NEW MINING VENTURE

Taranaki Daily News, 5 November 1932, Page 7

NEW MINING VENTURE

TREATING LOW-GRADE ORE-

EARLY START AT THAMES. A start is to .be made, immediately with the treating of low grade ore of the Thames goldfield on a commercial basis, states Mr. R. M. Aitken, of Auckland, who hold® right* over an area of about 40 acres on Kuranul Hill, Mr, Aitken, in association with Messrs. R“, Joughin and J. Lockington, of Auckland, has succeeded in floating a company. , An early start has been made possible by the Government agreeing to advance the company 100 k.v.a„ about £lOOO worth of. power, for twelve months’ operations. Should -the proposition prove a auccee®, it i® anticipated that the £lOOO will be paid back within’ two years out of profit®, but in the event of failure the power wall be regarded a* a free gift. . . Outlining the scheme, Mr. Aitken said it was intended to treat the whole of Kuranui Hill in a wholesale manner from a face, washing the material into the plant with water. For the present the testing plant would compromise a three-tube mill with copper plates and canvas tables for concentration. The plant would be capable of treating about 250 ton* a day. Once the success of the proposition was assured, it wa® the intention of the company to increase the capacity of the plant up to 1000 tons a day. The.initial work, eaid Mr. .Aitken, would be on the main road on the town side of the Moanataiari battery, about tho centre of the hill. Sped would be dumped on the foreshore area and utilised in connection with a reclamation work. Once the plant waa on tho ground' and work under way, the company would employ about 30 men in the early operations. Discussing his negotiation® with the Mines Department in the matter,, Mr. Aitken gave great credit for hl® success in obtaining Government assistance to Mr. A- M. Samuel, M.P., and the Mini®ter of Mine®', the Hon. C. E., Macmillan, both of whom strongly urged the granting of the use of power under the conditions already stated.