MINING NEWS

Inangahua Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1216, 5 January 1883, Page 2

MINING NEWS

[From our Mining Reporter.]

The holidays being now over, work has been re-commenced at nearly the whole of the mines, and before the week closes the resumption of operations will be general throughout the field. Taken altogether the prospects of the mining industry for the opening of the year are decidedly good. The erection of the crushing and sluicing plant for the Lankey's Creek Cement Company is in a very forward state, and the work is being pushed on to completion with all the haste possible, and before the quarter closts we may

reasonably expect to see the name of . the company figuring in our weekly j list of productive undertakings. The | Oriental Company, Devil's Creek, are in readiness to start crushing, and the stampers will be set going by the end of the week. Mr James has been placed in charge of the battery, and the result of the first crushing will be looked forward to with interest. The G-olden Point Company, at Golden Point, have also, everything in readiness for their maiden crushing, though it is probable that the supply of water will be hardly sufficient until rain comes. The starting, almost simultaneously, of crushing by these three new companies will be quite an event in the history of the field, and should add largely to our gold production for the current year. The Keep-it-Dark have completed their cleaning up for the December crushing and the battery is again rolling on its prosperous career, with every prospect of a continuancy of its good fortune. The aggregate amount paid in dividends by the company up to the Ist December last was £33,000, the dividends for the past year having totalled £15,500. The new air- compressing and rock- boring machinery for the company is now lying at Brunnerton, and will be delivered on the machine site during the next week or ten days, and when set going will no doubt effect an enormous saving in the working expenses of the mine and at the sar.\e time largely increase the out-put of stone. On the whole shareholders in this company may await the futiu-e with the most agreeable anticipations. The Imperial Company, Boatman's, notwithstanding that indifferent fortune has yet attended operations, has encouraging prospects ahead, and those best able to form a reliable opinion are confident of the ultimate success of the undertaking. The mine is being well opened up and shareholders may look with some confidence to the future of the venture. The Hopeful Company will shortly be ready to start with a good crushing, and judging from the appearance of the mine there is every reason to expect ,that the name of the company will figure conspicuously during the year in the list of producing mines. The Just-In-Time have a considerable quantity of stone on hand and as soon as the chamber is completed, driving will be started to intersect the lode :on a level that should furnish a good supply of stone. The Walhalla crosscut is also well advanced, and the striking of the stone on this level will enable the battery to be kept constantly employed. The Fiery Cross may be early expected to figure in the liso of crushing companies. The southern drive is now approaching the point where the reef is expected to be met with, and the quantity of stone which will be available from this level should provide full occupation for the stampers for a length of time. The .Welcome Company have a considerable quantity of stone to take out of the upper levels, but crushing operations will probably meet with some interruption by reason of the works necessary for placing in position the winding and boring machinery required for working the low level. There is, however, every reason to believe that the operations of the company will be as productive during the present, as in the past year. When we add to this list the Golden Fleece Extended whose battery will be kept pretty well going throughout the year, the Golden Treasure, which ought shortly to be ready to take out stone, the Wealth of Nations, Energetic, Rainy Creek Extended, and the Caledonian Extended, we have enumerated all the battery owning companies, and it will be seen that the crushing power either immediately available, or on the point of being so, is very considerable, and the aggregate gold yield of the district for the current year should foot up to a respectable total.