MINING IN OTAGO

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21544, 16 January 1932, Page 17

MINING IN OTAGO

LAWRENCE CEMENT DEPOSITS A VISITOR'S IMPRESSIONS. Major G. A. Harrison, of Salamao, New Guinea, who is at present on a visit to Otago, is-very well known in the gold and diamond mining world. He has had long experience of mining on the Rand and in Rhodesia, as well as in parts of Europe and Asia. At present Major Harrison is general manager and attorney in New Guinea for the New Guinea Goldfields, Ltd., which are controlled by the Mining Trust, Ltd., of London. While m Dunedin, Major Harrison had the oppoituuity of meeting several men prominently associated in mining, and he discussed with them developments which are taking place in the Central Otago areas. He stated yesterday that he had been struck, in particular instances, by the similarity of the conditions to be dealt with here to those met with in New Guinea, and in this respect he referred to the removal of overburden from goldbearing wash. In New Guinea, be said, the shallower areas of wash were being treated by hydraulic sluicing and elevators. The latest development, however, was the installation of a drag-line excavator, which he described as being practically identical with the equipment proposed to be installed by the financial interests connected with the scheme at Nokomai.

Major Harrison also expressed keen interest in the cement conglomerate deposits in the Lawrence district. He was astounded to learn the extent of these deposits as disclosed by the Government geologist’s reports. .So far as his limited knowledge of local conditions went, he considered that the cement conglomerate would be quite adaptable to mining by open east methods on mass production principles. He strongly advised consideration of the methods being adopted by the Mining Trust in regard to the development of the Mount Isa mine. Provided the necessary investigation work to define definitely the gold content was done, Major Harrison considered the cement conglomerate was one of the most promising prospects in Otago. _ Major Harrison left yesterday on a visit to the southern lakes district.