MINING NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15482, 13 December 1913, Page 5

MINING NEWS.

ROSS GOLDFIELDS. REFUTATION OF RUMOURS. SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT. A RErortT upon various matters connected with the operations of the Ross Goldflelds has been presented to the chairman of directors (Mr. George F. Davis) by the mine superintendent (Mr. John Cock) In regard to the chairman's inquiry as to persistent rumours that the plant was incapable of dealing with a larger output of wash dirt than 2000 trucks per week, Mr. Cock states: "On a previous occasion in reply to an inquiry from you as to the output of wash that could be satisfactorily handled by the present plant, I informed you that 6000 trucks could be dealt with when sufficient wash areas had been opened up to enable the necessary number of hands to bo employed to carry out systematic driving and blocking operations. Nothing has since occurred to cause mo to alter the opinion I vouchsafed at that time, and 1 unhesitatingly repeat that the present plant is capable of dealing with a weekly output of 6000 trucks. A total of 6000 trucks per week means 333 trucks per shift of eight hours. I would refer you to the extensive operations of the Chiltern Valley Gold Mines, Limited, Victoria, on which staff I was employed for many years, and in many capacities, including that of assistant manager and mining manager. For a period of years this company brought to the surface" through one shaft 1000 trucks per shift, and this quantity was hoisted from a depth of 100 ft deeper than the level from which your company's operations are being conducted. I may further state that the company I have mentioned worked out an area of wash dirt through one shaft three miles long by varying widths, averaging 700 ft. Shortly, tho statement that not more than 2000 tracks per week is the maximum output of tho plant when -in full work is grossly misleading. I feel certain that any mining engineer who has had experience in extensive deep alluvial mining will bear mc out in my contention that the present plant can adequately deal with 6000 trucks pelweek."

Intentions as to Overhaul. A rumour lias also been current that the mine was to be flooded /luring the Christmas holidays for the purpose of driving a new tunnel. "As yt>u know," says Mr. Cock, " there is not the slightest foundation for this rumour. It is intended to overhaul the races and tunnels between Lake Kanieri and the power plant, and repair any weak spots likely to give trouble. While this is being carried out, tho Diesel stand-by plant, which is in excellent order, will be put in commission for the purpose of keeping the mine drained. This work may take a week to comr>lote." Mr. Cock states that, together with Mr. Templin, the company's engineer, he had gone carefully into the comparative cost of running a steam plant and the present hydro-electric plant, and they found that the cost by the latter was about one-fourth of what it would be by the former. This was primarily duo to the fact that the power output was very largo. Should tho detailed figures be required they would bo pleased to supply them. In regard to tho cost of pumping with the hydro-electric plant, Mr. Cock says he knows of no mine in Australasia that is dealing with such a large quantity of water (over 2,000,000 gallons per day) so cheaply as Ross Goldfields was. He was quito certain that no deep alluvial mine was doing anything like it. » Satisfactory Pumps. In regard to the pumps, ho could only state that they were giving, and have given since he had been connected with the company, the utmost satisfaction. The repairs on them bad been practically nil and their success had in a great measure been due to proper handling. Commenting on the probable reduction in tho flow of water through Cassius, Mr. Cock remarks that it has been proved that considerable water leaks through the Ross borough's storm channel and finds its way into the old workings. The Borough Council have been approached with a request to make the channel watertight and it is now being considered, and he feels confident tho work will soon be taken in hand. Value of Wash. Only by development could a reliable opinion be formed of the extent and value of the wash in the vicinity of Cassius. An oast drive on the south side of Cassius working was being extended in payable wash, and as it advanced he expected it would encounter richer wash. It was going in that direction where rich gold was obtained in earlier days, and it was impossible to state, till this drive had been' further advanced and cross-drives opened, how much payable wash would be met. He felt sanguine that fairly large areas would be located. In No. '2 shoot at a height of 3ft above the sixth level a south drive had been driven a distance of 120 ft and a drive E. off S. had also reached a distance of 120 ft from the opening. During tho week the wholo of the underground staff were employed for 24 hours in taking a trial washing from the wash-dirt in tl'esc drives. Tin's washing was taken from the sides of these drives for the total distance driven and the result was equal io the gold obtained from Cassius workings for a similar period. "In regard to the value of the wash " concluded Mr. Cock, "I may state that what we have been operating on during the past four weeks contains far morc°gcld per square fathom than that mined' in some of the most successful of Victorian deep alluvial mines."

CROWN. ■ RECONSTRUCTION PROPOSAL. The attorneys of the New Zealand Crown Mines Company, Ltd., announce that after the annual meeting, to bo hold on December 18, an extraordinary general meeting will be held at which recommendations will be made by the directors to reconstruct the company, inviting the shareholders to subscribe a further 2s per share, of which 6d will be payable on application 6d on allotment, and the balance from time to time as required. In all probability the new company will have a nominal capital of 500.000 shares of Is each, the same as the existing company, of which latter some 300,000 have been issued to the present shareholders. The effect of the proposed scheme will bo to give the present shareholders share for share paid up to 2s, but subject to a further liability of 2s per share, leaving about 200,000 shares to be dealt with at a later date. DREDGING RETURNS. fny TELEGiurn.—prkss association.] Dunkdw, Friday. The following dredging returns have come, to hand :—Electric 1., 430z Bdwt; Karaunui, 19oz lSdwt; Waikaia, Boz fxlwt.