OUR MINERAL WEALTH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14279, 30 July 1908, Page 5

OUR MINERAL WEALTH

ANNUAL JUNES REPORT.

(Fkom Our. Own Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON. July 29. J.he annual report of the Mines Department, which was presented to Parliament Jo-day, slates that, although there w a falling oil in tho gold yield Inst year, there were nictations that it would no made up during 'the present year. The gicss value of all minerals produced ourmg 1907 amounted to £3,775,835, being £96,156 Icsh than during 1906. This decline is entirely conlined to the yield from Ihe alluvial gold mimes the production from all other branches of mining showing an increase. The quantity of gold entered for export was 503,2100z, valued at £2,027 400 a decrease of £243,414 as compared with' the export return* for the previous year. Iho value of other minerals including silver, coal, and kauri gum produced durycar Was £I '™' 3«, an increase of i-147,2v8 as compared with the production during 19C6. Tho total value of gold silver, coal, and other minerals (includin» kauri gum) produced up to December 31° 1907, was £100,523,086. The '.wantity of gold entered for export through tho Customs for the year'l9o7 was as follows:— oz. Auckland 293,101 N« k °" ,• 4,688 Westland ... 57,069 , Otago and Southland ... 118,352 Total 508,210 ■ Valued at £2.027,490. The report states Chat during 1907 the quarts mining companies paid in dividends £628.866, equivalent to 40.7 per cent, of the value of the bullion won by them, which, with one exception, is tho highest proportion so paid in any country. The Waihi Gold Mining Company declined during tho year £396,726 in dividends, as the rwult of treating 566,974 tons of ore for a return of £826,010. The total dividends paid bv, this company to the end | of 1907, amounted to £2,693,274. The Waihi, Grand Junction Gold Mining Company paid £71.742, .as the result, of treating 40,875 tons of ore. The Talisman Consolidated mine had been most successful, the production for the year being £184,446, from 46,025 tons treated at the high average of £4 0s 2d per ton, and £75,000 was declared as dividends. On the Thames goldlield there had been a 'decline in tho gold productions, duo to the practical exhaustion of many of the most important mines above water level. It was satisfactory to repoit. however, that a commencement had been made in deep sinking and unwatering operations from the Queen of Beauty pumping sii-.Ut, by tho May Queen Company. Uwiiii; to the central position of this shaft ihesa operations, when completed, would enable the whole of the valuable area from which bullion of tho value of between £7,000,000 and £f,00C,000 had been won to be made easily accessible at the,lowest levels by means, of cross cuts of inconsiderable, length from the Queen of Beauty shaft. SCHEELITE. An industry which promises to become of considerable importance has been established by the scheelile mines of Otago, the value of the exports from which amounted to £15,486 during the year, 'being a.n increase ■of £12,079 on the production for 1906. A number, of leases for scheelito mining have recently been taken up in Otago. This is doubtless duo to the success , attending operations at Mount Highlay, I near Macraes Flat, and at Mount Judah, at the head of Lake Wakatipu, also tho Jiigh prices ruling for tho tungstio acid extracted from the scheelito concentrates. Tho aeid is ijrincipally used in tho manufacture of high grade steel for armour plates and steel guns. ALLUVIAL AND DREDGE MINING. Tho decreased gold yield last year was undoubtedly accentuated by tho shortage of water for sluicing purposes, which preI vented many claims from 'working in Central Otago and the West Coast for nearly half the year. The most important event during 1907 in this branch of min- [ ing was the formation of a company for the purpose of unwatering and working the deep auriferous gravels' of Ross Flat, West Coast. Durinj the early days of mining, this goldlield produced a largo quantity of gold from the shallow ground before operations had to be abandoned owing to the inundation of the workings. The company proposes to generate eleotrio power at the Kanieri Forks for transmission to tho mines, a distance of about 22 miles, to bo there used for pumping and general mining purposes. This.work, being the first serious attempt to operate the deep alluvial deposits of tho Dominion, has received a substantial Government subsidy. The dredge-mining industry during 1907 has been more satisfactory- than .other branches of alluvial mining, for although a decline of £81,565 has to be recorded in tho gold production bv dredges, it is satisfactory to report that there has been an increase of £277 in the amount earned per dredge during the year. There is reason to believe that, this industry has settled down to a, steady and more permanent level. . Claims are now worked systematically by well-proved methods, and as a result the dredging industry, taken all round, is run on sound commercial linos, as it was for many years prior to the disastrous boom period. AID TO PROSPECTING. "Whilst tho Stato has for years encouraged small parties of. prospectors, it cannot be affirmed that the results have been commensurate with the expenditure,"' is a statement made in the report. "It would therefore appear," says the report, that the timo ba6 now arrived for a forward move. Prospecting parties under the control of tho Mines Department should bo properly equipped, and endeavours made to discover new lodes of auriforoua quartz, deep leads of alluvial gold, or economic minerals. These parties would require to have thoroughly practical minors at their head, and should bo guided in the selection of a locality by the advice of a Government geologist. Tn this connection the geological survey branch, which is carrying on extensive explorations, should bo able to afford valuable assistance. Small parties of prospectors have as a rule kept too close to the beaten tracks and the old workings, and an endeavour should now be made to penetrate into outside districts, and so pave the way for mining development in portions of tho Dominion that are at present littlo known."