MINING PROSPECTS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 460, 5 April 1890, Page 2

MINING PROSPECTS.

Thk closing of the works of the Te Aroha S. and G. M. Co., at Waiorongomai, anJ the discontinuance of operations in the mines owned by the Company, created an impression that the industry upon which the welfare of this community mainly depended,had received so severe a blow ns to make it doubtful whether it would ever again become a factor of any importance in furtheiing the prosperity of the district. It would be useless to dispute the fact thufc the closing of the Co.’s works was the most serious check which mining has yet received on this goldfield. The feeling of disappointment which followed upon that event was in proportion to the high expectations which had previously been entertained, respecting the benefits the district would derive from the carrying on of operations on such a scale of magnitude as was, at first, intended by the Company. As is usual in such cases, the nbnfulfiluieut of hopes unduly raised was followed ly undue despondency, and the conclusion was at once jumped to that the dosing of the works referred to betokened the collapse of the goldfield. This conclusion, we venture to hope, is far from being correct, and there are grounds for the belief that mining, notwithstanding its latest reverse, will yet occupy a leading position among our industries. It may be assumed the shareholders and directors of J the Te Aroha Company were, even more"* thafl the gen-, vd publicyJisajipo jut.d with .

the results of their opera'inns. But discouraging as these results undoubtedly were, they ought not to be accepted as conclusive proof of the valuelessness of the Company’s mining property. It is well-known that by far the greater portion of the Company’s capital was expended on costly appliance* for the treatment of ores, aud comparatively 'little upon those underground works on which the prosperity of the Company really depended. Very much remains to be done before the assertion can be made that the wealth of their mine 3 is exhausted. The lodes that have yielded payable ore require to be opened up at lower levels, ami there is still a very large area of virgin ground within the boundaries of the properly which requires to be thoroughly prospected. In the event of a renewal of operations by the Company—a consummation devoutly to be wished—these works will doubtless receive the chief share of attention, and there is strong reason to believe they will lead to important developments. Public interest was so much absorbed in the operations of the Te Aroha 8. and G. M. Co. as to cause the doings of smaller comparies to be for a length of time overlooked,, and less pretentious under takings such as those of the Champion Company at the Tui, and the New Era Company at Waiorongomai, were almost permitted to sink into obscurity. As showing that life is not quite extinct, and that there is yet hope for the goldfield, apart from anythin' that may be done by the more powerful company at Waiorongomai, we may refer briefly to the operations of the New Era Company (better known as the Ferguson Syndicate), whose property comprising acres adjoins that of the Te Aroha Company. Through good and through evil report the operations of the syndicate have been steadily carried on ; and, under the energetic management of Mr P. Ferguson,their works have assumed an

importance which is likely soon to be recognised. The scene of their present operations lies in the northern part of the ground formerly held by the old Premier Company, which ground is now included in the special claim held by the syndicate. A short distance up hill from the original Premier workings there is an enormous outcrop of quartz extending for many chains in length, and forming a continuation of the main lode which runs N. and S. through the goldfield. It is in the neighbourhood of this huge

* outcrop that the Syndicate has, for some 5 time past been operating, and there the principal workings are situated. The highest of these is 180 feet in perpeuf dicular height, above the Premier Co.’s upper level ; and between these points n . good deal has been done in the "tiy of > driving and sinking to prove the vast body of stone. In a short time the ! whole of the workings will be connected with each other, ami it will then be possible to send stuff from the highest part . <>f them through to the hopper at the t Premier low level, with verv little hand- ; ling. Trial samples, of the ore have been ' taken from numerous parts of the lode, 5 >nd in most instances the tests made by the nsident nssayer (Mr Wilson) have j been satisfactory. Some of it has been ~ proved to be of exceptionally good quality, two loads of picked stone which t was treated a short time since having > yielded about .£2OO worth of gold and - silver. Generally speaking the ore is of a free and friable nature, and contains very little of the baser minerals. At the Com-

pany’s reduction works everything is in readiness for treating the ore on a large scale. The system adopted with the small parcels already operated upon has been that of dry crushing. The stuff, after being roughly reduced in the stone breaking and other machinery, passes into tiie Lamberton mill. It i 9 there reduced to a fine powder, and afterwards goes through a process of p.-n treatment. By this method over 90 per cent, of the assay value of the ore treated has been saved. The average number of men employed by the Syndicate has for some time past been fifteen, but many moiewillbe required as soon as the preparatory works now in hand at the mine are completed, which willbe in about two months. The enterprise displayed by the New Era Syndicate in the face of great diffictlties and discouraging circumstances will, it is hoped, have a fitting reward. Their success will lead to a renewal of operations in other parts of the field, and be the means of bringing al out a revival of the mining industry, upon which, more than upon anything else, the general prosperity of the district depends.