MINERALS OF THE COAST.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17863, 8 September 1923, Page 13

MINERALS OF THE COAST.

, TO EXPLOIT NEEDED. e f e «- known minerals that """dst on ihc western slope ° £ ; ptr le a former Commissioner of &f i3 in Westland, a gentleman : Pjjled almost cvery '^ essMti ' 'J**) «»* a l" owled e e that en " 5 j*£ to speak with authority i %Z these resources are old dis'V go old, indeed, that they are •fatSe preUt generation—for the ! *? t t the old gold fossickcr with String adventurous instinct, and *Sp» eat of the more certaLn ' % tinting, means of livelihood fjL by coal and timber have ; attention from the more : % metal* to the limbo of things jJl'inißT cases are forgotten. It *Led by «U who havo a knov '" ' • rf the Coast that here is a great ; *Leof Nature's gifts, but it is known to what extent these t'aa be economically turned to ?& account. It is not the *1 0 f this article to imply that are possible, let alone pro- ? The writer has a vivid and Jfjjdonal recollection of the Otago iLboom. Sr.ch an experience is Si in mellowing one's judgment, also teaches where Jly jwociated with wild booms ■ avoided, and where projects Jftjongh extravagance and incomtefQiJ bttvo been made to pay ijßUly under proper guidance. In jgjjgQ idenee and mechanical skill, 0 qualities the old miners had (alii stocks, have made some L, jf mining highly remunerative Bfjtßeriy they were impossible. : kniiide process is a case in point, I'jUiiMMs °* tJl ° mode l ' ll dredge Ktu be readily understood that kyttoaa employed to commerciali ■» of these subsidiary mineral dishid of a necessity to be crude. ■■ fciß«ejsibility of many of the |k the eost Of machinery, the lack [flHiid the scarcity of mechanillii woe insuperable obstacles. ytpnt and electricity, which are djjjykg such an important part in tajitltrial development of the jrge unknown. The possibilibitie t ntnre, therefore, have to fcgwred in the light of the pro- , Lade in science and facilities Mttapt wriy efforts were unsuc- \ sftb O&er Than Gold. j'Jrworting the comment at tho IJlttll article, it may be recalled at the Exhibition in -, s 3alfeiin 1906, the Westland :#i*itrt was one of the features Jfcmfyj-and it was officially statiiii contained a sample of 'imifßmineral m the world, and ;dw#s exhibited had been col"i&jißtithin the district of West* ptfjf&ct exists that the preyjHwry mineral has been estabffijjfit remains for expert l-iplised knowledge, combined 4wtal and Labour, to exploit fefeands of Bquaro idles of counwl if ana when prospecting opm warrant, to develop the proffoonrces of this great field. To Be the various minerals would [rot Special interest to the genjHptto. Hi the majority of inHpthensmes would be names and ■m litre, bnt brief reference to a Huta more common and generally flwftvn minerals may not here be Bjmew Zealanders are aware of the Mjtoimive iron deposits at Para ■S la the Nelson Province. Here ■MP Ma oflen prospected, and the "■§■» of literally millions of tons of ■ptrlave been definitely proved. belt of country extends < Wbm whole of the West- Coast Witt to south, and apparently ISP ** the Sounds country, where, ■Mtfrj "eighties," IJoeherty, the *Wwwa prospector of Dusky Sound, JH"W the presence of copper, assMftt*M Tarioua minerals identical MP* Wmring ia the Nelson ininof deposits of iron ore sWlfto.more or less authenticated MPtf tie West Coast, notably in ranges. At the immedithere appears to be considHEfef n % in finding the necesWftttZj o develo P Para Para i anu iron ore in Westland MB? 4 «" not appeal to the in-Jg-faportaat metal is known to Sft? I*" 00 . 8 P 3llß of the Coast. S* ™ enpiferous ore bodies have M5 >M * « less proved in Nelson k Dusk y Sound, south, JK"««diant in the Karamea disWsifcL? Varions other localities be--168 - A lodo is known MF*W*en the heads of the MoonBlackball creeks in the about 25 miles north aßfcti7> " n t as the lode occurs «tasL Mhed and very dlffi"^BW'k* no E rea t enthusiasm mSE? °T its discovery, the ori,«j!h^to» did not proceed fur- «, 7 «f the Taipo river—[K"J® travellers on the Otira»Wter lI J 0ad ~ thero oecurs in the MffirlE.* of native copper '■ljfrJ 8 . dessimated through a !lt °- f Ber P en tinous rock. a B P eciall y note'flfttftt e claimed by ex«fkrt!?r?entil g e of nativ e copBBJ?SF Mgh to make mining J^g 8 " Profitable. s t^^fe.,, Antimony. Meh tne discovery »g£"wprocess ( was the bug-bear BBSSriT^ 1161 ' "s indicated in 'meuEaT tte Coast ' more esPecimwn the slopes of the 'K*iifr or three mileß iMaaSr 1 H «re a lode of stibjHwmu antimony) has been *M«fct.t^' Were shipped to treatment. It to 60 per cent, of WFSk^ S f f S° ld t° the ■Wrt* n tons of the ore IK^WfA,,.. 1 " 118 ? 011 to Gre yshipment, bnt lack of IKW^ 08 * 4 H to be abanMNI »L anthoritles t0 baUast e . ro . Ssin g8- In the mKI«SL a T a * mn > the tbne *mi% JS* toe matter of develiffl&Gy deposits of tho could be profitably 'B^to^v ti § ltißß reefs were ■ Om

seven miles from the Buller, containing gold and galena (lead ore), the latter being fairly rich in silver. Assays taken gave extraordinarily rich returns. Batteries .were erected, but the mine did not pay, the reason possibly being provided by the experience of tie Mt. Kangitoto operations, about 17 miles below Ross. Here, in the early eighties, a mineralised lode containing gold and silver of the same nature as at the Owen was discovered. Assays indicated highly payable ore, but failure again awaited the enterprising speculators. However, in 1886 the Government mining experts visited the field and made an examination, and discovered that the tailings surrounding the Ihree head battery in use were practically full of quicksilver. To such an extent was this the case that a small quantity of tailings washed in a fryingpan yielded 201b weight of quicksilver, containing six to eight dwts cf gold and silver. The engineers reported that the system of extraction was not at all adapted for treating the complex ore of which the lode was composed. The material should have been dry crushed, thoroughly roasted to get rid of the sulphur and arsenic and the other impurities, and the balance treated for precious metals by metallurgical process. Under the method that had been adopted, it was impossible that the gold and silver could be saved, and all that was contained in the small portion worked was left contained in the tailings. No further development has taken place to upset the report on that occasion. In the light of modern science this field, in the opinion of many mining men, presents scope for further investigation. Tin. Stream .tin occurs in the majority of the gold-bearing creeks and rivers of the Coast, and if not in commercially payable quantities, it indicates the presence of lodeß or alluvial deposits of tinstone in the main range. . _ It is found in creeks originating in the Paparoa ranges, but so far the main souree has not been found, or even searched for. Molybdenum. In various parts of the Coast, but more particularly in the Ten Milo Creek and its tributaries, splendid specimens of molybdenite (sulphide of molybdenuiu)*have been found, but so far the main lode has not been located. From the few cwt of specimens examined this practically rare metal exists in highly payable quantity. The metal itself is a soft one of bluish lustre, and has important uses in the worlds of art and., industries. It is the foundation of the blue colour ornamentation of high-class porcelain and crockery ware, is the basis of certain of artists and ' coachbuilders 7 paints, and from it is manufactured many dyes, of delicate colours and tints. If the niain lodo were discovered and proved to be in the mass a tenth part as rich as the specimens it has shed, a big return would await investors. Platinum. This metal is one of the gold group, and together with Iridium, Osmaridiunij and others of its related associates is distributed over the whole goldfields, though, of course, in very small quantities. Prior to 1914 the world's main supply was obtained from Kussla. During the past half-century the value of this Bemi-raro metal has becn_ steadily advancing, as demand is ever in excess of supply. In 1880 the value varied between £1 10s and £2 per oz. In time the requirements of the growing electrical industry made further demands on supplies, and the price rose till the quote was £l4 to £ls per oz. The war and subsequent developments shut off the Bussian sourcetill £2O to £.30 per oz was asked and obtained. Throughout th©. World ill© supply is small, and, relatively speaking, the West Coast, although supplying only a few ozs per annum, is ranked by the world's metallurgical authorities as one of the main sources of supply. The chief supply on the Coast is connected with the Hokitika Eiver and its tributaries and beaches. In the ranges from which tihe river takes its rise, quartz lodes containing Platinum have been discovered, which oil assay yielded four penny-weights to the ton. Properly worked, at present prices, this should give a very profitable return. Treatment of non-metalliferous minerals, building stone, such as greenstone, coloured limestones, shales, oite, etc., which obtain in varying quantities but generally large, throughout the Coast, cannot be conveniently treated within the confines of this article. Need for Prospecting. The foregoing is a brief description of the minerals found on the Coast. When most of those finds wero located Khere was generally little effort made to ascertain their extent or their value. The discovery just occurred, and the finder pursued the even tenor of his way, according to where the lure of gold drew him. That type, however, is gone. There are not many now fossicking about the mountain sides or in the top reaches of the rivers in search of the yellow metal, and_ the chances of fresh finds are accordingly reduced. What ia wanted is a systematic survey of the whole of the • auriferous and mineralogical belt, and so determine the value and extent of its secreted wealth. That .would be costly, but it is necessary if British capital is to be attracted here for investment. British capital, indeed, must be getting weary at the buffeting it is receiving in the many hostile parts of the world in which it is employed, and would probably welcome, when matters settle down,- the opportunity of investment in a community of Britasn people. The cost of a survey should properly be undertaken by the Government, or, failing that, by a strong financial company adequately subsidised, and given all possible facilities in the work. If these minerals cannot be produced on an economic basis it is just as important to have the fact demonstrated, and so allow the people to devote themselves to the more prosaic channels of industry with which the Coast is so abundantly endowed.