LYELL MINING.

Inangahua Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1242, 7 March 1883, Page 2

LYELL MINING.

(Times.) CRCESUS. Friday, March 2. The contractors for construction of vise from No. 2 level have commenced work, and are making good progress. The machine site excavation should be completed in about a week Three loads of the company's crushing plant have arrived from Westport, and a start has been made to convey it to the machine site, one of the boxes being now en route. The machinery appears of superior character, the castings being very clean and well turned out. UNITED ALPINE. On Wednesday a body of stone supposed to be the western reef' was met in the western cross-cut from No. 4 level, at a distance of about 40 feet. Mr Conradson will at once open out upon the stone, and in a few days its exact dimensions can be determined. Gold can be seen at intervals in the face, the prospect being of a coarse character. Should this reef extend as expected, a good supply of" Crushing stuff will be available* By ■nextayeek a better idea as twits' 'si^e'ttnd^beUrmgs will be obtainable ; at present a width of about live feet of stone is showing in the face. At No. 6 level the contractors are making good headway, having driven since starting about 212 feet ; this makes the present total length of the level about 1082 feet. SOUTH BRITISH. For some time previous to last Christmas work in this mine was chiefiy confined to prospecting and surface operations with the view of finding if any of the large body of quartz which outjerops in a north. westerly direction along a considerable distance of the lease carried payable gold. The grearter part was found to be barren, but with good indications as regards mineral. The hands employed trenching and cutting on the surface, tested the stone regularly in every new place tried, but in no place could the prospect obtained be said to be payable, several very fair prospects were got here and there, but not continuous. A tunnel was driven across the cap of the reef on the south side of Irishman's creek a distance of 94 feet, that being the thickness of the stone from wall to wall. Every layer and seam cut were tested, the result obtained being that the stone was gold bearing but not payable. The Directors then considered that it wouldbe advisable to cut the stone more to the north and at a deeper level. 'With thisobjocfc the hands have been engaged since Christmas last in driving a tunnel about 100 feet lower down than the previous one. As the main body of stove underlies away from the course of the tunnel some distance has yet to be driven before it is reached. It is expected that this will be met with in about 50 feet. The ground now being drjvetf through is fine slate country with promising indications of being auriferous. ' The work is being carried out expeditiously and ecnomically thb cost of driving not exceeding 10s per foot. UNITED ITALY. Only one stope is at present manned on the north reef the width of stone in the same being about four or five feet. The battery is kept regularly employed. Survey of the south works will be commenced next week. DAY STAR. Two men are employed driving across country on this lease, the level being now in close upon 260 feet. Very good ground is being met, and small veins of quartz are occasionally crossed, but there is yet no appearancs of the main reef. UNITED VICTORY. This company cleaned up on Monday and Tuesday last. The following was the collection of amalgam : 82 tons of stone were reduced from Saturday 17th to Monday, 26th, 256 ozs amalgam being obtained from all the plates ; from the ripples 6 oz 19 dwt : f.-om the skimmings, 27 ozs; blanket-

ings lloz 17dwts; boxes, 1430z 12dwts; making a total of 445 ozs 18 dwt of amalgam from all sources for the week The total ainlgam | for the month was 795 ozs 13 dwt, ■which gave 255 oz 11 dwt of retorted gold. The quantity of stone reduced during the month was 245 tons, so that the return is a little over ail ounce of gold to the ton of quartz. The mine Manager reports as follows for last week :— "The stones have been extended the following distances : North Intermediate: No. 7 stope, to 50 feet ; No. Bto 33 feet South Intermediate ; No. 7 stope, to 55 feet; No. 8 to 81 foot; No 9 tv 6 feet. No. 1 level ; North leading stope, to 22 feet; South No. 5 stope, to 92 feet; No. 6 to 36 feet. The reef in the above faces continues very regular in size, averaging 18 inches thick, and the show of gold is also good. The eastern cross-cut from No 1 level has been driven to a distance of 22 feet, passing though three small veins of quartz. It will be necessary to stop pi-ospecting in No. 1 level for the present, as the road will be in use in connection with working the stopes below " Very good progress' is being made by the contractors, the distance attained to the present being about 160 feet. Promising country is being driven through. VICTOR EMANUEL. Good headway is being made with the uprise. The reef in the same shows a width of about four, feet, with a fair display of gold.