Page image

C—9

74

To the west of the Tokatea area lies that of Kapanga and Coromandel, within which gold was first discovered on the Peninsula. After many ups and downs this field startled the mining world by the unwonted developments within the Hauraki Mine, from which within a very limited area of ground two hundred thousand pounds' worth of ore has been produced since the commencement of the present " boom "in mining on the Peninsula. Less important, yet highly promising, are the discoveries being made between the end of the Success Range, along the main watershed to Castle Rock. Although the development of mining at the Tiki proper has been slow, on other parts of the range hopeful progress has been made during the past two seasons. More recently active prospecting has been carried on on the east side of the Castle Rock and Tiki Ranges, it is said with good prospects of success. In the Manaia Valley, mining is chiefly carried on in slate country, and, although of late considerable prospecting has been carried on, the value of the field has yet to be proven. At Tapu Creek, and thence to the Thames, there is along the west slope of the range considerable activity, and generally miners are hopeful, although no very startling results have lately been obtained. The proximity of the slates to the auriferous rocks of Tapu Creek, and the fact that gold-bearing reefs have there been traced into the slate formation, gives to this locality a peculiar interest, and the progress of developments in this connection are anxiously awaited. At the Thames much preparation is being made with a view to further developments in the hills east of the Moanataiari fault and over the low grounds of Shortland Flat. Without question the expenditure of money on this field means an increase in the gold returns, on completion of the preparatory works. The field has yielded largely in the past, and, while the glories of bygone days may never return, it is not to be thought of but that a greatly increased output of gold will be the result of the works in progress. The Puriri field seems to have been neglected and, of late, forgotten. It is worthy of better things. Next to the south are the Maratoto and Komata, but these belong to the Waitekauri area, and as a system of reefs to the east side of the range. The Karangahake Goldfield is perhaps the most flourishing in the southern part of the Peninsula, and certainly is the most so of those that lie on the main geological axis of the Peninsula. The Te Aroha field is in a less flourishing condition. On the east side of the Peninsula, commencing at the northern extremity of the eastern belt of gold-bearing country, lies the Kuaotunu Peninsula. This, at first slow of development, afterwards yielded from a few claims a large quantity of gold, but during the past few years the gold yield has declined, owing to the main shoot of gold in the Kapai-Vermont and Try Fluke Mines having been passed through and its richer parts worked out. Southward of these, at lower levels, in the claims next adjoining and succeeding, a continuation of payable auriferous quartz may be expected, and claims located on other lines of reef are hopeful as likely to afford paying returns in the near future. As in this field the bulk of the gold product has been obtained from reefs in the slate and sandstone country of the Carboniferous formation, and as the reefs in the lower levels of the more important mines have not pinched out or materially lessened in thickness at lower levels, there is warranty for the prosecution of deep sinking in the hope of reaching underlying shoots of gold, which it is reasonable to suppose do exist. How far warrantable and how likely of success prospecting for gold in the quartz and sinter deposits of the Waitai Range is a matter which future enterprise must determine. By analogy there is hope ;so far as tried the results seem not to have been of the most satisfactory kind. Gold-mining at Matarangi and outside the slate area on the Kuaotunu Peninsula is for the most part in the prospecting stage. In the Mercury Bay district the reefs being prospected in the Mahakirau Valley and the adjacent valleys to the south in character belong to those on the west side of the range. Excellent prospects are from time to time reported, but the inconstant character of these, or the difficulties attending the development of the reefs, places them in a somewhat backward position. South of Mercury Bay, at Pumpkin Hill, at Whigmore's, and at Stony Creek, gold has been got in small quantities only, and although this field is interesting on account of rhyolite being the containing rock, at the present time at least, it cannot be regarded as of great importance. The Boat Harbour field, extending to the upper part of Stony Creek and south to the Tairua River, has been prospected to a considerable extent during the past season, without, however, yielding any marked results. At Broken Hills and on the adjacent slopes of the main range there is a promising field, and one that is held in high estimation by those engaged in its development. There is every evidence of faith in the field, but, as milling plants have yet to be or are but being erected, the real value of the field cannot be determined at the present time. On the Neavesville field matters are in a backward state, partly from the inaccessibility of the position and partly from difficulties with respect to the right to mine for gold over these lands ; but some prospecting being done at the Brothers, on the south slope of Pakirarahi, was said, during March last, to be productive of highly encouraging results. Ohui lies on the coast-line between the mouth of the Tairua and Wharekawa Rivers, nearer the latter. The country is rhyolite and the character of the quartz thermal. Gold has been got in several claims, and a considerable amount of prospecting is being carried on. Here results more encouraging than from the rhyolite formation elsewhere are being obtained. Over the Whangamata field, extending from the Wharekawa River to the Wires, there are many reefs, and a good deal of prospecting is being done. The most important mine on this field, the Luck at Last or Whangamata Proprietary Claim, lies in the northern part, close to the junction of the andesic breccias with the rhyolite formation. In the Wharekeraupunga district a number of claims are being vigorously developed, and there is an almost certainty that this will prove an important gold-producing centre on the completion of works now in progress. At Waihi prospecting is being vigorously prosecuted in the hope of finding the east and west continuations of

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert