MINING SUMMARY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2672, 31 May 1905, Page 24

MINING SUMMARY.

Fairly steady progress has been made in dredging since the issue of our last Sammary. A slight interruption was caused by the Molyneux River, which, when it . tad almost settled down, and the' few idle " dredges were making preparations for a Btart, suddenly rose again, the consequence being that some of the dredges referred to have to Trait for the river to fell again. Two or three have since made a start. Returns are, however, showing a gradual improvement," and a slight Ullip to -mining 4ias been given by th£ Electric Company's 2?b. 1 dredge once more getting on to the gold and obtaining returns of over 200oz per week. .*Fhe: ; dredges contributing to the West Coast total are diminishing in "' Bombers, as may b» seen from--*- comparison -of the numbers for the present year and 'those for the -.corresponding periods of last •year. For instance, the total number of ' ' contributing dredges during the past' three j weeks was iS, while that for the same j ; period last year amounted to afe many- as 69. An unusually ?arge number of divi- -, dends has been declared- since the issue •©* our last Summary, the companies distributing money in this manner totaling 15, *nd the -amount distributed representing considerably over £19,000. Very few sluicing returns hare come to hand within the past three weeks, and in that branch of the industry little of note has occurred. A company is being formed for the purpose of acquiring claims, comprising some 44 J acres, on the Criffel Face liead, the water j . Tights and water races, and of amalsamating ! jjnd -working the iead by hydraulic sluic- < ing. The capital of the proposed company ■Fill be £9300. Operations at the Wilberforce reefs, on the West Coast, have had to be practically suspended for a few months owing to the winter having: set in. The Mines Oonfer-ence, which is to be [ held in Wellington next month, will be attended by -wardens, inspectors of mines, and other persons of New Zealand mining experience. They will be asked to consider amendments to the Mining and Coal Mines Acts, -and to make suggestions for tire general advancement- of the industry. The Mines Department has received a report on a quantity of soheeiite that was shipped to Germany last year from Macrae's Plat, Otago The ore realised as much as 35 marks per unit, which works • out, on the usual basis, "at £322 10s per ton. A largo .area of srround has now been taken up near the Hisrhlay -"nine, and a company, to be called the c% New Zealand Gold and Tungsten Company." is being registered. During a period of 48 v-ears to date New Zealand has <?xoorted 16.626.W10z of gold, valued at £65,136 648. and 5.306,5130z of silver, valued at £657.153. The Consolidated Goldfi-elds of Now Zealand (Limited) report on the operations foithe month of April: — Golden Fleece: 1180 tons of stone wero crushed at the 20-stamp

mill'for a return of 4790z 4dw% I2gr of bullion, valued at" £1961 16s sd. Nine tons of concentrates were produced, and 820 tons coarse sands cyanided, the latter yielding bunion of the value of £275 16s Bd. At the Energetic No. 7 level the cross-cut was advanced 54it and No. 8 level driven 94ft. The 450 tons o£ quartz crushed were ob,tained from the Energetic development. "Wealth of Nations: During the month 970 tons of quartz were crushed, the 20stamp mill producing 1920z sdwt of bullion valued, at £792 4s 7d. Six tons of eontrates were produced and 720 tons of coarse sands cyanided, the latter yielding bullion to the value of £52* 0s Bd. Progress Mines of New Zealand (Limited): 4995 tons of stone vere mined and transported by aerial line to the 65-stamp mill, where 5096 tons were crushed, producing 16570z 13dwt of bullion, valued at £6894 17s 2d. Ninety tons of concentrates were chlorinated, yielding .bullion to the value of £942 9s 9d; 3020 tons of taiimgs -were cyanided. yielding bullion to the value of £763 3s 6d. SLUICING AND HYDRAULIC ELEVATING RETURNS.

QUARTZ MINING. Canada Reefs, 4 months .. ..— 400 0 0 COMPARATIVE DREDGING RETURNS.

DIVIDENDS. The following dividends, have been declared since the issue of our lust Sunamaiy : — Rising

Sun, Is; Undaunted, ss; Nokomai, ss; Electric, 2s 6d ; Golden Gate, Is ; Golden Treasure, Is, Enterprise, Is 6d; Dunstan Lead, Is; New Perseverance, Is ; Upper Waipori, 6d ; Otago. Is ; Lady Annie, 2s ; Blackwater River, Is ; Rise and Shine, Is.

Last Chance, 3 weeks .. Island Block, 15 days .. Champion, 5 days . . • » Oz. < 30 27 13 dwt, gr. 0 0 15 0 9 0

2 23 4 0 13 40S 3 0 12 319 17 12 17 472 3 0 18 412 6 0 20 510 3 0 15 461 8 0 15 478 15 0 14 507 15 0 13 359 3 0 10 361 2 0 12 393 8 0, 13 453 0 O1O 1 14 416 0 0 17 392 18 0 11 344 6 0 14 369 12 0 11 326 11 0 15 417 13 0 12 351 0 0 15 373 2 0 14 396 1 0 17 567 8 O 24 792 16 0 23 €64 9 2 24 736 3 6 22 615 12 0 26 769 8 0 21 510 10 0 23 706 14 12 24 655 18 O 11 373 11 0 20 768 13 12 26 752 11 0 18 505 10 0 15 521 8 0 18 437 17 0 24 576 2 0 21 657 Q 0 24 661 11 0 21 505 0 0 19 603 11 0 19 573 7 9 23 694 13 23 23 GBO 6 0 25 739 0 14 26 804 6 0 26 713 11 8 21 583 9 0 22 608 17 20 23 574 0 21 21 640 6 0 19 611 14 0 23 782 10 0 21 595 2 16 23 630 16 10 23 641 12 4 22 562 3 12 15 449 15 6 21 496 15 6 7,778 7 12 12,042 5 8 12,460 17 5

The following table shows the -weekly returns reported from the West Coast dredges during this year, together 1 with the figures for the corresponding weekly periods o? 1904 ana 1903:—

11 . 183 _ A3 1103 52 1357 51 1196 gl 1420 52 1425 51 1337 45 1211 iO 1278 53 1363 52 1389 54 1349 49 1351 57 1638 61 1732 52 1444 55 1829 53 1739 55 1576 54 1791 27,729 J.57V*. .LJ7UO. 41 894 ■ i 133 S3 1282 39 310 67 1390 , 50 -1382 53 :<XHT ' '53 1316 ,61 2933 <59 ' I*6o ' 60 2194 61 1639 «T ' 2457 57 1481 ' 61 ,2135 55 1357 51 1431 63 1428 51 1236 61 1415 - •55 1268 " 59 1461 59 1419 62 1391 52 1636 64 1426 59 1684 G& 1535 57. 1730 -6B 1599 58 1569 66 1663 54 1728 69 1606 59 1596 63 2000 64 2056 €4 2032 58 1989 67 1851 34,683 29,164 14 311 42 1094 52 1330 51 1207 62 1318 53 1847 52 1337 -50 1396 60 1799 63 1651 . 59 1340 55 1573 62 1635 £5 1406 51 1617 . 65 2211 71 2240 69 2101 74 2545 70 2304 32,241

The following table shows the weekly re- • turns reported'from the Otago and Southland dredges for this year, together with the figures for the corresponding periods of 1904, 1903, and 1902. Pennyweights and grains are omitted in each, instance:— - " " " -