LOW GRADE ORE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 244, 15 October 1935, Page 8

LOW GRADE ORE.

NEGLECTED FIELD.

DOMINION'S POSSIBILITIES. INSTITUTE LECTURER'S VIEW. Contrasting the encouragement given to the milling of low grade ores in other countries, Mr. A. Greville Walker, in an illustrated lecture at the University College last night, under the auspices of the Auckland Institute, said that the New Zealand Government had apparently not yet awakened to the possibilities in this country. There were deposits, he said, in the Coromandel district at the Ilauraki mine, 011 the Tokatea Range, at Thames, at Owharoa, at Waikino, in the Golden Dawn mine, 011 the Karangahake lield, at Waiorongomai, Te Aroha, Waiomo, 011 the Thames coast, and 011 the Thames foreshore.

Apart from the necessity for tiie provision of State-owned batteries or mills Mr. Walker considered that the investigation of proposals should not be left to the decision of one expert. At present the inspector of mines in any one district was expected to be not only an inspector, but also a mining engineer and geologist..'

Mr. Walker said that 111 New Zealand the development up to the present had been principally in the working of alluvial deposits and reef formations. In some cases research wprk was necessary, and in others the time appeared opportune for the setting in operation of plants for the treatment of ores of a lower grade than had hitherto been worked.

Before any low-grade ore development proposition was proceeded with it was necessary to erect and cperate a small testing plant. Thoiongh preliminary investigation was absentia] Jicfore major plants were erected. The grade of ore had a marked influi-i.ee on the design of treatment plants. Jin jor plants involved , a heavy capita] outlay and required an assured supply of ore. Case For State Help. In the Dominion there was a case for State assistance in the development of low-grade ores. It seemed, however, that the Mines Department- preferred to leave the pioneering work to private enterprise. Unless this war done ly private enterprise there appeared to be little possibility of low-grade ore developments being put in hand. "The failure to provide greater facilities for the undertaking of mining operations in the Dominion is directly responsible for the holding up of considerable amounts of capital, both local and overseas, and keeping it out of circulation," he said. It was advisable for the Government to take adequate measures to prevent the launching of "wild-cat" schemes. But with these precautions, all possible facilities for mining 011 approved lines should be granted. It was not suggested fliat mining operations should lie subsidised.

It seemed that the investing public must be educated to tlie fact that lowgrade ore mining W as hardly of a speculative nature, but was essentially a commercial enterprise. When it was* realised that 011 numbers of proved ureas there could be turned , over daily many hundreds of toils of ore from which a definite return could be assured, then people might see the unloosening of puree strings and the opening up of an industry which must inevitably assist in*the future prosperity of the Dominion.