OUR GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13278, 10 September 1906, Page 8

OUR GOLDFIELDS.

SUMMARY.

The gold returns from the Auckland district fields for the past 3£ weeks total £106.717 19s 7d, thus maintaining the improvement in the output for the present year, a? compared with 1905. The Ohincmuri mine?! have contributed £33,449 lis 9d and the Thames fields £23,175, 17s lOd.

Since the beginning of the present year 570.369 ounces of gold, of the value of £1.495.360. have been cxpoited from New Zealand.

In the course of his speech at the opening of Parliament His Excellency the Governor (Lord Plunket) said that the mining industry had received the careful attention of his advisers, and lion, members of the House, would be gratified to know that the output of gold and coal for last year had exceeded anything for the past bO years. Parliament would be asked for authority to enable additional assistance to- be given for the development of this important industry.

The annual Miues Statement was laid on the table of the House of Representatives a few days ago, together with the usual reports of the inspecting engineer and the inspectors. The statement shows that the total value of gold returns for the year 1905 was £2,093,i«6, as against £1,987,501 in 1904, thus showing an increase of £106,435. This is the highest return for many years, and exceeds) the high return of the year 1903 by £56.105. The greatest increase last Year wan from the Northern goldfield*. The "Auckland goldfjelds yielded £955.602, Outgo £694.214. West Coast £433.258. and Nelson . £25,862. For the year ended March last the Auckland jroldfi'olds yielded £1.000.954. Otago £655.913. West' Const. £443,089, and Nelson £17,650. The total value of gold exported from the colony from 1857 to the end of last yeair was £67.230,584. The Government' ha;? engaged a skilled operator and a principal assistant to operate, the three diamond drills which have been secured to assist. the development of mining. The men will arrive in the colony in a few months. Regulations are now being drawn up for letting out and working the drills. The report says the Minister has decided that the day of the one-man prospector, however useful he may have, been in the early days, has passed. Prospecting requires to be carried out on more systematic lines, and the, regulations Mill bo amended accordingly. While the Government is willing to assist in work of this Character, it is now averse to the distribution of subsidies to one. or two men. During last financial year the sum of £1822 was paid in subsidies to prospectors. The mining community at'. Thames will now have placed at its disposal a. .greatly increased area of mining land included in the Opitomoko. Kuranui, aud Parareka No. 2 blocks, which have been secured by the Government from the native owners. The Minister hopes that within a few months arrangements may be completed under which nrospecting can be carried on in the Urewera Country. Numerous applications have already been made. The statement refers as follows to the Waihi mine: This mine retains it premier position amongst, the mines of the colony, and from the magnitude of its operations and its output of gold is entitled to rank among the largest gold mining properties of the world. The Empire lode came to hand at the No. 8 level of the Waihi mine a few days aao, and the development must be regarded as an important one, furnishing, as it does, further evidence' of the downward continuity of the great reef system. Where cut the lode is a much larger body of ore than" it was found to be in the upper level at this point. Already it has been proved to be more than twice as wide as in the level immediately above, and to carrv good values. The distance from the bottom of the No. 4 shaft, north-west crosscut, to the point of intersection was rather over 100 ft.

Crushing with 40-head of stampers is proceeding oil the accumulated ore from the mine at the Wailii Grand Junction Goluk Mining Company's battery with two shifts per day, and at an early date the battery will be running full time. Mr. Wil-st-ad (of London), one of the directors of th« company, visited the new battery and power-house a few days ago and was greatly pleased with the manner in which the new plant is working. The foundations for an additional 60 stampers of 15001b each are

being prepared. Slimes are accumulating in considerable "quantities' from the quartz now being crushed at the battery, and as the number of. filter presses are insufficient :to cope with the supply another press, known as the - wicker,' is being added to the plant. This press, which w,ll have a capacity of about tour times that of the ordinary press, is being constructed locally. and will take about two months to complete. In- the meantime, so that flic slimes may be dealt with, the stampers will be run" intermittently; The K'omata Reefs Geld .Mining Company are laying out a scheme for increasjng'tbe tonnage of ore to be treated at the battery to 100 tons per day. At present the average montlilv tcrmnge of or*- milled ranges from 1600 to 1700 tons, or between 60 and 70 tons daily (counting 24 working days), so that with the new scheme in force over 50 tons per day more will be treated, thus considerably augmenting the bullion returns from the mine. The second tube mill is now being fitted up at the mine. GOLD RETURNS. TOTAL FOR 3£ WEEKS, £106,717 19s 7d. During the past three and a-half, weeks the goldfields of the Auckland district have yielded bullion worth £106.717 19s Id, as shown in the following detail? : J — OIIINKMUKI. i; 8. d. Waihi CM Co.. 25.8C8 ton"! ... 62.470 0' 0 Talisman Consolidated. 4178 tons 13.163 17 0 Komaln Reefs (J.M. Co.. 1600 tons 3.73S 0 0 N.Z. Crown Mine's, 1996 tins ... 3 33.) 0 0 Auckland G.M. Co. (interim clean UP) 121. Total Ohir.emnri district % £83.449 11 9 THAMES. £ s. (1. Waiotahi GM. Co.. 1764 ton* ore. SSO;b nicked stone 19.087 10 4 New Mac Queen G.M. Co.. 523 loads ore. 1001b picked stone 961 3 6 Old Alhurnia trihuters 139 0 0 Kejr Una G.M. Co 54 0 0 20.241 13 10 TATKUA. Tairua Broken Hills G.M. Co.. 514 tons 2.046 0 0 Golden Belt G.M. Co.. 320 tons . 883 4 0 . '. £2.934 4 0 . Total Thames district 23.175 17 10 COROMANDEL. £ s. a. Old Hauraki tributers 92 10 0 Total Auckland district for 31 weeks £106,717 19 7 WAIHI. A SPLENDID RETURN. £62,470 FROM 25,893 TONS. TOTAL TO DATE, £5,063,405. During the four weeks ended August 11 flic Waihi Gold Mining Company crushed and treated 25,893 tons of ore for a yield of bullion valued' at £62,470. The return is a very satisfactory one, and compared with the corresponding return of ISOS (£53.607 from 24.637 tons) shows an increase .in value of £3863. The total amount won from the mine to date is £5,063.405, as shown in the following table of details: — To July 31, 1890 £13.628 •Tul.v 31. 1890. to December 31, 1891 ... 36.458 In 1892, 13,297 tons 46.219 Hi 1893, 39.8:5 tons 64,345 In 1894, 24,364 tons 33.023 fn 1895, 33,670 tons ... 120.535 In 1896, 34.410 tons 135.1% In 1897, 40.764 tons 114.041 In 1898, 77.929 tons ;. 255,494 In 1899, 102,381 tons ... 302.525 In 1900, 112.012 tons 317.902 In 1901, 159,325 tons ) ... 451.205 In 1902, 179,485 tons ... ... ... . 521.574 In 1903. 231.523 tons 658.393 In 1904, 259.978 tons 683.882 In 1905, 258.551 tons ... 728,521 £4,573,701 Period ended™ January 27. 1906. 23.294 tons ... 54.310 February 24. 1906. 25.281 tons ... bU.'ilO March 24. 1906, 24.698 tons 61,890 April 21. 906. 25.198 tons 63.13'? May 19. 1906, 24,652 tons ... ... 6 7 .182 June 16, 1906. 25.6,4 tons ... ... 62.470 •Tub- 14. 1906. ?5.5°7 tons 63.070 August 11, 19:6. 25,858 tons ... 62.470 Total to date ...£5,063.405 Total dividends, etc.. to Sept. 1 £2,277,835 WAIOTAHI. A RECORD RETURN. £19,087 FROM 1764 TONS ORE AND scwr PICKED STONE. TOTAL TO DATE, £413,129. During the month of August the Waiotahi Gold Mining Company crushed. and treated 1764 tons of ore and scwt and 201b of picked stone for a; yield of 69150z 15dwt : of melted gold, valued at £19,087 10s Ad. This fine return establishes a record for the mine, the bullion won being worth £35 14s 3d more than the previous best yield, that for June, of the present year, when 17'-)2 tons of quartz and 7661b of picked stone gave gold worth £19.051 16s Id. The total output from the mine to date, is £413,129 16s 9d. as shown in the following table of details: — To December, 1904 ... ■• ... £195.079 6 8 In 19C5 75,918 9 1 January. 1966, 875 tons ore. lOewt 1021b picked stone ... 15,376 12 2 February, 1906. 1252 tons ore, llicwt picked stone 18,243 3 5 March. 19.**. 1174 tons ore, 9icwt picked stone 18,495 0 0 April. 1906. 1552 tons ore, lOievrt picked stone 18,648 0 0 May. 1906. 1417 tons ore. lOcwt picked stone 18,741 7 3 June. 1906. 1742 tons ore, 7661b picked stone .. . 19,051 16 1 Jnly. 1906. 3783 tons ore, 9cwt 121b picked stone 18,933 11 9 August. 1906, 1764 tons ore, scwt 201b picked stone 19,087 10 4 Total to date £413.129 16 9 Total dividends, etc., paid ...£193,800 0 0 KOMATA REEFS. £3756 FROM 1600 TONS. TOTAL TO DATE, £208.882. During the four weeks ended August 11 the K'omata. Reefs Gold Miuiug Company crushed and treated 1600 tons of ore (short tonnage) for a yield of bullion valued at £3736. This gives an average value of £2 cs per ton. and' shows the ore to be of better grade than that milled for some months previously. The total amount won from the mine to date is £208,882, as shown in the following table of details: — To December. 1900 ... £50,569 0 0 '< In 1901, 8570 tons 11,092 0 0 In 1902, 12.260 tons « ... 27.C85 0 0 ■ In 1903. 14.780' tons 37.157 0 0 In 19C4. 16.900 tons ... 34,430 0 0 ' In- 1905 ... • 43,136 0 0 £183.269 0 0 Period ending— January 27, i9C6. 1150 tons • - £2,649 0 1 February 24, 1906, 1350 tons ... 2.896 0 0 March 24. 1906. 1010 tons ~. 929 0 0 April 21, 1906. 1620 tons ... 3.152 0 0 May 19. 1906, 1720 tons 5.400 0 0 June 16, 1906, 1710 lons ... .. 3,320 0 0 July 14. 1906. 1680 tons 3.531 0 0 August 11, 1906, 1600 tons ... 3,736 0 0 Total to date £208.832 0 0 Total dividends paid ... ... £25,664 0 0 OLD ALBURNIA TRIBUTERS. Tributers in the surface portion of the Old Alburuia min-i have crushed 28£ tons of ore and 301b of picked stone for a yield of 54oss 2dwt of melted gold, of the value of £139.

TALISMAN CONSOLIDATED.

£13,163- FROM 4078 TONS,

TOTAL TO DATE, £541,679.

During the month, of August the Talisman Consolidated/Gold Mining Company. Limited, crushed and treated 4078 tons of or* for a return of bullion valued at £13.163 175.-. The cost per ton was £1 7s lid. made 'up as follows:—Mine development, 3s lOd : mining. 10s 9d; milling lis 3d; gencril expenses, Is Bd. The return is the largest for the present year, and shows a marked- improvement in the value of the ore treated, compared with (lie preceding three months. The total amount won to date is £541,679 6s lCd, as shown in the following tabic of details: — To December. 1353 ... £39.875 I ? To December. 1859 ... : jjWl; ° ° To December. 1900 - 28.640 * 7 To December. 1901 ... 56.704 19 3 To December. 1932 24.262 13 4 To December, 1503 £3,093 6 o To December. 1904 84.826 1 I To December, lsJo ______ £445375 6 . Period ending— ~ . .. 7 January 31. 1906. 2950 tons ... 2.8j1 15 / February 28. 1506. 3635 tons ... 11.150 8 o March 31. 1905. 4190 tons ... JO.ail 13 8 April 50. 1906. 5390 tons . ... 12.041 1 9 May 51. 1906. 4130 tons 12.041 0 2 June 51. 1905, 4265 tons ... 11.292 6 9 July 31. 1906. 4010 tons ~. ... 11.941 7 6 August 31. 1906. 4078 tons ... 13.163 17 0 Total to date '-£541.679 6 10 Total dividends (since recoustruetioul £60.000 8 0 NEW ZEALAND CROWN MINKS. £3883 FROM 1996 TONS. . TOTAL TO DATE. £647,985. During the month of August the New Zealand Crown Mines. Limited, crushed and treated 1996 tons of ore for a yield of bullion valued at £3833. Although the tonnage was slightly smaller than for the preceding month, the ore shows rather better values, the return exeeding that of July by £452. The total amount won from the mine to date, is £647,985, as shown in the following table of details: — bullion obtained prior to 1896 £138.104 To December. 1898 62.024 To December. 1890 71,636 To December, 1900 66.515 To December. 1901 58,075 To December. 1902 75,452 To December. 1903 78.265 To December. 1904 32,002 To December, 1905 ... " 38,639 £620,710 Period ending— _ ■ „ January 31. 1906. 1547 tons 2.60 a February 28. 1906 1966 tons 3,753 March 31. 1906. 1333 tons 4.321 April 50. 1906, 1801 tons 3.622 ' May 31. 1936. 1693 tons 2.901 .Tune 30. 3906. 1630 tons 2.874 Julv 31. 1906. 2065 tons 5.^81 August 31, 1906. 1996 tons 3,8j0 Total to date £647,935 Total dividend- p id :.- £70,000 TATRUA BROKEN HILLS. £2046 FROM 514 TONS. TOTAL TO DATE, £68.429. The Tainiu Broken Hills Gold Mining Company have crushed and treated 514 tons of ore for a return of bullion valued at £2046. This represents between four and live weeks' work, and it- will be noticed that the ore is better grade than for some lime past, and the return the largest for the present year. The total amount won to date is £68,429 19s. as shown in the following details: — In 1900 ,••, £1.457 8 0 In 1901. 455 tons .'. 1.792 19 9 In 1902, 5076 tons 23.655 0 0 In 1905 21.268 7 6 In 1904 , , • ■ „ 10.426 0 0 In 1905 ... ,1 _» „ ... 4.669 3 9 . • ■ £65,278 19 0 Period ending— .'■-., March. 1906. from slimes ... 385 0 0 June 5. 1906, 530 tons 1,200 0 0 July 13. 1906. 400 tons ... ... 1.520 0 0 August 17. 1905, 514 tons 2.046 0 0 Total to date ... .. £63,429 19 0 NEW MAY QUEEN. £961 FROM 525 LOADS ORE AND WOld PICKED STONE. During the five, weeks ended on Saturday, August 25, the New May Queen Gold Mining Company'crushed and treated 323 loads of quartz and 1001b of picked stone for a yield of 3400z of retorted gold. The value is £961 3s 6d, and the return raises the total amount won from the mine to £8444 7s 4d, as shown in the following table : — To December. 1905 •, ".. £679 8 0 Period endingJanuary 23, 1906, 8 loads. 201b p.s. 159 11 3 March 8, 1906, 173 loads. 2001b p.s. 1.830 1 10 Anril 11, 1906. 259 loads. 1501b p.a. 1,548 8 4 May 12. 1906, 334 loads, 901b p.*. 1,071 17 4 June 16, 1906, 3CB loads, 1001b p.s. 1,170 6 4 July 21. 1906. 262 loads, 1001b p.B. 1,024 10 9 Aug. 25, 1906, 323 loads, 1001b p.s. 961 3 6 Total to date. ... £8,444 7 4 GOLDEN BELT. £900 FROM 320 TONS. Since .July 13 the Golden Belt Gold Mining Company have crushed and treated 320 tons of ore, for a yield of 3630z of molted gold, estimated to be worth £884 4s. This makes £2908 2s 6d since crushing operations were commenced, as shown in the following ta.b"e of details: — June 5. 1906. 300 tons £1019 18 6 July 13. 1906. 310 tons 1,000 0 0 August 15. 1906, 320 tons' 888 4 0 Total to date ... £2,903 2 6 AUCKLAND. The Auckland Gold Mining Company have crushed 510 tons of stone for a return of £1600. This return,,which represents the result of two months' woik. together with an interim clean-up later from slimes etc.._ for £246 14s 9d. makes a total of £8435 5s 3d won from tho mine since it was taken over by the present company. The- details are as follows: — In 1905. 915 tons ' £4.375 10 6 Period ended March 9. 1906 ... 2.250 0 0 Period ended May 12. 1906 ... 1,563 0 0 Interim clean up (slimes, etc.) 246 14 9 Total to date .:. \ £8,435 5 3 OLD HAURAKI. Three parties of tributersin the Old Hauraki mine have just completed crushings at the School of Mines battery for gold worth £92 10s. ' b NEW UNA. A partial clean-up of 01c on hand by the New Una Gold Mining Company yielded bullion worth £54. " *