MINING NEWS

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 49, 26 August 1933, Page 16

MINING NEWS

REPORTS AND PROSPECTS

(By Telegraph.--Press Association.) INVERCARGILL, This Day. King Solomon mine wash-up for the week totalled 1760z. A company is in course of formation to work by hydraulic sluicing an area of more than 800 acres of alluvial deposits near Blackball (West Coast). It is estimated that the area will provide a sluicing life of fifty years. The scheme of the proposed company is to divert direct from its source water which will supply fifty heads oil. to the area. This, it is estimated, will allow three facca to be worked simultaneously and enable 200 cubic yards of material to be sluiced every hour at an overall cost of less than 2d a yard. The company is entitled Moonlight Goldfields. BENDIGO GOLDLIGHT. Bcndigo Goldlight Company reports a registered capital of £25,000. The company has been formed for the purpose of dredging an alluvial area at Bendigo, some miles from Cromwell, on the Bendigo Creek, which joins the Clutha River. The company will acquire from the venders a total of 1000 acres, of which a small block has been close-bored. JYlcGeorge Bros.' dredge will be taken, over by the company, and transported to Bendigo with the necessary improvements. CHARLESTON SLUICING COMPANY. Mr. G. M. Powell, supervisor of Charleston Sluicing Company, reports that on August 24 water was turned on the "face" at Charleston for the first time, though' only the larger race (Shine's) is finished right through. This represents the first of the trial runs. At. the end of a month from date the first wash-up should be in sight. All races are completed to the "Saddle," about 90 chains from home. On the upper race (Lowe's) there is very little to be done. The table spread has been increased from 104 to 144 feet, and the capacity of the races made greater. Fully expect extra yardage treated per hour to be in direct ratio to increase in table spread, that is, as 104 is to 144. Have set out to provide sufficient water for two shifts for spread of 104 ft. Have ample water for two shifts or 144 ft spread, and with further development of lower race there would be ample water for three shifts, except occasionally. Prospectus allowed till December 28 to complete the work, whereas it will be finished by end of August, four months ahead of time. DUNCAN'S VALLEY PROJECT. Queen Charlotte Alluvial Mining and Development Company, Limited, has been formed to exploit the area known as Duncan's Gully, which was discovered in the nineties, when it produced large quantities of coarse nuggety gold in that part of the gully ■which was open to mining through being in Crown lands. The greater part of the gully and alluvial ground, however, is now held under freehold title, which also carries the freehold of any mineral content, the property having been alienated from the Crown at an early date. The Queen Charlotte Company has concluded an agrement to purchase from the trustees the lands in question, thus making possible for the first" time a serious effort to successfully exploit the minerals of the freehold alluvial ground. Gold was traced down the creek right to the edge of the freehold, the old workings and claims of which can still be seen to this day. The alluvial ground remaining to be worked is over 150 acres, and its working should keep the company well occupied for a long time to come. General prospecting and survey work, trial boring, shallow sinking, and a geophysical survey cover the investigations carried out by the company. Mr. C. F. Pulley, Wellington, will personally conduct operations, which commence almost immediately. The Queen Charlotte Alluvial Mining and Development Company, Limited, has gone to allotment, and shares are now available to the public. Further particulars are advertised in this issue. MELBOURNE INTERESTS. The general manager of Big Plains Development, Limited, reports that Australian Gold Development, Limited, of Melbourne, has taken an option over the Big-Plains areas consisting of 900 acres of dredging fiats on the Maruia River, ■Nelson. The Melbourne company's engineer, Mr. E. T. Anderson, is now reporting on the property.