MINERAL OUTPUT

Evening Post, Volume CCXV, Issue 13, 17 January 1938, Page 12

MINERAL OUTPUT

NEW SOUTH WALES HIGHEST SINCE 1928 (From "The Post's" Representative.) SYDNEY, January 7. An official estimate of the value of the mineral production of New South Wales for 1937, including production from quarries, is approximately £15,500,000, the highest for nine years. This value represents an increase of £2,400,000 compared with that of 1936. It is higher by £930,000 than the value of the output of 1929, and higher than that of any year since 1928, when the value was £17,058,000. Of the principal metals produced, the gold yield was approximately 68,600 ounces fine, valued at £600,700—the largest yield since 1918, and 7860 ounces and £73,300 in excess of that of 1936. It is expected that production will be increased during 1938. The Australian value of silver-lead ore and concentrates and zinc concentrates dispatched from Broken Hill was about £5,360,000, compared with £4,003,000 for 1936. The high price of lead and zinc during the greater part of the year, in addition to stimulating production at the main mines ut Broken Hill, resulted in activity in prospecting for extensions of the line of lode. Production of tin showed little change from that of 1936, when the quantity won was 1076 tons of tin (metal) and 38 tons of ore and concentrates, valued in all at £268,454. Owing to the higher average price of the metal, the value should be greater than in 1936. The coal-mining industry continued to make the largest contribution to the total value of the State's mineral output. The value of the year's production of 9,900,000 tons was £5,725,000 —against 9,200,000 tons valued at £5,127,000 in 1936. Coke production of 940,000 tons, valued at £938.000, was the highest on record.

Eggs were quoted on the Wellington i wholesale market today at Is 2d a dozen for B grade, Is 4d for A grade, and Is 5d for super.