TRIAL CRUSHINGS AT WAIORONGOMAI.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 170, 18 September 1886, Page 3

TRIAL CRUSHINGS AT WAIORONGOMAI.

The following letter appeared in the Auckland Herald of Wednesday last I — Sir, — I did not intend to say anything in this paper war, re trial lots of New Era and Firth's battery ; but, finding Mr MfiLiver, manager of the New Find Gold Mining Company, trying to condemn our plant, I think it my duty to say what I know about the process. Ido not blame him endeavouring to exonerate himself of any charges madea against himr^trial tests for the New Find, crashed ia the New Era and birth's battery. I will say nothing against Firth's battery, as it is the same as any other battery, except that they hare sufficient berdans to grind all their tailings. lam satisfied the time wiH i come when they will be superseded by the pan process. In regard to our pans, Which go by the narna of " McKays pans," they have been erected and worked by myself and others since 1870, at Tararu — it being a private concern* I will not go into details of what it has done ; it will speak for itself, as it is fitill working, and no doubt paying j for there was at one time Mr Masters' tailing plant of Wheeler's pans, the Golden Crown, also Mr Perry's (worked

by berdans), also Adams and Co. These I believe, have now all given up. McKays pans are still working at Tararu, as they save more gold, and do the quantity eight pans do — at the rate of 24. tons per day. As for Mr McLiver saying that the mercury gets cut up into too small globules, and does not get in contact with all tho gold, if he will read some of the works on " Amalgamation" he will find by tho best autority that tho smaller the mercury is cut and distributed through the pulp, the better chance there is of it coming in contact with the gold and silver. f I think it very wrong of Mr McLiver to condemn our process. I am sure that the pan process will be the means of putting new life into the mines of Ivarrangahake, VVaihi, and To Aroha, for we have sufficient proof, that gold and silver in a non-metallic state, can be saved, which a stamp battery will never be able to do. The crushing of the stone in the ftew Era is got ready for grinding by a new process ; the stuff is put through two stone breakers, and rollers, and it does not get in contact with water until it is charged in the pans, so there is no chance of the sulphides, chlorides, etc., to be washed away by the water. — I am, &c, H. C. Wick, Manager New Era Reduction Works. Waiorongomai, Sept. 11, 1886.