THE MINING INDUSTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 321, 10 July 1912, Page 5

THE MINING INDUSTRY.

ANNUAL REPORT. ' , GOLD AND COAL OUTPUT. By Telegraph—Parliamentary Reporter. Wellington, Last Night. The value of the mineral output for the year as disclosed in the Mines Statement was £3,492,302, being an increase of £282,530 as compared with the previous year ending December 31. The gold output was valued at £1,948,309, and the output of coal totalled 2,000,073 tons. During 11)11 the kauri gum output was valued at £395,707, the value of the export of this product to* date totalling the huge sum of £15,809,152. Mining development generally, the report goes on to say, was unimportant, with the exception of'the exploration for mineral oil. On May 3, however, the Taranaki Petroleum . Company obtained the Government bonus of £2500, offered for the production of a quarter of a million gallons of crude petroleum. It was anticipated that tihe same companv would very shortly earn the second bonus of £2500 offered for a further quarter of a million gallons of oil. Auriferous quartz mining still remains the most important branch of the mining industry in the Dominion. The value of bullion obtained from our quartz mines during 1011 amounted to £1,375,253. There had been a serious decline in the production from the Waihi mine, owing to the impoverishment of the lower levels. Substantial increases, however, were recorded at other mines. In alluvial and dredge mining there had been an increase in the gold production of £80,752. The number of persons employed in and about mines during the year was estimated at 11,090 (gold mines 7400, coal mines 4290). The output from the State collieries during 1911 amounted to 248,937 tons, a decline of 20,005 tons compared with the previous year. This decrease is due to the approaching exhaustion of the two State collieries at Seddonville and Point Elizabeth, but a new mine is being opened up at the latter place, and Will be known aa Point Elizabeth No. 11. The profit on the working of the State coal mines was less than it was the previous year, owing to the higher cost of production and the diminished output.