NEW COAL SEAMS

Grey River Argus, 4 July 1944, Page 4

NEW COAL SEAMS

NEAR GREYMOUTH

Latest Boring Results

P.A. WELLINGTON, July 3. In a statement to-day, the Minister of Mines, Hon. P. C. Webb, announced the Government has decided to send a Drill Superintendent on the staff of the Mines Department, Mr R. McMillan, to the United States to study the latest developments in drilling equipment and technique, and to advise the Government as to the most suitable type of drilling plant required in the Dominion. Mr Webb said Mr McMillan had a wide knowledge of the conditions of drilling in this country, and recent geological work showed that a very large amount of relatively deep drilling was required. Referring to geological work on the study of the Dominion’s coal resources the Minister said that a very extensive boring programme had been mapped out. A recent bore at Dobson had penetrated a coal seam 10ft 3in thick at a depth of 1500 ft. It was good hard coal and its discovery opened up possibilities of providing a field of bituminous coal between Dobson and Greymouth, but owing to the depth a substantial area would have to be proved to make it economical. The department’s future policy in respect to the working of the Dobson colliery was clearly dependent on the extent of the area of coal ahead of the present workings, and further drilling would be carried out with the utmost speed. The Minister added that drilling at the Liverpool colliery had been continued to a depth of over 1600 feet. At 1500 ft, a seam of coal 9ft 4in thick had been cut.