THE HAURAKI GOLDFIELDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20762, 3 January 1931, Page 12

THE HAURAKI GOLDFIELDS.

Sir.—" Economy Essential" apparently rightly belongs to the " Stone Age," a period when brawr. and muscle were the principal factors governing successful mining. Ihe evidence of the past proves that many of those associated with the mining industry have grossly violated iti. governing economic laws. With the object of gaining first-hand knowledge of the Ilauraki goldfieids, the writer made a careful examination, both geologically and metallurgically. and the concW"-"*'

rived at are as follows:—(T) The field does not offer much chance of being resuscitated by the -working of the known free milling ore deposits. (2) The various deposits of minerals and metals in sulphide form are intact. (3) The quantity of sulphide ore is enormous, one deposit alone containing 50.000,000 tons. (4) The value of the sulphide ore is well above the pay ore level, taking into account present-day low level values of lead, zinc, copper and silver. (5) The sulphide ore is amenable to known methods of treatment. (6) The oil flotation process alone will not successfully treat the ore. (7) The cost of mining and milling by new and modern methods is much lower than that pertaining during the most prosperous years of the mining industry. '(8) The sulphide ore contains some of tho, rare metals for which there is an unlimited market. (9) The deposits are admirably situated to enable economical working.. (10) When the known deposits of sulphide ore are developed, the a.mounfc of labour required will easibly absorb the whole of our unemployed and not cost, the taxpayer one penny piece. "Economy Essential ' need have no misgivings about the future of the Hauraki gofdfields. They stand on their merits—they are a vast treasure house—and the sooner their true value is demonstrated the better for NewZealand's future prosperity. Modern* Mining.