PUHIPUHI SILVERFIELDS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXI, Issue 172, 24 July 1890, Page 2

PUHIPUHI SILVERFIELDS.

(To tbe Editor.)

Sir,— Through the medium of your widelydistributed paper, kindly allow me to offer a few words of caution in reference to this new mineral district.

On bhe result of a few bests and one or two small crushings, I see the proprietors of some of the mines are getting very anxious that capitalists should erect machinery for them. I also saw a very sensible letter from a Mr Buttle, strongly advising them to be cautious. Our Puhipuhi friends may nob know bhab there are dozens of reefs in this district containing silver, but mining men of experience will not for a long time forget their silver lodes disappointment in several of the Upper Thames districts, lb appears that the recent crushing for the Prospectors did not realise 40oz to the ton from surface stone. This at 3s per ounce is only aboub £6 per ton. and when you take into account the certainty of its changing very greatly as they get into the lower levels, which may necessitate roasting and chemical treatment, ib would never pay to treat unless ib greatly improves in quality and is found in large lodes easily worked. 1 should advise systematic working on some of the. reefs to prove their quality and extent, then machinery owners would be likely to treat with them for erecting plants.—l am, etc., Mercdry. Thames, July 18.