THE BIG DREDGE.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 October 1921, Page 2

THE BIG DREDGE.

THE Fill ST WASH-UP. A RETURN OF 198ozs. Tho Ilium Dredging Coy’s big dredge ,t Rimu Flat, which commenced operaions some four weeks ago, bad its irst wash-up at the end of the week, n view of the great interest shown lo•nllv a representative of the “Guariian” waited on the courteous manager of the Company, Mr R. E. Cranston, who kindly supplied the following information, at tho same time stating that as the Company was a private one, with no local shareholders, it was imt considered advisable to make public re. gularlv th e returns from tho operations. Mr- Cranston stated that the dredge since it commenced operations some 25 days ago, has not been regularly at work, there being various matters requiring attention that had not been completed when tho dredge commenced dredging. These works have been carried on simultaneously with the worki.g of tbe dredge, and it is hoped bv tho end of the present month to have the work in hand completed, and the dredge will then he ready' to carry cn steadily, bringing up the gold bearing gravels. The dredge at the outset, ns mentioned in a" previous article, had » very heavy stone harrier to break through before the face could he opened out. The work of cutting through this heavy cementy, big Mulder strewn lead, has served tho purpose ot trving out the dredge for any weakness. and it has come through tho trial in a highly satisfactory manner, show;„,r its ability to cope with the heaviest of "wash, that is in the locality, that in tho vicinity of the starting operations beim' considered the heaviest that the dredge will have to encounter. The dredge, since commencing operations has advanced about 200 feet Gradually the face has been deepened until now dredging is proceeding at. a depth of about 32 feet, and this wiU bo gradually deepened until the depth reaches 40 to 42 feet, as the big machine makes its way forward. Various improvements making for more ef.icient working are being made, including the installation of a jigger for the immoral of the monster boulders experienced, brought up by the buckets, before they pass through the screen. During the period since commencing operations it is estimated that about •>.-,000 vards of material have been dredged, and the return of gold amounted t<> 1086 m., averaging at about nine pence per yard. Ibis (idly bears out the results of the prospectjo g operations carried out some three or" four years ago, which in itself very satisfactory to the management. The ground now in front of the dredge to be worked is from 40 to 45 feet m depth and is hardly as rough and do,ley as the heavy layer just worked through. It is estimated that by the end of the month the dredge will he ill full working order and then the capacity returns should prove interesting, is' at present it is doing all that has been asked - f it. and has stood the full working strain in a manner that has given every satisfaction. Prospecting operations which were carried on very systematically before the building ,f the dredge, over the area to he worked show the ground in front to be • ay. I .hie, and now all that remains s lur the dredge when in proper working train, to give the output of turnover that the management are sanguine that it is fully capable of doing. It is not the intention, at present of the management to give out the gold returns in future Iflit we have been promised interesting details ol the working ol tho dredge that when sup- . -died we shall be glad to give publicitv to and which should prove very interesting and instructive to our readers.