MINING IN NEW ZEALAND.

Waikato Times, Volume 100, Issue 16749, 16 March 1926, Page 6

MINING IN NEW ZEALAND.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —According to press reports hf New Zealand to-day, a German company is about to undertake the treatment of complex ore on the Thames goldfields, and some of our big financial magnates are beginning to get their brain-boxes somewhat perplexed and are objecting to the proposal. Why should we object to German money coming into the country to work Ihe great complex ore deposits when nobody else is game to tackle the proposition? New Zealand to-day is labouring under a great financial strain. On top of this immigrants arc pouring inlo the country. Something must be done, and that very soon, to relieve the pressure of unemployed or we will find ourselves in the same predicament as England is in to-day —* handing out the dole. Later on we may hear Ihe voice of some croaker saying that if this German company starts in New Zealand it will employ only German labour, but what twaddle^ It is quite on the cards that It may employ the more efficient or scientifio part of its staff. Anyhow, Mr Editor, it can do no worse than other companies which we read about, some of which employ quite a large number of Austrians and other foreigners. If, Mr Editor, a German company or any other company is anxious to work and treat the great complex ore bodies now lying dormant on the Thames the sooner it starts the better. There is one thing certain, it will cost the country and nothing will open up a field of avenue for the unemployed and assist the country somewhat from a financial standpoint. During the late war I did my little bit with the Expeditionary Forces abroad, but to-day I understand the British nation is at peace and is looking for reconciliation. So why this mockery of crying out "Trade with the Empire" while still buying German goods? In my time I have had a good deal lo do with complex and refractory ore, and I ant quite convinced, from what knowledge I have in that respect, that if Ihe German company tackles the complex ore proposition in New Zealand not only will it he the means of opening up and reviving old mining fields, hut it will impart fresh knowledge to Ihe country in relation to the. value of hidden wealth still lying dormant in other parts of New Zealand. The mining industry in New Zealand is sadly neglected. I was in Charters Towers years ago when the first chlorination works started there. They were run by a German company, and until they sprang into existence the sulphides were tipped over the dump or remained unworked. Then, again, just as the Kalgoorlie mines in West Australia were beginning to look very sick as the result of the free milling * ore becoming almost exhausted, a number of up-to-date sulphide works started to operate in the district. This gave new life to the mines. Thousands of ounces of gold were extracted from old dumps and abandoned mines and concentrates from battery tailings, and it caused quite a fillip amongst share dealers and the Stock Exchange. Most of the sulphide ore of Kalgoolie is not so complex as one would think, for after the simple method of calcining, passing through the, furnaces and crushed, the gold is easily exlrueled by cyanide and filtration on lo the zinc shavings in the form of precipitates or slimes. Copper plays a prominent part in the treatment of complex ore, and in the extraction of gold by evanidation it has a detrimental effect. I have been privileged to sample or test some of the complex ore taken from the Zoehan Co.’s mine at the Thames. This mine adjoins the one which is shortly to be worked by the German company. By the simple method of calcining, crushing and panning I obtained Quito a strong trace of gold. Tesling with nitric acid I got silver, and with ammonia copper. To the naked eye lead, black jack, and iron pyrites are visible. From Ihe nature of the sample also given me I would riot be at all surprised io bear of tclluride ore being found on this mine at some future dale. This mineral as a rule is very rich in gold and easily treated. In the early days of the West Australia goldfields it was first discovered there by Maryansky, and was , considered hard to treat. While I was in Samoa a few years back I picked up some very niee pieces of stone similar to that, which is now being found on the Zeehan Company’s leases at Thames. The mineral, (hough showing to the naked eye. was slightly different, in that it contained tatanic iron, nrsinical pyrites, and a large percentage of manganese, instead of black jack, iron pyrites and lead. Some day wc may hear of some mineral or other being found in Samoa of a payable nature. Tiie country there, though, does not impress me as being auriferious. —I am, clc., P. J. HOPKINS Hamilton.