can be resumed the present rise has to be connected with main winze by a drive 40 ft in length. This may be said to be dead work, but Mr Treimery expects to start with another crushing about the end of October. The further sinking of the winze is delayed for want of another rock-bover, the distance, 200 ft, between the rise and the winze being too great to allow of the present rockborer being shifted from one place to another. A new lathe is being erected and will be ready for work in a few days. It is also the intention to construct an airwinch as soon as the lathe is completed. The winch will be manufactured on the mine, and will be used for hauling out of the main winze from the bottom level which will be opened out on at 100 ft. VENUS. Knight and ]vir.ty, the contractors, are getting on well with the driving of the low level. A contract will shortly be let for the construction of a wooden air pipe, which can be eventually usedaaafire-blast, and enable the company to rise from the present to the upper level, and thus connect the two levels.