The Hokitika Guardian FRIDAY MARCH 2nd, 1923. MINING POSSIBILITIES.

Hokitika Guardian, 2 March 1923, Page 2

The Hokitika Guardian FRIDAY MARCH 2nd, 1923. MINING POSSIBILITIES.

A iiecent visitor from Australia, Mr Frank Rnmbridge. one of the most influential men connected with the mining industry in Australia ia greatly impressed with the potentialities of mining in New Zealand, delighted with the beauties of the country and immensely struck by the splendid conditions under which the mines are worked (says the •‘Auckland Star”). “The object of my visit," he said to an interviewer, “was to make a rough survey of the mining position in Now Zealand so far as it relates to the production of any metals, which a.e of interest to smelting works. Generally speaking, metalliferous mining in the Dominion is at present confined to gold, and in most eases it is possible for the companies *to recover the precious metal by the well-known processes of amalgamation and cyanidation. There arc instances, however, in some of the New Zealand mines where the ore is refractory, i.c.. not amenable to amalgamation and cyanide. In those T am interested as also in lead, copper. I tin, zinc, in fact in all the metals and

minerals up to the rare earths. To the man familiar with mining operations in Australia the conditions of nature under which the industry may he conducted in New Zealand appear exceedingly attractive. In Australia the majority of our mineral deposits arc situated in arid regions. Water is scarce, the distances are vast, transport is difficult, food often a problem, and excepting the fine character of many of the Australian men, women and children who build our mining camps, there is nothing very picturesque in the industry. But in New Zealand water is abundant. Not only does this mean cheap power, hut the minor here practically has the butter man c.'tiling upon him daily, and the morning paper is always, mi to speak, delivered with breakfast. Only me Australian miner can assess adequately the value and beauty of the thousand and one streams of pure water that run like arteries through New Zealand. I visited the West feast of the Smith Island, and although my stay was short, from the data that i> available there appear to be great potentialities still for gold production at Kccltioi. It is inconceivable that the gel! lias been exhausted. Many ol the gold companies who were operating on the field have been iinpievident. Profits made from the gold, easily won from the upper levels were disbursed. No reserve fund wa s built up to meet the expenditure necessary for exploration, when, through the fault of the ground tDo lode was temporarily lost. For the same reason absence of a reserve fund—a mine is sometimes abandoned when a level is reached which shows an impoverishment, in the ore body, whereas by perseverance the ore body in a lower level may quite logically reveal richer and payable ore. Although gold mining in New Zealand lias of late been passing through troublous times I am quite satisfied that it will come again. The companies have, J understand, not. been allowed to secure the benefit of the premium upon gold. The premium has been a god-send to the Australian gold producers, in that it enabled many of the mines to survive the period of high-working costs."