MINING FOR GOLD

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21757, 23 March 1934, Page 11

MINING FOR GOLD

PROMISE I 'or REVIVAL ■■ ' . HAURAKI FIELD PROSPECTS INFLUENCE OF HIGH PRICES PLANS TO ATTRACT CAPITAL No. I. , For the best part of the past 25 years there has been very little development work done in the Thames-Cortqjiandel portion of the Hauraki goldfield, an "area which in its more prosperous days became world-famous as a notable producer of the precious metal. It is a generally accepted view that the old miners who worked the field and took out rich pockets of ore knew their business and left little that their methods of treatment could extract. It is also well recognised, however, that those methods, compared with modern usage in other fields, were, extremely primitive. In the past few months the market price of gold has reached a figure approaching double that received by the operators of the early days of this field. This, coupled with the fact that to-day 80 per cent or more of the gold can be extracted from the ore, whereas in the nineties not mora than 50 per cent could be saved, has again focussed attention on the potentialities of the district. There have been more or less spasmodic efforts in the last few years in several zones to work ground known to have produced rich gold, but only in isolated cases has the company or syndicate been provided with sufficient capital to be assured of success. In . spite of many setbacks in the recent past there is to-day an awakening of interest in the possibilities of the , Hauraki field and many inquiries are being received from overseas as to the possibility of developing, profitably the large bodies of ore Tcnown to exist. Inquiries from Abroad -: { These inquiries have come from groups in Great Britain and Australia , which would be in a position to expend large sums on proved undertakings. Even if the richer deposits are not worked out, they are apparently not accessible to the men or companies of limited resources. For that reason it has como to be recognised that largescale operations, made possible by ample capital resources, are required. The problem which is receiving- the " attention of residents and local authorities on the field and must be given close attention by the Government," through its Mines Department, is how this capital is to be attracted; Although there has been feverish activity on various parts of the Hauraki field at different periods by conn tlfess parties and companies, very little in the way of records is now available .to those who wish to revive the industry. .. It is known that most of the overseas interests making inquiries will, send their own experts to report on properties under offer, but it is felt that much time would be saved and more capital attracted if certain of the areas - available were tested and proved. ' ; How. Data Would Help With data of an official nature available it is considered that there would be greater incentive for these overseas companies to come into the field with their expert investigators. With this end in view, the business and public men of Thames have formed a prospecting association -and have. received a promise of assistance from the, Min- > ister of Mines, the , Hon. C. E; Mao millanj which is regarded the .beginning of a new era. The Thames Prospecting Association, i which has the guidance of the .Thames Borough Commissioner, Mr. C. L. Grange, has secured a number of areas which it is having tested, and these, if proved suitable, will be available for development by companies with the necessary resources. In the meantime v the arrangement with the Minister .is that the property... of the Kuranui Golden Hills, Limited, which the company has been attempting to prove ( as a low-grade proposition until it came to the end of its available capital, , is to be subjected to .a conclusive test in conjunction with one of the association's claims in the Waiotahi area.

The method of testing is fo be determined by the Mines Department, the Golden Hills Company having offered the use of its complete plant, capable of treating 200 tons of ore daily. The Unemployment Board is giving; assistance, the prospecting association is contributing £250 out of its funds toward the cost, ancTthe Thames Borough has promised free water and the free transmission of electricity over its lines* ; . Melbourne Syndicate's Options The necessary reports have now gone to Wellington and it is expected' that " | a start, will be made within. the very near future. Mr. Grange has pointed out that, should it be proved by this test that low-grade ores can be worked at a profit, vast possibilities will be opened up for the whole goldfield. While the arrangements for this trial t were being completed matters were | moving swiftly elsewhere. The representative of a Melbourne syndicate I which desires to try out an oil process of mineral separation was looking for suitable areas, and, through the. medium of Mr. F. H. Claston, a leading Thames business man, has been offered options on -three properties. The first of these is the MonowaiZeehan claim of . 500 acres at Waiomo, i a sulphide proposition considered ex- ! celleut for the purpose of this process. The second property' is" portion of the Prospecting Association's "CommisI sioner" claim in the Waiotahi, which I has been offered as a reefing project, j The third embraces the western face I of the Una Hill, toward the southern j end of Thames Borough. The claims | taken in to make up this area included - • ; the Una-Occidental, the Cambria, the Daisy and the Resolute. . * The Australian interests undertake to spend *£22o a month for twelve months in testing out the Monowai-' Zeehan and £2OO a month for twelve months on the Una Hill area. It is understood that "should these investigations prove satisfactory the company is prepared to make £250,000 available for development work. Seeking to Benefit District

In all that it is doing to-make the field attractive to development companies the Prospecting Association will seek no return beyond the benefit it •will confer on the district.. Similarly, Mr. Claxton has given his services in arranging the options mentioned in the hope that the coming of substantial companies will lead to a revival of the mining industry, but on a scale not hitherto experienced. English capital has also been offered in connection with the development of low-grade deposits at Nevesville, in the hill country between Thames and Paeroa, and expert investigation is now proceeding. In addition, offers have been made for mining properties at Tararu. • While this activity is regarded as the beginning of a new life in the Hauraki field there is still much to be done. For one thing, the mining laws, framed for conditions that bbtained many years ago, require an overhaul.