MINING

Hokitika Guardian, 27 July 1932, Page 2

MINING

: WEST COAST ITEMS

The Golden Sands Company, a sluicing: enterprise in the Barrytown district, is expected to commence active mining operations by the end of September or early October. The conduction of the pipes is being carried on’t at the diaim, and the time-table of the work and the estimate of the cost wo well within the schedule. The major part of the capital is held in Christchurch.

rj-ffl'he Molyueux electric dredge, which operated cn the Molyifloiix ltven about 20. years ago, is being dismantled for removal to the Gillespie’s Beach oMimy.iu South Westland. ' tt is expected ‘that the Biion Boru dbedge will be operating actively withiji’a month. Substantial quantities "of gold were won in this area \in Vjie early days, and ..a good deal of interest otaches to the impending oepratiohs. .Most -’ o'f the capital is held on /the Cpast-and in Wellington. A commencement is being made this week wththe dismantling of a dredge in Waihaha Val-lfey (Siutliland), an 1 aifother - in CentinJ Otago, for removal to Murchison From the two dredges aVV efficient machine wall be provided. It is :: interesting to note that the Otago dredge—the Success/ was originally transported there from the Coast. The plant will be railed to Inangahua. ?,nd thence conveyed .to. the claim at Murchison by lorry. The bulk of the stock of the company is held in Wellington, .. r Tho Snowy River CcmpiMy is accepting tender.'? this, week for the o;>o,?ruction of the water-race to its .‘laim The work will be let in sections in ofder to expedite completion. 1. The New Zealand Mining Investment Company bis completed,.' for a focal syndicate, the boring if a claim on the Blackball Creole, tho results beim/ satisfactory. The area averaged slightly o"«r a shilling a ydrd, ,one bore averaging two shillings. The I'ompAi.y’v. plant' is commencing tin's wv k to drill the South Beach, south of Grsymo itli. Rich returns were secured <"i tlie alluvial flats in this vicinity in the early days, the famous GoJcotiJa lend running through the district Should 'tlie boring reveal satisfactory results a mining enterprise of considerable importance should deyelop, as the area adjoins the electric power line, the railway, road, and sawmills, and is within a few miles, of • Grey iaouLh.

The operations of the M'.r ‘g.lnvesment Co’s plant durj.pg the past few months emphasise the necessity i f systematic and' adequate prospecting On one area in the Grey Valley, adjoining 'the claim of a; company which paid over £40,000 in dividends during the dredging boom, the first two bores put„,49,?yn .by, the., c^ipmny,’^.plant, revealed values of Is;and Is -sd ; a yard.. The subsequent bores, however, 'showed results that were unpayable, and' the claim was abandoned. On another area, where good gold was in the early , days, the first bore proved exceedingly rich—ss g yard to a depth of 33ft—but the sub;Jsoquent holes-'werewpite ' unpayable/Experience, has shown that ,over---B .’wide area of the . Coast, as . distinct |ifrom Otago and Southland, the gold runs in narrow and frequently rich .leads, and anything but systematic prospecting is likely to be deceptive. 'T It is understood that tlie syndicate whose proposed development of an ejftensive dredging 'area in the Barrytown was objected to by the farrn--es of tlie district, has been granted diiining rights over the property, provided that the agricultural area of 'h't;. is ' resbilod. The syndicate represents outside capital and should the prospecting of the -area produce satisfactory results ,the probabilities are -that-several dredges will be placed on

An area of 3000 acres of alluvial ground in the Okarito district, lmld by an Auckland syndicate lias been submitted to Home mining, interests. Some scout bores have been ,put da" ri with very encouraging reshits. If the Home interests are fav, i<- ible, extended prospecting will be undertak sn , and should results warrant, a big 'dredging field is likely to develop.