MINING.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20619, 8 August 1932, Page 12

MINING.

GOLDEN DAWN GOLD MINES. The following is the mine report for two weeks ending July 30th, 1932: No. 3 Level—Stoping lias been carried on in four blocks on No. 1 reef, with machines working three shifts. The reef here averages 2ft 6in wide, and the ore is of very fair value. Stoping has also been carried out on No. 3 reef with machines working three shifts. The reef here averages 2ft wide and is improving as the stopes are carried on. A start has been made to carry along a loading stope on No. 3 reef north of the block of main stopes working. The reef here averages 15in wide, of good value. A start has been made to drive north on a cross reef 30 feet east of No. 3 reef in main east cross-cut, and has been driven in 5 feet; total 5 feet. The reef here averages 18in wide and is of very fair value. This is new work, and no work has been done on this reef in any part of the mine. No. 2 Level rise on No. 1 Eeef —Has been risen 20ft, total 80ft. We are very near up to where we should make a connexion with winze. The winze has been sunk 10ft, total 40ft, and from sounding we should connect in a few shifts. When this work is completed, we will start to use filling for our stopes from surface. This will be a big saving, as we will not have to shoot the hard walls for filling. A FANCIFUL REPORT. A fanciful and highly extravagant statement concerning the Junction Hydraulic Elevating claim in the Shotover river (near Queenstown), better known as Oxenbridge and party's claim, was circulated per medium of the principal newspapers in the Dominion (remarks the "Waikatipu Mail"). The statement, which emanated from Invercargill, commenced as follows: "An exceptionally rich strike of gold is reported from the Shotover river. The truth 'of the rumour that the strike is estimated to yield 5000 ounces or nearly 5£30,000, is neither confirmed nor denied by the syndicate concerned. . . . Seven years ago an Invercargill syndicate took more than £25,000 worth of gold from within a few hundred yards of the same spot." A "Mail" representative showed the newspaper report to one of the shareholders in the syndicate, who expressed surprise and annoyance that such extravagant statements should have been made. Other inaccuracies also appeared. It was admitted that a rich run of gold had been struck, but though the river had been favourable for mining, the water available at present owing to the frost was totally inadequate for full time working. The amount of gold recovered so far was over 10d ounces, but there was every probability of winning much more of the precious metal. To say that the strike was estimated to yield 5000 ounces was speculation run I riot. The bed of the Shotover at this point I has been proved to be rich in gold and Mr Oxenbridge, sen., is very confident that good returns will be obtained. This, at present, is the most that can be said. The statement that £25,000 was taken by an Invercargill syndicate from the river within a few hundred yards of the present claim is incorrect. The' actual amount won was in the vicinity of & 14,000. In couscquence of the exaggerated report Messrs Oxenbridge and party have received a number of enquiries from all parts of the Dominion as to the methods of working, labour conditions, etc., and prospects of taking up ground in the vicinity. MINING AT NOKOMAI. The framework of a towering dragline excavator which has been under construction at the yards of the Vulcan Steel Constructiou Company, Ltd., in Auckland, for some weeks is now being dismantled in readiness for shipping to Nokomai, Otago, where the plant is to be used on the property of the Nokomai Gold Mining Company. The machine, which weighs approximately 70 tons and is about 60ft in height, is to be taken by the Union Company's vessel Warpiata to Bluff. The many steel parts,of the framework will then be sent by rail to Parawa station, on the Kingston branch line, 66 miles from Invercargill, and will be transported 'over seven miles of road to the claim. Some of the sections are so heavy that it has boon found necessary to strengthen some of the bridges and culverts on the road. It is stated (says the "New Zealand Herald"), that this is the largest dragline excavator made anywhere. _ The excavator is in the form of a steel tower travelling on rails. When erected in the Nokomai Valley it will have a cable stretching from the head of the tower and across the area of shingle to be worked. This cable will carry a bucket for scooping up the shingle. The operation of the bucket will be automatic, the shingle being delivered to hoppers and screened and treated for the recovery of the gold. The machine has a guaranteed capacity of 540,000 cubic yards a year, but the designers anticipate that it will have no difficulty in excavating over 1,000,000 yards. It is estimated that when the excavator is erected it will be possible to keep it in one position for 12 months, so wide is its area of operation, but when it is necessary to move the plant this can be done easily.

PHOTOGRAPHY IN COMMERCE. VIVIDNESS AND ACTUALITY. One of. the most interesting business developments in recent years is the increasing use of photography in commerce nnd industry. The rapid growth in the popularity of photographs for advertising purposes must be obvious to everyone who reads newspapers and periodicals. Photographs have become important because they appeal to people on account of their vivid actuality. A good photograph is not only interesting, but it suggests reality far better than a drawing or a word description. Just as photographs have become a part of the daily newspaper, so photography is employed in scores of professional and industrial activities for the recording of processes and methods of manufacture and building, for picluring the uses of products, for the dramatic presentation of new inventions, and the microscopic analysis <>' innumerable natural and manufactured products. Such developments have led to the specialised profession of commercial photography, while many large firms in oversea countries have.their own photographic, departments cooperating, with their production and publicity activities.