MINING NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 127, 1 June 1938, Page 3

MINING NEWS.

GOLD PRODUCTION. £1,279,913 FOR YEAR. HIGHER DREDGE RETURNS. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Tuesday. Statistics relating to gold production m \e\v Zealand last year were issued this vening by the Minister of Mines, the lon. P. C. Webb. These show that the iroduction for 1937 reached a total of 65,6910z, valued at £1,279,913. In 1936 he total was 164.5750z, valued at £1,233,178. The past year, therefore, hows an increase over 1936 of 41160z, and in increase in value of £46,735. The figures for quartz, alluvial and hedge mining respectively are as folo ws: — Quartz.—Hauraki. 65.8110z. £471.755; ,Vest Coast, 23,8370z, £191,807; Otago, )990z, £7029. Alluvial. —Hauraki, nil; West Coast, 1.4210z., £84.804; Otago, 15,7210z, £115,220. Dredge.—Hauraki, nil; West Coast, !0.6600z, £324.972; Otago, 10,2420z, £84.326. ''The most striking feature is the ncreased production by dredges," said Mr. Webb. "During 1936 37.2690z were ivon by this method and in 1937 the quantity won has risen to 50,9020z. There is no reason to suppose that this improvement will not be maintained, and with the prospect of additional dredges being constructed in the Otago and West Coast districts the dredging industry promises to attain production on the same scale as the quartz mining industry. ''The increase of 13,6330z in dredge production is offset by decreases in the totals from alluvial and quartzmining of 64760z and 304i0z respectively, thus reducing the overall increase for the year 1937 to 41160z." GOLD WORTH £1,052,157. AUSTRALIAN MARCH OUTPUT. The Australian production of gold in March, according to figures issued by the Commonwealth Statistician, was 133,010 iue ounces, valued at £1.062,157, Ausralian currency, or £849,727 sterling, "ompared with the corresponding month >f last year, this represents an increase of 7.844 fine ounces, or 17 per cent. For the three months ended March 31, lie Australian gold production was 362,535 ine ounces, valued at £3,127.343, Ausralian currency, and £2.501.877 sterling. This compares more than favourably with he fisures for the three months ended March 31, 1937. which were 308,7430z, rallied at £2.707.141. Australian currencv, ind £2,165,713 sterling. RETURNS OF COMPANIES. Returns of dredging companies forwarded this week are as follow :—

Okarito Fire-mile Beach Gold Dredsring Company. I„td.. reports:—Washup • 330z Sdwts for 105% hours' dredging. DREDGING THE CLUTHA. The TOO-ton pontoon of the-Austral NewZealand Mining, Limited, is rapidly ner.ring completion on the company's area in Central Otago. and. according to pre-e:it enimates. will be floated into a nViinl :: I the C;"ouiwell end of the property m.-i I'.nto the river direct) at an early ua:<\ 'j h •• !pontoon will have a length "f 170 ("•••: ;:: |a beam of To feet. It is <-\\ —■;•••! bat ithe dredge will be completed a!-....! tl:" tii'i 'of the year. [ Interest in the viiic.re i= !u»coaiiii2 increasingly widesp:-. id. if : !;«• area lia.b'een earefullv bor.-d an! 'In ••k-: , !i; ,■..•_. •some M.i ..•■".' ::'o ya:-N if payable --mini-. ibein;: proved. K- •:■! -vacillation of r.i'area lias .1; -:.-,■.! -i fri'icr potential pay- :«!•].. yardii-.-: .in.: !..•• '/^"'^.."LfaV'v !l'i|'l' :'.',• ■-, to lY- h 1 17. i f' Mobil- !* ' 'p-tui's .;>-« 111- Au-iral L-ouii-ain ju.»-^a j. co'ii""::". .!v called' (Ik- I-"" '—■ '■:-!-• - ~' ; v. ~.« 1. a uu.iib.-i- . ! _■:.■! ;: r ;"~-.;; '.'; zl-'.ilai'id '.Mining- LimiU'.l. -i--* to ;lie i-o-.\- , burn il'a-e.

Hours Yardage Gold. Company. worked, treated. oz. dwt. Arzo 132 16,000 241 0 Gillespie's . . 119 — 41 3 Guldfields ... 1 week — 15 IS Golden Sands 44 shifts — 35 12 Maori Gullv . 103 — 67 13 Mataki 132 10,000 40 0 Moonlight . . 350 — 130 0 Nemona ISO 15,600 111 10 Okarito 10oi — 33 8 Xrw River .. 127 11.000 27 0 Whites 126 — 35 0 Worksop ... 192 14,000 42 0 Olutha 110 — 124 0 Rimu 131J 47,208 219 18