Mining Notes.

Te Aroha News, Volume XIV, Issue 2072, 29 January 1898, Page 3

Mining Notes.

Active opWafcions are to ;be commenced on this mine, which was recently taken over on option by the Rev. Joseph Campbell, A tender has been let to Mr J. Collins to drive 100 feet, at which distance it is expected to intersect the shoot of ore which gave up to £27 14s lid by assay near the surface. The reef is about 13 feet wide. Operations are to be carried on under the personal direction of Mr Campbell. An additional grant of £IOO has been approved by the Hon the Minister of Mines towards the cost of improvements in connection with the experimental plant at the Thames School of Mines. The additions will cost about £920, and the Council of the school will have to provide over a third of that amount.

Mr T. Maude, solicitor, Christchurch, has returned from a visit to Mount Arthur district, Nelson, where he and other investors have taken up a mineral area on the Grecian Creek, which flows. into the Takaka River, with the view of working deposits of asbestos. Samples have been sent to London and reported on favourably by Mr Bell, who states that the value would be from £l6 to £2O per ton. He forwarded a sample piece of cloth woven from the asbestos sent to him. It is the intention of the syndicate to lay down a tramway and to systematically work the abestos, which they are satisfied, from the exploratory work done, can be largely and profitably developed. Mr A. Mault, Engineering Inspector to the Tasmanian Board of Health, in & report on the water-power stored in the Great Lake, which is a little north of the centre of Tasmania, points out that these developments are closely connected with the use of turbines instead of water-wheels, and the conversion, of the mechanical energy of the turbine into electrical energy, and its transmission to be reconverted into mechanical energy that can be used where power is required. In America the total of the larger installations is 72,000-horse power, with the prospect of increase to 150,0C0 when the Niagara scheme is completed. Switzerland comes next with 32,000, to be increased to 48,000 by further works on the Rhine ; France has 18,000horse power, to be increased to 30,000 ; Italy has 18,000; Norway and Sweden 20,000 ; while England and Scotland have only 4,000. Inquiries have been recently received by the Mines Department from ore buyers in Hamburg, Melbourne, Sydney and Wellington about antimony, wolfram, molybdenite, scheelite, and manganese ores, for which there is a demand. The correspondents have been referred to Mr McKay's report on the occurrence of wolfram in Nsw Zealand, which can 1 be found at page 74 of the “ Geological Reports ” for 1888-89, and to Sir James Hector’s report on manganese, which appeared the year following. Copies of the « Geological Reports ” can be obtained from the Government Printer, Wellington, at half a crown for each volume. For general information, it may be stated that antimony occurs at Endeavour Inlet, near Cook Strait, and considerable quantities of star antimony of good quality were exported from there some years ago. Antimony occurs at the Taieri River, Otago, near Barewood, and at the Garrick range, in Central Otago. At Reef ton, on the West Coast, there is abundance of antimony in connection witlfiauriferous quartz ; and at the Bay of Island, in the north of New Zealand, there is an antimony lode. Wolfram is mainly, found at Stewart Island, in connection with tin. Molybdenite occurs at Caswell Sound, Ja connection with limestone. Mang*nese ores have been found in many parts of the North Island; at Waiheke and Kawau Islands, Puerua Bay, Helena Bay, Mangapai, Hikurangi, Hawke’s Bay, and Wellington ; also near Port Hardy and D’Urville Island, Nelson. Braunite (manganese oxide) on Mplvern Hills, Canterbnry ; and rhodo .%e (silicate of manganese) at Dundmr, Otago.