CINNABAR LODES

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 124, 29 May 1922, Page 8

CINNABAR LODES

THE PRODUCTION 015! QUICKSILVER

GOLDMINING IN THE NORTH.

An interesting, if somewhat hurried* trip was made by the Hon. G. J. Anderson, Minister of Mines, last week. First the Minister visited Pnhi-puhi, where there is a fairly large deposit .of cinnabar. The Minister told a Post reporter to-day that the production of quicksilver from this deposit is being carried on under difficulties owing to the. low , market values of the product,, but if a cheaper method of extracting the quicksilver can be discovered, there is any amount of the ore waiting to be worked. Incidentally, the Minister mentioned that New Zealand was the only part'of the British Dominions in which quicksilver was being produced at present, and the only place in the world where it was found in quartz formation. A cinnabar lode has recently been discovered in Southland. The Minister also visited Te Puke, where he found that a wonderful development had been made i* the last twelve months. The goldmining com-j----p- at work there is proposing to put down a shaft to test:the lower levels. The ore that is being mined, the Minister stated, is much like that from the upper levels of Waihi. The company is making special provision for stacking the tailings, and there is no risk of tho lower" country being destroyed, as uufortunately occurred at Ohinemuri. The Minister agreed' to send a geologist as soon as possible to report upon the goldbearing country in the Te Puke district, and assist a number of prospectors who are proposing 'to look for fresh reefs. i

While in the North, the Minister dealt with a number of Marino Department questions of vital importance to the district.