GOLD IN AFRICA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21130, 12 March 1932, Page 8

GOLD IN AFRICA.

WAVE OF PROSPECTING. FINDS OF "POCKET" VARIETV. [from our own correspondent. ] CAPETOWN, Feb. 5. 'Africa, tne land of surprises, is living Op to its reputation by revealing to prospectors unexpected new gold deposits in yarious parts of the country. In Southern Rhodesia, in particular, goldmining activities have recently reached the dimensions of a minor boom, the yield for December constituting a record since 'August, 1928. A striking feature is that the increase is due to the growth in the number of small producing mines as distinguished from the big properties, such as the Cam and Motor and the Globe and Phoenix. Tne present wave of prospecting eo thusiasm is demonstrably leading to good results, though these are not to bo appraised in the light of the fantastic accounts of phenomenal strikes which Jiave been broadcast in recent months. Most of these have already been proved to bp of the pocket variety. A warning note against imminent spurious goldmining flotations as a result of a recent sensational strike, mostly of the pocket variety, is sounded by Mr. F. A. MacQuisten. M.P., chairman of the Globe and Phoenix Gold Mining Company, who has just completed a tour of Southern Rhodesia. "The danger of these new discoveries," he says, "is that the company promoter may get hold of them, offering fantastic prices with a view to unloading on the public, arid leading to ultimate disaster. If the gambler gets into the field, as he almost invariably does in such circumstances, there will be a temporary burst of activity, but the final result will be disastrous." Mr. MacQuisten warns lucky prospectors to leave the company promoter severely alone. IT is advice is generally regarded in mining circles as being timely and needful. There have recently been several cold finds of local importance and a number of so-called "discoveries," which have proved disappointing. The most outstanding of the latter was the report that the missing Pand main reef—the Boksburg Gap—had been found. Then there was the excitement at Rouxville. in the Free State, where there was the wildest optimism for some weeks until it was proved that the assays showed only a trace of gold. The richest discovery for a considerable time was at the East Geduld mine, in the Transvaal, where, at a depth of 2834 feet, a valuable strike was macile, the sampling results showing a reef width of 19 inches, having a value of 26dwt. Other finds, of unproved value, have recently been made in various parts of the Transvaal, on the Karoo and in the Kimbarley district^