Notable Developments At ’Kamo- State Mine

Northern Advocate, 27 November 1948, Page 6

Notable Developments At ’Kamo- State Mine

IMPORTANT developments have taken place at the Kamo state mine within the past few days.

Production has reached a record peak, a new area has been opened up, and a new drive completed to the coal face. Weekly returns show that production has risen by 56 per cent compared with the weekly output when the mine was taken over early this year.

For the past three weeks the output has averaged 1292 tons, compared with 826 tons for the first nine weeks under state ownership. This increase is equivalent to 56.4 per cent. It has been achieved with approximately the same number of miners.

the now defunct Waro mine at Hikurangi.

This work is now well under way and will result in a new building measuring about 100 ft long and 24ft wide.

The state mine has already made use of a number of Waro pumps and other plant.

Last week the amount of coal won reached the record level of 1330 tons.

An objective of 300 tons a day to be reached before Christmas had been set some time ago.

A fortnight ago a weekly output of 1324 tons was recorded. 600 FT DRIVE

The installation of a double drum haulage system some time ago was the first step towards increased production. A further move towards a greater output was made last week when a new area east of the Slant Dip was started. This development does not mean an increase in the actual number of working places from which coal can be won, but its value lies in the fact that it facilitates the supply of trucks to the miners, who have been making a sustained effort to put up the weekly output from the mine.

Another move of major importance has been the completion of the 600 ft stone drive, through solid rock to The Rise.

This job was commenced by the mine’s previous owners, who had put the drive through 220 ft of stone. Five months ago. Hikurangi contractors commenced the work of carrying the drive down to the seam.

They reached coal last week and the drive is now under the seam in old workings. The whole task involved the construction of a drive 9ft high and Bft across, down to the seam through 540 ft of rock. Altogether more than 2000 tons of rock were removed. SECTION NOW COMPLETE

The mine manager (Mr J. Hadcroft explained yesterday that the section was now complete and that the work of laying tramljnes and constructing a winch house at the top of the drive was progressing well. Primarily meant for ventilation, the stone drive would serve a two-fold purpose.

It would .-be used to bring' out coal from the old workings through which the drive would now be pushed. He did not expect that a large amount of coal would be won from this area but it would be in addition to the output from the main drive.

Another job being undertaken at the mine is the construction of a new tip shed and winch house from the old engineering shop which was used at