GOLD ON THE WEST COAST OF NEW ZEALAND.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 March 1930, Page 2

GOLD ON THE WEST COAST OF NEW ZEALAND.

(To the Editor). Sir,—lt appears that from the year 1857 to the year 1915 there was £84,048,463 worth of gold exported from New Zealand, of which £23,926,380 was produced • oh'the West Coast. And it can be stated -that in the early stages of mining; on the West Coast, even up to til©-year 1908, very crude gold saving appliances* were used, which lost over ;40 per cent of the gold. By the] use’ oi; these antiquated methods over £23,000,000 worth of gold been won from the mining fields. And in the eafty i’fifties many large ore bodies were ndti developed. Indeed in many cases retsejijved uo attention whatever for the want of . practical mining knowledge and the use of modern machinery and is largely due to the state of mining to-day. The use of cyanide process came into use on the West Coast mining field in the year 1892. Before this many companies allowed their tailings to be discharged into the jjludge channels, resulting dirt the loss of hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of ' gold, hut at Yhp/nresent dfryjwe pan hlake a total 1 use of cyaiiidf- J 1 marked advantage by the use of this wonderful!processifor gos savjngpyer the old very largesl|dffe-.lwlids* exist'd fin r ; fjtjie; mountain cfhtfn for dv&f one hundred miles jqn ;the Coast, apd is not receiving; ihej stehtipn. ! it do. . , The West'jCf>dst'of; the, Soptli Island contains fiy tdr 1 larger and 'richer ore bodies Zealand,;’told before ‘ the. use of cyanide came the great Waihi Gold Mining Coy. were so disheartened by working for years without much success, that they sold the mine for a very small amount but after the use of the cyanide process and together with modern machinery coupled together with practical mining knowedge the Company made wonderful strides. This very low: grade ore by the chemical treatment was brought up to the value of £2 4s lid per ton, and in one. year dividends .to the extent of 10* per share with ;i bonus of 2s per share was paid.and in a period of sixteen years the amount ol £4,549,334 was won, out of which £l,877,896 was paid in dividends. During the year 1905 dividends amounting to £322,399 11s were paid to shareholders of this company. To show the magnitude of this company’s operations it sunk six shafts to considerable depths, one of which was a pumping and drainage shaft and insalled there an engine with cylinders lift in diameter and 12ft in length. The weight of this engine was 21 tons. The company’s workshops, laboratories and mining stores, etc., covers nearly 100 acres and every modern appliances together with a 330 stamp pulverising battery and up to date cyanide plant for the treatment -of the laige output. Ail this large and modern machinery has . been acquired through the use of cyanide and through this wonderful chemical process, the Waihi Company became the premier "gold mining company of New Zealand. The same golden opportunity waits the West Coast mining fields if the people will only awaken to these facts. I am, etc., W. 0. RIERWORTH. Mining Superintendent. Reefton, March Ist, 1930.