27

C-2

18th November: J. R. Spearing, mine-manager, Rising Sun Cold mining Company, was convicted and fined ,£5 and costs. 18th August : J. Connolly was prosecuted for removing timber from the Thames-Hauraki pumping plant, and was convicted and ordered io pay value of timber, £2. Northern Inspection District (Mr. Boyd Biamißi, Inspector of Mines). (,)uirlsdn r-mines. New Zealand Quicksilver-mines (Limited), I'uhipuhi. —There has been experienced considerable difficulty in obtaining miners, although the situation of the mining camp is good. Owing to scarcity of labour the treatment plant was rendered idle for some months during the year. To prove the extent of tl re deposits on the claim the Mines Department granted the company the use of one of their drilling plants, and by the end of the year 1920 five boreholes had been drilled on the claim. In each of the bores cinnabar-quartz was proved. On the whole the results of the boring were satisfactory. The treatment plant was worked during part of August and September, when 142 tons of ore were treated for a return of 24 flasks of mercury, each at 751b.; and again in December 116 tons of ore were treated for a return of 25 flasks, each 75 lb. : in all 258 tons of ore were treated for a return of 3,6751b. of meroury, valued at 7s. 6d. per pound = £1,378 2s. 6d., averaging C 5 (is. 9d. per ton of ore treated, which may be considered satisfactory. Tin Rising Sun Qnicksilver-mine. The mine is situated about two miles east of the New Zealand Quicksilver Company's mine, and is still only in the prospecting stage. The ore was found outcropping on what appears to be a large landslide. A prospecting-drive was driven 200 ft., most of the distance on a rubbly cinnabar deposit. An effort is now being made to locate the deposit beyond the slide. The Mines Department granted assistance to prospect the ground under Regulation 127 (6) (c). The future prospects of the claim depend on the finding of the lost portion of the cinnabar deposit, for although there are possibly 600 tons or more of the ore available in the slide portion of the claim through which the drive penetrated, but that quantity would not warrant, the erection of a treatment plant. Mount Mitchell Cinnabar-mining Syndicate, Puhipuhi. —This claim is situated about two miles south-west of the New Zealand Quicksilver-mine. There are possibly 20 acres of cinnabarcoloured quartz without rock or earth covering. In the joints of the broken rock the usual mercury staining is seen. West ('oast Inspection (J. F. Downut, Inspector of Mines). Quartz-mini n g. :\i MII.IKIHOUCH DISTRICT. Dominion Consolidated Mining ami Development Cam/tang (Limited). —Owing partly to the serious decline in the price of scheelite, and partly to the necessity of reconstructing the treatment plant, work was at a standstill in the company's mine for a good portion of the year. Only 1,649 tons of quartz was crushed, as against 8,443 tons during the previous year. The amount of gold won amounted to 369 oz. Bdwt., valued at £2,291 3s. 2d. Some 8 1 tons of scheelite was also recovered, estimated to lie worth £850. A small amount of development in the nature of rising was done. Reconstruction of the plant is well in hand, and work should be actively resumed early in 1921. Alford. and Party (Mountain Camp). Very little work has been done here for the year, and there was no output. Cadigan's Treatment-works. —This plant also failed to produce for the year. NELSON DISTRICT. Colossus Gold-mining and Development Com pang. —Work by this company during the year has, owing to its inability to secure miners, been conlined to prospecting. Three men have been kept employed, and it is reported that four new reefs have been located, several of them showing good values. LTELL. New Alpine Consols (Limited). The driving of the low-level tunnel on the Alpine line of reef was continued steadily throughout the year, the face being advanced to a total of 1,014 ft. Some further boulders of quartz were met with, but they were practically barren. New Creek Prospecting and Development Company. —The adit referred to in my last year's report was continued to 460 ft., when it was discontinued. At about 170 ft. in a reef was intersected, and driving was started on this. Up to the end of the year this reef had been followed for about 80 ft. For 40 ft. of the distance it was about 12 in. wide, but it gradually opened out then till, in the face, it was approximately 3 ft. It carries a little gold all the way, the value, as far as I could learn, being about 8 dwt. per ton. The management considers this reef to be identical with that worked in the upper levels years ago. A distinct reverse of underlay would, however, have had to take.place Io bring the old reef into this position. Some five men have been employed. CAPLESTON. Haul man's Consolidated Minis (Limited). —For a considerable portion of the year this mine was idle, hut towards the end of the year work was resumed with the intention of prospecting the ground between the Fiery Cross ami 'Welcome-Hopeful shoots in the upper levels. An attempt was made to reopen the old No. 6 Welcome tunnel, but owing to a heavy flow of water this was abandoned. Attention was then turned to the old Fiery Cross No. 1 level, and the work of picking this up to the north was carried on successfully to the end of the year.