THE GRANITES GOLD FIELD

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17918, 24 October 1932, Page 7

THE GRANITES GOLD FIELD

ENGINEER’S REPORT VALUABLE OPTIONS MELBOURNE, Oct. 5. Having inspected The Granites gold field, 369 miles north-west of Alice Springs, Mr R. Powell, mining engineer, of Adelaide, has submited a report to the directors of The Granites Gold N.L. The options secured by the company, he states, are valuable, and, as (far as position goes, could not be better. The line of lode, with its largo cappings of haemitite quartz and formation extending for 5J to 6 miles, practically in half a circle, had wonderful possibilities. It had merely fyeen scratched, and had all the indication's .of opening up a large payable field.

The shortage of water presented a problem of some gravity, but he believed it may be overcome even more readily than at Broken Hill, Coolgardie, Kalgoorlie and many other places. It was his opinion that adequate supplies of water would be procured by boring on tho field. Water had been obtained in a well 49ft. deep within a mile of tho outcrop. Judging by the size of the lode it was quite ’ possible, if; values, were proved over a great width, that it woula lend itself to open-cut work, thus saving the cost of mining timber, which was scarce and costly. Mr Powell confidently recommends the field as one whicn warrants largo developmental expenditure. The report deals with the various leases and the large outcrops, up to 109 ft. wide. Mr Powell states that at various points along this huge lode alluvial gold has been and is still being won. From the main workings over 4(X)oz. of gold has been won to date. 1 - • FIFTY MEN ON ‘THE FIELD ■ » INDEPENDENT INSPECTION CANBERRA, Oct. 12 The Minister for the Interior, Mr. Parkhill, stated to-day that he had been advised by the Deputy Administrator at Stuart (Alice Springs) that there were about 50 men now on The Granites goldfield, and 12 others had left Stuart for the field last week. So far 120 leases have been applied for at The Granites; 15 new leases at Tanami, and 10 leases at Schist Hill, a new field about 30 miles west of The Granites. A contract had been let for deepening the existing well at The Granites. Latest ' advices indicate that the supply of water was increasing as the result of deepening the well. Tenders have already been invited by the Deputy Director of Posts and Telegraphs, Adelaide, for a fortnightly mail service between Alice Springs and Uio L Granites. A warden and police con- " stable, accompanied by a Government surveyor, are on their way to the field. The surveyor will assist the warden in dealing with any disputes that may arise regarding the boundaries of mining claims or leases already pegged out on

the field. Leaving Adelaide on Thursday, Mr. C. T. Madigan, lecturer in geology at tho University of Adelaide, will- go to Tho Granites to prepare an independent report. ' He is undertaking a private commission to make a general report on the whole field, and will bring back samples fpr assay. He will be the first independent authority to visit the field. Mr. Madigan is a recognised authority on tho geology of Central Australia.