WON FROM THE EARTH.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1240, 23 September 1911, Page 10

WON FROM THE EARTH.

GOLD, SILVER,' GUM, AND COAL. LAST YEAR'S OPERATIONS, The tolnl mineral production in tho Dc minion (luring 11)10 shows a small decrease. Substantial increases are recorded in quartz and coal mining..tho two principal branches of tho industryj but owing to uni'or-een causes the returns from kauri gum and alluvial mining show considerable decreases. The conditions of tho various branches of the mineral industries aro reviewed in the Mines Statement, the report oil the goldlields, and tile inspection of coal mines report, which were presented to tho House of Representatives yesterday afternoon.' Tho valuo of tho exports from mel'-al mines and kauri gum fields during the past two years, and the total production from January 1, 1853, to December 31, 1010, is shown in tho following table:— 11109 1910 1853-1910 «£ *£ e£ Gold 2,006,900 1,896,328 77,437,131 Silver 180,872 171,502 1,018,522 Other minerals... 11,867 22,227 445,870 Kauri gum 552,1i98 465,014 15,413,415 Totals ... 1yT52,337 2,555,161 91,911,971 GOLD AND SILVER. Tho production of gold last year was less by than ill 1909,' and tho silver production fell off by £9310. Tlio valuo of the production of other minerals increased by .610,912. The kauri gum production, also decreased by «£B7,GSt. The mining of gold and silver provided employment for 80S1 persons, and "10 men were engaged in t'ho production of iron, echeelite, cinnabar, and asbestos, tlio total number of persons engaged in or about I'll.' nictaliferous mines of tho Dominion during the year being 8121, compared with 7051 in 1909. About a thousand diggers are engaged upon the kauri gum fields; the actual number is not known. Fifteen fatal accidents and 17 serious accidents occurred at the mines, the rate of fatalities being 1.84 per 1000 persons employed. Tlio production of bullion from tho quartz mines during 1910 was tho.highest' on record. As tho result of treating SOS.OOO tons, bullion to the value of .£1,501,189 was, obtained and dividends amounting to ,£597,127 wero declared. An increase in tho value of production is recorded for the Coromandel, Waihi, Karangahake, and imvngahua quartz mining fields, but at the Thames' and Otago fields a decline has taken place. Dredges to t'ho number of 104 produced gold valued at .£315,237, a decrease of .£12,439. The dividends paid by tiio 35 dredges ■ owned by registered companies amounted to .£51,918. Owing to tho exceptionally dry year, which Tendered the water .supply for sluicing pnrposes inadequate, the..value of' the production jrom alluvial claims declined to .£188,404, b?ing ,£141,771 below that of 1909. KAURI GUM. The output of kauri gum has increased by 413 tons. The total quantity exported during 1910 was 5093 tons, valued at ■£■105,011. COAL. Tho annual report on inspection of coal mines states that during the year ended December 31, 1910, thero was a satisfactory increase of 15 per cent;, iu the annual coal production. Tho production of bituminous and somi-bitunniious coal was 154,- ; 9 Ji^," s . in ,f bo iw'Uiem district, ami 111 t' lo West Coast district, total 1 jt.'o, <09 tons. Pitch coal was produced in the southern district only, tho quantity being COOS tons. The production of brown coal was 215,807 tons "in-the northern (lisi ' n ;1 2 2 to ! l ' s ln tll ° West Coast district, and 349,01)8,in tho southern district. Lig-. into to tho amount of 100,590 was mined iiMn lem district.' Tho totals for IJIO, with those for 1909 -in parentheses, ?,'? ? s follow Northern, 400,604 (315,370); l-fre^fn'oW 1 ' 032 (M22.M2); southern! ■' a^: BTantl total > 2,197,302 (1,911,24;), increase 280,115. .Tho number of persons engaged at col-, licnes has doubled within the past decade, and now amounts to 4599, of which number 2,99 are empioyed in tho West Least district. Ihc accidents during 1910 wero higher,than usual, no less than 10 lives harms hceu lost therabv. Sixteen other persons were injured bv accidents. lon lives wero lost by falls in the mine, which arc becoming more prevalent as tlio stajre of pillar extraction is being advanced by tho bord-and-pilla- system The discovery of a safe and economical method by winch a high percentago of the thick coal seams of New Zealand may 1» extracted, is a subject that deserves special research, but the inspecting engineer (Mr. EiX.W* 14 not , sanguino of an-en-.tirelj satisfactory solutio i.