SEARCH FOR GOLD

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21469, 18 April 1933, Page 11

SEARCH FOR GOLD

PROSPECTS IN OTAGO AMPLE CAPITAL NEEDED LARGE-SCALE PLANNING The possibilities of opening considerable areas of gold-bearing country in Central Otago are discussed by Mr. E. 0. Macpherson, of tho New Zealand Geological Survey, in an article in the New Zealand Science Journal. The writer points out that so far the gold resources of the province liavo been worked near tho surface only, and ho expresses the view that largo scale mining operations can be developed if some method can be evolved to determine cheaply the location of tho leads. Following a survey of tho Manukerikia, Ida Valley and Maniototo basins, the author notes that the old workings in tho alluvial fields show that only a very small part of tho margins of these valleys has been tested and that in the small part already tested the results liavo been encouraging. This indicates, ho says, that further prospecting is justified. "A prospecting campaign must bo comprehensive," he adds, "and should include geological and geophysical surveys, followed by prospect drilling;, pitting and trenching. A scheme should be framed extending over several years. A financially weak company would only bo courting failure if it undertook the work. It is tho task of a big mining corporation or a Stato department. "In a region of approximately 650 square miles it is difficult to know just whore to commence drilling. The information gathered from the geophysical and geological studies will provide cities; 111 addition, we have to consider the locations of tho old mining fields. These will be useful guides, for their sites are usually deffned by paystreaks in the quartz conglomerates, although the conglomerates are not now outcropping." Tho author advocates core-drilling, mentioning that drilling methods and materials liavo been much improved in the last five years. "Depth to various horizons, probable attitude of beds, the position of tho ground-water table —all this information should bo collected," he says. "The values will fluctuate and areas of barren ground will be located, but this is common in metal-mining. It is the pay-streaks and the oro-shoots that make mining profitable. Many failures must bo expected, but it js the successful mines which become national assets; and by concentrating on preliminary prospecting the percentage of failures decreases and that of successes increases. In prospecting, results will come slowly at first; but, as data are accumulated from various sources, knowledge of the structure, habit, direction and persistence of paystreaks will become clearer. The great advantage in studying a deposit of this extent is that, when prospecting and mining problems are overcome in one part, the experience can be applied to the whole region. The pioneer miners prospected the margins of the depression; we have to continue this work armed with better tools and methods. A tinge of the romantic optimism of the pioneer miners would also help us in the task." PROJECTS IN FIJI SYDNEY EXPERT'S INSPECTION That there is wide scope for gold prospecting in Fiji was the opinion expressed by Mr. A. E. Brown, mining engineer, of Sydney, who arrived by the Niagara from Suva yesterday. Mr. Brown made an examination of the new workings at Tavau, a practically undeveloped field, and also visited the Mount Kasi field, which he established a few years ago with capital raised in New South Wales. Discussing the prospects of profitable gold mining in Fiji, Mr. Brown said the results obtained at Mount Kasi were very promising. The laws of Fiji did not permit of systematic prospecting until a month ago, when legislation was enacted which would enable the country to be examined on an extensive scale. Fiji, lie said, also abounded in rich copper veins, but present prices for metals other than gold did not warrant their commercial development.