MINES STATEMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 19 October 1928, Page 7

MINES STATEMENT

REPORT OK INSPECTOR OF MINES. Mr J. F. Downey, Inspector of ) Mines for the West Const district reporting states:— DREDGES. R ini 11 Flat Dredge.—This dredge continued to operate very successfully, and managed to get in 81 per sent of actual digging-time. To increase the buoyancy of the main pontoon, two more small pontoons were bolted to it at the bows, one on each side. The main pontoon showed a slight tendency—common to wooden structures of the kind—to hog towards the ladder-well, but a truss' and hog-rods have 'been provided, which will prevent any further move ment in this direction. During the year 1,761,461 cubic yards of gravel was turned over for a recovery ot 13,0700 z gold, valued at £53,128, the year being thus the second-best ii the company’s history. This makes the total recoveries since the dredge started 55,5630 z gold, - valued at £238,383. During the past year dividends amounting to £6,566 were paid, making the total disbursements £19,698. Continuous testing "by means of Keystone drilling ahead of the dredge shows that there is a considerable area of equally good ground still available. On an average fiftyeight men were employed. New River Dredge.—This plant was not so successful during the year as might have been expected, due mainly to the working-parts of the dredge not being quite strong enough to stand up to the heavy ground encountered. There were quite a number of breakages in the bucket-line, with consequent serious delays. The values recovered from the ground turned over have, moreover, been rather low, only averaging 6s 7d per yard; but the dredge towards the end of the year was turned further down the flat, and in the direction of the prospecting shafts, with the result that somewhat better values were got than in the higher ground. During the year 180,000 culbic yards of gravel was treated, for a return of 1,3050 z gold, valued at £5,038 10f 3d. Ijt /would appear that, if this dredge is to lie a success, systematic boring of the area will be necessary as will also the provision of a heavier digging-ladder and bucket-line On an average lifteen men were employed.

alluvial mining. In this branch of mining a slight improvement showed ytselt, the recovery of gold.- being 2,7120 z Odwt 4gr., valued at £10,406 0s 6d, as against 2,6430 z Isdwt L3gr, valued at £9,996 15s, won last year. A few more men were regularly employed also during the period, the figures being 156, as against 142 in 1926. There was also a considerable number of men employed part-time at the work.

Mahakipawa.—The Mahakipawa Goldfields property work was practically at a standstill for the year. As it was found that the heavy water could not be coped with by means of the steam-driven pumps available, the directors of the company decided to procure /upJtCK-date electrically-oper-ated pumps for the work. These pumps had to he ordered from England, and they did not arrive at the mine until a few days before the end of the year. In th meantime all the work carried out was by way of dismantling part of the former steam plant and making the necessary provision for the installation of the electrical machinery as soon as it should arrive. The Marlborough Power Board is supplying the current required, and has practically completed the erection of the line in to the mine. It is now expected that a resumption of sinking will he made in the shaft early in February of the current year.

Howard Diggings.—The returns to hand show that ten men were employed, winning 1570 z 15dwt 7gr gold, valued at £592 18s 7d. Murchison (including Lyell, Matakitaki, Glenroy, Maruia, and Newton Flat). —Twenty-four men were employed; winning 3420 z IGdwt 13gr gold, valued at £1,304 17s lid. Grey Valley (including Ahaura, Nelson Creek, Blackball, Totara Flat, Brunner, Moonlight, Stillwater, Waipuna, and Maori Creek). —Thirteen men were employed, winning 1640 r. ldwt 7gr gold, valued at £660 Is 7d. Bnrrvtowu and Seven-mile. —Two men were employed, winning 320 z 17dwt 12gr gold, valued at £l2B 19s. Greymouth (including Rutherglen, Cobden, and Dunganville);—Three men were employed, winning 750 z Odwt llgr gold, valued at £297, 14s 6d.

Collingwood (including Slate River, Rockville, and Parapara).—-Fourteen men wore employed, winning 2040 z ldwt 22gr, valued at £757 13s lOd. Kumara (including Stafford, Red Jacks, Greenstone, Cape Terrace, and Callaghans),—On these various fields eighteen men were employed, winning: 8720 z 18dwt 18gr, valued at £3,428 14s 4d. The principal producers were Hohonu Sluicing Co. at Greenstone, with 380 oz lldwt 21gr, valued at £1,493 16s Bd, and Stubbs and Steel, at Maori Point, with 2700 z lldwt 3gr. valued at £1,062.

Reefton (including Merrijigs, Blackwater, Capleston, Antonios, and Snowy Creek). —Twelve men were emploved, winning 140 oz 16dwt Bgr valued at £512 5s Id.

Hokitika (including, Rimu, Seddon’s Terrace, Avahura, Blue Spur. Kanieri Forks, Fox’s, etc.)—Nineteen men were employed, winning 286 o? 19dvvt lgr gold, -valued at £1,127 19s lOd.

Ross (including Waitalm and Mikoniii).—Eight men were employed, winning 1790 z 17clwt lOgr gold, valued at £7ll 4s Id. Okarito (including Matainui, Wataroa, Wailio, Gillespie’s Beach, and Bruce Bay).—Seven men were employed, winning 85<>z lOdvvt sgr gold, valued at £303 6s 5(1.

Westport (including Oharileston, Wainuuigaroa, Fairdown, and Burnett’s Face). —Sixteen men were employed, winning 151(>z lOdwt 16gr gold, valued at £583 13s 4d.

MINERALS OTHER THAN GOLD. Petroleum—The Murchison Oil Co. continued the sinking of its well at the Mangles River, hut was delayed a good deal waiting for casing, etc. For the year the bore was carried down a further 1,698 ft., making a total depth of 3,461 It. At about 2,3Coft gas came in freely, and from that depth down particles of white filtered oil were visible. On one occasion about 2 quarts ot this was collected. There was no change of importance in the country passed though, the whole boring being in mudstone formation, of which some beds were harder than others. The 6in. casing was stopped at 2,310 ft., the remainder of the bore being uncased. The necessary Sin. casing has, however, arrived on the ground, and will he run in shortly. Some of the gas from the well was tested at Canterbury College, and is said to have shown helium. The white oil, analysed by Mr A. J. F.C.S., of Auckland, gave 64.5 per cent motorspirit, 32 per cent kerosene, and 3.5 per cent heavy oil. A new ball-wheel, as well as » brake-wheel and brake-band have been constructed and fixed in place for deeper drilling. Iron. —Owing to difficulty in finding a steady local market for its output, the Onakaka Iron and Steel Co. was not able to smelt continuously throughout the year, hut some 6,886 tons of crude ore was smelted for a production of 3,383 tons of pig iron, valued at £17,760 15s, about seventy men being employed. Further economies have ibeen effected in the treatment costs, and this, combined with the promise of a more continuous market in the future, will, it is to be hoped, enable the company to keep its in blast during the whole of the coming year.

GENERAL REMARKS. Mining.—Alluvial gold mining showed a slight improvement on the previous year, hut in quartz-mining there was a further falling-off, only 21,551 oz being recovered, as against 23,9800 zin 1926. There was, however, a small increase in the number of men employed in this branch of the industry. The falling-off in output was attributable mainly to the collapse of the main shaft at the Wealth of Rations Mine bringing about a cessation of operations on that property in September, and to the working-out of the known payable ore-bodies in the New Big River Company’s mine in the early part of the year. The failure of the Alexander River Reefs to develop as well as had been hoped for, coupled with difficulties on that property in maintaining constant crushing, also helped to reduce the output. It is unlikely that the Wealth of Nations Mine will resume work again—in the lower levels, anyhow—but prospecting work to be carried on at the New Big River Mine may possibly yield good results in the coming year. No dividends were paid by any of the mines.

Quarries.—ln the various quarries in the Canterbury and West Coast Districts work was carried on steadily, some 274 men being employed, as against 263 last* year. The value of the output increased from £51,120 to £55,983. Prospecting.—A good deal of prospecting was carried out, but no great success was met with. Field prospecting gave no results of value. Keystone drilling was carried out at the Taramakau River and at Barrvtown, ihut although good leads of gold were located in each instance, the proved areas were not considered large enough in extent to warrant dredges being put on them. An area at Fourth River Plains, Murchison, also had a few drill-holes put down on it, which revealed very fair values. Accidents.—T am pleased to report that no serious accidents occurred for the year either in the mines or quarries.