C.—2

The total value of the bullion produced in 1930 was greater by £23,638 than that produced in 1929. Bullion from quartz-mining increased by £35,554, while the returns from alluvial mining and dredge mining decreased by £2,755 and £9,161 respectively.

(1) Quartz-mining.

The average value per ton of ore treated during 1930 amounted to £1 18s. Id., as compared with £1 16s. Id. during 1929. At the Waihi Mine 180,749 long tons of ore were mined during the year without encroaching but slightly on the ore reserves. The amount of gold recovered was 69,825 oz., valued at £293,263, and of silver 363,403 oz., valued at £36,340, a totai of £329,603, which is £8,571 over that of the previous year. The company during the year paid out £99,181 in dividends, making the total dividends paid to date £5,842,283. The Waihi Grand Junction property, worked by the Waihi Gold-mining Co., produced 8,712 oz. of gold, valued at £36,591, and 117,161 oz. of silver, valued at £11,716, from 16,558 tons of ore. At the Blackwater Mine 41,112 tons of ore were mined, an increase of 3,368 tons over the previous year, and the gold produced was 17,781 oz., valued at £70,094, compared with 16,201 oz., valued at £64,394, during 1929. (2) Dredge Mining. The following is a statement showing the capacity, production, and profits of bucket gold-dredges during 1930. (Note. —The profits made by privately-owned dredges are not obtainable for publication.)

During the year the Rimu dredge worked for 89 per cent, of the possible dredging time, and turned over 2,055,096 cubic yards of gravel from an average depth of 40 ft. The gold recovered amounted to 9,840 oz., valued at £40,207, a decrease in value of £6,763 compared with the previous year. In 1930 the average value of the ground dredged was 4-67 d. per cubic yard, in 1929 it was 5'46d., and in 1928 it was 7 - 37 d. ; the dredge is at present working in rather poor ground, but is heading towards an area proved by drilling to contain considerably higher values. The present pontoon is of timber, but in 1931 it will be replaced by a steel one, and when the change is being made the opportunity will be taken of renewing other parts of the dredge. The G-olden Terrace dredge on the Shotover Eiver started towards the end of the year. It did not operate satisfactorily, and since then several alterations and adjustments have been made, and the operation is now better.

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Statute Tons of Ore treated. Value of Bullion. "tere^Comp^rnefonlyT. 8 ' Inspection District. 1930. 1929. 1930. 1929. 1930. 1929. £ £ £ £ Northern .. .. 201,770 194,401 386,611 356,359 100,908 100,906 West Coast .. .. 46,663 47,806 86,205 80,854 Southern .... 12 135 25 74 Totals .. .. 248,445 242,342 472,841 437,287 100,908 100,906 • l

ojO coin • m • a wi So 2 "S 113 (Ua ' oT3 oo V. d £ .2 • o x) w> a *c Dividends declared. £ o » 5 *3 ss 0_ tti d Or-( & d a • -r- 2 o?*- 1 P3 t*H „ H 2 O 'd iri Name of Dredge. Locality. ® ® otf® o es oij w ro <h ® 111 I| »SW || :fo During Tt , us il mi go lis 19S0 - Total - o S fe ®HW < £ Oia</o a»d Southland. Ft. £ £ £ Golden Terrace Extended.. Shotover River .. 8 18 305 E 23 1,714 Upper Nevis .. .. Nevis River .. 7 10 205 E 20 1,149 West Coast. Rimu .. .. .. Rimu Flat .. 10 19 450 E 40 40,207 .. 24,622 Totals, 1930 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 43,070 .. Unknown Totals, 1929 .. .. .. .. .. .. 52,231 1,641 (Unknown I