WON FROM THE EARTH

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 82, 27 September 1911, Page 3

WON FROM THE EARTH

I COLD, SILYEK, GUM. COAL, j LAST YEAR'S OPERATIONS. The total mineral production in the Dominion during 11)10 show a small decreasv. Substantial iricroosm are recorded in quartz and coal mining. the two principal brandies of the industry, hut owing to unforeseen causes, the returns from kauri gum and alluvial mining show considerable decreases. The conditions of the various brandies of the mineral industries were reviewed in the Mines Statement and the inspection of eoal mines report, which were presented to the. House of Representatives on Friday. The value of the exports from metal mines and kauri gum fields during the l>ast two years, and the total production from January 1, 1553, to December 31, 1910, is shown in the following table: 1909. 1910. •t ,C Gold 2,006,900 1.890;B8 Silver "180.872 171;3tS Other minerals U.SfiT 22,227 Kauri gum 552.1598 405,044 Totals £2,752.337 .C2.5.M.101 The figure* for the jwriod 1853-1910 were: Cold, i- 77,437,131; silver, £1.1)18,522; other minerals, £4+5.870: kauri gum, .115.413.44,); a total of £94.914,974.

The production of gold hist year was less by .CI 10.572 than in 1909. and the silver production fell off by ,C93H>. The value and the production of other minerals increased by .£10.912. The kauri gum production also increased by £'S7,054.

The mining of gold and silver provided employment for 8001 persons, and 40 men were engaged in the production of iron, sohoolite. cinnabar and asbestos. The total number of persons engaged in or about the metalliferous mines of the Dominion during the year was 8121. compared with 7051 in 1909. About 1000 diggers are engaged upon the kauri gum fields. The actual number i« not known. Fifteen fatal accidents ami 17 scri- ( ous accidents occurred at the mines, the rate of fatalities being 1.84 per 1000 persons employed . The production of bullion from the quart/, mines during 1910 was the highest, on record. As the result of treating 08S.0W) tons of bullion to the value of 1.504.189 was obtained and dividends amounting to .£597.127 were declared. An increase in the value of production is recorded for the Coromandol, Waihi. Karangaliake and hiangahna quartz mine lields. but at the Thames and Otago lields a decline has taken place. Dredges to the number of 104 produced gold valued ' at £315.237. a decline of ,C 12.439. The dividends paid by the 35 dredges owned by registered companies amounted to .C 51.915. Owing to the exceptionally dry year, which rendered the water supply for sluicing inadequate, the value of the production from alluvial claims declined to C 188,4414, being U144.771 below that of 1909. The output of kauri gum has increased by 43 tuns. The total quantity exported during 1910 was 8093 tons, valued at .C 405.044. There was a satisfactory increase of 15 per cent, in the annual coal production. The production of bituminous and semi-bituminous coal was 154,797 tons in the northern district, and 1,340.- 1 912 ill the West. Coast district ; total. 1,495.709 tons. Pitch coal was produced in the southern district only, the quantity being 0008 tons. The production of brown coal was 245.807 tons in the northern district, 120 tons in the West Coast, district, and. 340.008 in the soul hern district. Lignite to the amount of UK1.590 tons was mined in the southern district. I

The number of persons engaged at collieries has doubled within the past decade, and is now (599. of whom -.1799 are employed in the West Coast district.