GREYMOUTH COAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4297, 29 December 1874, Page 3

GREYMOUTH COAL.

We make the following extracts from the report of Mr. K. L. Simpson, the viewer .of the Greymouth Coal Mining Company, presented to a late meeting of the shareholders held at Greymouth. It will be seen that the Company have a splendid mine in hand : "After carefully examining such outcrops of the seam as were visible at the bank opposite Brunnerton, and comparing them with the natural position of the proved workings of the Brunner mine, it was considered advisable to further prove the existence of the seam at a point about fourteen chains to the southward, which was done by boring to a depth of 220 ft., where the seam was found to be 17ft. in thickness (and as far as could be judged by boring) of excellent quality. With this information before me, and taking the average dip of the seam as at the Brunner mine, the fact of reaching the seam at that depth was thus accounted for. The next point to be determined wa3 the fixing of the position of the first working pit, so as. to be able to send coal to market at°the earliest date ; it was therefore ultimately decided to sink where the seam could be reached at a moderate depth, and the coal from it put into barges at the river aide, so as to serve the present requirements of the trade. This pit was bottomed on the 17th of June last, the seam being found in it at a depth of 79ft. from the surface, 14ft. in thickness, and of good quality, but with it 3 water level lying nearly east and west, instead of north it)' west as was anticipated. After the seam had been bottomed a contract was let for sinking to a further depth of 16ft. for a pumping sump, and in the meantime the erection of the 40 h. p. engine for winding and pumping was being proceeded with, but owing to unprecedented bad weather this work was considerably delayed, and to add to this delay, the winding gear and pit tracks ordered from Messrs. Kae Sewell, •of the Greymouth Foundry, not arriving on the ground according to expectation, kept us back at least two months. " With regard to the prospects and duration of the coal to be worked to this pit, it must be borne in mind that only a portion of the lease of 1000 acres is intended to be operated upon at present. The coal is found to- be equal, if not superior, in quality, and with no appearance of any fault. The first undertaking will be to drive to the dip for a distance of from 100 to 200 yards, thereby winniag an area of thirtynine acres of coal, which will'produce, after making a liberal allowance for waste or faults (if any), 033,360 tons, and this being worked at an average of 100 tons per day (giving 300 working days per annum) will last for twenty year.-*, or at 200 tons per day for ten years, or at 400 tons per day for five years. At the expiration of this period, and with improved harbor accommodation, it will be seen what the requirements of the coal trade are, and if found necessary, a second pit can be stink to the dip of the lease and provided with suitable appliances for raising much larger quantities of coal. There is the profit to be derived from the utilisation of the small coal by converting it into coke—and it may fairly be expected that the demand for this article will increase rapidly as the railway system, now being proceeded with throughout the colony, is carried to completion. There is no doubt whatever that the coke made from this coal in of first class quality, and will be equal to the best English. The fire-brick works are also being pushed forward as rap>idly as possible, and by the end of the week a shed 100 ft. long by 25ft. wide will have been completed. It is intended firefc to manufacture a sufficient quantity of common and fire-bricks, to provide drying flues in the shed, fire-bricks for coke ovens, and afterwards for market. From this department there is also a considerable profit derivable, and the demand, after a good article is known in the market, may be expected to increase. From the foregoing remarks it win bo observed that the prospects of the undertaking are good, and to those versed in the viewing and working of coal-mines, the difficulties to contend with in working a deep coal-field are easily surmountable, and such as are of common occurrence in the coal trade."