COAL IN THE FEILDING MINE.

Taihape Daily Times, 27 June 1919, Page 6

COAL IN THE FEILDING MINE.

SEAM BEING OPENED UP. ' GOOD PROSPECTS_ (Eeilding Star.) , As far back as 12 years .known in Feilding tliat. there was an outcrop of lignite coal on the hills on the western side of the Borough. In those days the samples were so mullecky in appearance that it was thought not worth the while of the owners of the property where the discovery was made to proceed any fur ther . “Must l'ie there for another 1000 years before it is any good for fuel.” was the verdict of an old miner to whom the sample was shown. Within the last month or so, hownver. :1 big change has taken ‘place in the prospects of the 3Feillding coal; deposit. The owner of the property where the outcrop was :E'=ound—Whieh is on Ranfurly road, about two miles from the post ioffic-e-—rl.nteres/ted a Manawatu finajncer, ‘_and the result is that the deflposit is being tackled in earnest.‘ i 3 Before-coining to a decision, the speculators prospeeted all round the base of the -hill_ They found Outcrops of lignite on the same level all round. This convinced them that the scam ran ‘right through the lfllilll Samples were sent to the Government Geologist, and he described them as

poor quality lignite. But. by going in even six or seven feet into the hill the lignite greatly improved in quality. It is believed that when a. tunnel is made into the hill wher‘(: the weight or’ earth has operated on the deposit, :1 really good lignite coal will -be struck. A mining expert who was lil'ougllt here to examine the field es'iimates there is {L deposit. of 400,000 tons under the hill. This is considered a very eonservate estiimrte. The seam at present being tapped is- three feet in thickness. But it is considered to be not at all unlikely that under the seam another one may be located. It is a certainty that should Such other seam be found, ‘the quality will be better than that being worked now. That is the universal experience in coal deposits. ‘ At present a tram track is being laid up to the facing. The owners intend to get to work on the seam at once and find out what the quality is really like. Should: their hopes b‘.e jlisl‘i¢‘-' fled, it is possible the lignite will «be On the market in‘ a. couple of months. Though it is not expected to turn out ‘hard coal, the hope is that a lignite suitla-ble for suction gas plants and for burning with other coal will be obtained. . _