Mercury Mining

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 831, 27 November 1929, Page 8

Mercury Mining

Progress of New Industry

EARLY in the New Year the powerful syndicate backed by Imperial Chemical Industries, Limited, will begin the working of the cinnabar deposits at Ngawha, near Kaikohe, in the Far North. Close secrecy as to the company's activities is still being observed, and even Auckland business men touring with the commerce train were refused admittance to the works.

When the commerce train party was at Kaikohe, opportunity was taken to view the Ngawha mercury springs, ■which are located on native land in the centre of the cinnabar country. In order to visit this spot, the visitors had the pass the site of the new ■works, "where a large body of men is busily engaged in the erection of buildings and machinery in preparation for the early exploitation of the field. Before making the descent to the springs the party halted at a gate above which was a formidable notice, while a sentry, representing the company, smilingly drew attention, to the board, and waved the traffic on, much to the disappointment of those who knew of the existence of the works and were anxious to inspect them.

On the journey north the business men from Auckland were refreshed with information about the prospective working of the mercury fields, and it was believed that their industrial relationship would have gained them access. The barred gate naturally whetted speculation about the company’s activities and the city men were at a loss to understand what harm could come out of an inspection of so interesting a group of buildings as those dominating the field. From the springs a third of a mile away, the visitors saw first a long, low brick construction, which appeared to be a wall buttressed at one end by a massive chimney. The "wall,” it was explained by one who claimed to be "in the know,” is a flue culminating in a chimney for carrying away fumes given off by the treated cinnabar. Also on the top of the hill rises an iron-and-timber building, not unlike a sawmill. Here the cinnabar is received after haulage from the field Immediately below and passed into the retorts. On the deposit itself, which lies exposed for the most part, or covered by a light overburden, a dozen workers were occupied in assembling a large steel grab not unlike a steam navvy, but on a much greater scale.. Nearby was what appeared to be a steam winding gear for operating the scoop. Of loose formation, cinna-

bar, which looks like chalky earth permeated by congealed blood, presents no difficulty in handling. Blasting is not required and removal costs will be very small. The company has acquired 800 acres and borings have been made here, there and everywhere, the result of which is considered to have been most encouraging to the company. The general impression in Kaikohe is that the promoters have come upon something even more valuable than they had hoped, hence the disinclination to tell the world. A little village is springing up within the guarded bounds. On one side of the works stand neat bungalows for the engineers and management staff, and not far distant are grouped trim houses for the employees. It is freely rumoured that expenditure on the works has already topped the six-figure mark. It is said that the deposit is the only one of its extent in the entire Empire, or at least it is the only area which can be worked with prospect of profit. This is not the first attempt to win mercury from Some years ago a company operating under the style of New Zealand Quicksilver Mines, Limited, worked the deposit, but could not m ike a success of it, because, it is said most of the profits went up the flue on account of unsuitable methods. The four acres held by the Maoris and bubbling with healing waters are understood to contain the richest pars of the whole field. The Maoris parted with a large tract of ore at a bargain price to the original purchasers, and do not feel disposed to enter into further negotiations over what they still retain. There is some talk of the company opening its own medicinal springs at some date when the mining has properly got under way. All over the North people are wishing the company every success, despite the aura of secrecy shielding the whole concern. If the aspirations of Kaikohe Development Limited, otherwise Imperial Chemical Industries, Limited, are realised, the .successful exploitation of the field can only be for the good of the North.