Old news from Armidale and New England

Monday 16 June 1902, The Sydney Morning Herald

HILLGROVE, Saturday.

During the week the 15-head battery at Baker's
Creek Gold-mining Company has been crushing full  
time, and five head have been crushing for the tributers
in Consols mine. The battery will now run on till
June 30 before finally cleaning up for the half-year.
In the mine No. 8 level north on Smith's Reef has
been advanced 11½ft. on a small reef carrying very  
fair gold. No. 10 level north has been driven 10ft. ;
the reef in the face is 4in. wide and of fair quality.
The intermediate level back of No. 9 level has been
extended south for 5½ft, and north for 21¾ft., a fair-
sized reef carrying gold being carried both ways. No.
2 winze from No. 9 to No. 10 level has been
deepened 18½ft., total depth 38½ft. ; the reef in the  
bottom is 4in. wide, and of fair quality. No. 1
winze from No. 10 to No. 11 level has been deepened
12½ft., total 87ft. ; the reef in the bottom is 3in.
wide, and of poor quality. Stoping on fair-grade
ore is being carried on the back of Nos. 9 and 13  
levels.

At the Hillgrove Proprietary Mines, Limited, the
winze from No. 4 to No. 6 level has been deepened
13ft. for the week, total depth from No. 4 level 154ft.
The country is now very soft, and the reef is some-
what split up and considerably pulverised, but still
carrying good gold. The winze at the present time
is only 46ft. off Baker's Creek Company's No. 13
level.  

The treatment of tailings at the West Sunlight
tailings dump by M. Seville by a cyanide process is
producing very satisfactory results. Three vats are  
working, and can put through 100 tons per week.
Two more vats are in course of construction, but the
great drawback at present is the want of water.