Masking but keeping the white mask visible ?

I'm attempting to mask out the circles with the gearMiddle, it is as straight forward as, what you want to mask out, you make black, what you want to keep you make white (punch out effect). How do I keep what is white to which I want to keep, visible; currently it's not visible ?
<mask> <path class="gearMiddle" d="M70,11.6C70,17.9,65.3,23,59.5,23c-1.5,0-2.9-0.3-4.2-1c0.3,0.2-7-3.2-13.4-3.2C36.1,18.7,26,23,23.5,23
    c-5.7,0-10.2-5.1-10.2-11.3c0-6.3,4.6-11.3,10.2-11.3c1.7,0,9.5,2.9,16.7,3.2c6.9,0.3,17.2-3.2,19.3- 3.2C65.3,0.3,70,5.4,70,11.6z"
   fill="white" stroke="#4d5056" stroke-width=".83"/> <circle class="mCircleGearOne" cx="25.3" cy="11.3" r="6.2" /> <circle class="mCircleGearTwo" cx="58.6" cy="11.3" r="6.2" /> </mask> <path class="RGearLink" d="M82.4,20c-0.5,0.1-1,0.2-1.5,0.2H68c-0.7,0-1.4-0.1-2-0.3c2.4-1.9,4-5,4-8.6c0-3.6-1.6-6.7-4-8.6
    c0.6-0.2,1.3-0.3,2-0.3h12.9c0.5,0,1,0.1,1.5,0.2c-2.5,1.9-4.2,5.1-4.2,8.8C78.2,14.9,79.9,18.2,82.4,20z" fill="black" /> <path class="LGearLink" d="M17.1,20.4c-0.5,0.1-1,0.2-1.5,0.2H2.7c-0.7,0-1.4-0.1-2-0.3c2.4-1.9,4-5,4-8.6c0-3.6-1.6-6.7-4-8.6
    c0.6-0.2,1.3-0.3,2-0.3h12.9c0.5,0,1,0.1,1.5,0.2c-2.5,1.9-4.2,5.1-4.2,8.8C12.9,15.3,14.6,18.5,17.1,20.4z" fill="black"/> </svg> 


Christopher