a—2.

20

(3.) Alluvial Mining. There were 432 men employed on 131 alluvial claims during the year. The total output was valued at £80,273, which is slightly in excess of that of the preceding year. A large number of these claims are worked by their owners, and the returns from this class of mining show that on an average each man won gold to the value of £3 10s. per week. Messrs. Morgan Bros.' claim at Cambrian, Otago, worked by three men, furnished the highest output for the year —viz., 1,655 oz., valued at £6,620. The position of working operations at the various alluvial mines is commented upon by the District Inspectors of Mines in Annexure A accompanying this report. The following is a table showing the value of production of alluvial gold-mines and the dividends paid by the principal companies during 1919 :—

V. MINERALS OTHER THAN GOLD. TIFNGSTEN-OKE. The quantity of tungsten-ore exported during the year amounted to 131 tons, valued at £29,489, as compared with IC9J tons, valued at £37,922, in 1919. The following statement shows the quantity and value of ore exported : —

The quantity of tungsten concentrate obtained during the year was 122-f tons, as compared with 143 tons for the previous year and tons during 1917 During the war period the Imperial Government bought the whole of the output of tungstenore in the Empire, and the price eventually rose to £3 Bs. per unit, on a basis of 65 per cent. WO 3. After the Armistice the demand for this ore ceased, and stocks began to accumulate to such an extent that further supplies after the 30th April were refused. Owners of producing mines, and even of claims which had not yet reached the productive stage, were subsequently adequately compensated for any loss they might have been put to by the termination of their contract at an earlier date than was anticipated. As the price of tungsten-ore has now fallen to £1 10s. per unit production during the latter part of the year has been curtailed, and until a more favourable market offers there is little likelihood of any great activity in the development of scheclite deposits unless warranted by their gold contents.

Name of Company. Value of Gold produced. Divider During 1919. Dividends declared. nds c declared. Total to end of 1919. Otago and Southland. United M. & 13. Water-race Company Gabriel's Gully Sluicing Company .. Mighty-two other claims £ 1,041 4,661 53,497 £ 228 1,840 * £ 3,534 14,295 * Nelson and Westland. Forty-seven claims 21,074 * * Totals, 1919 Totals, 1918 Totals, 1917 80,273 78,895 89,941 2,068 4,953 5,710 * * * * The profits from these claims, which are mostly privately owned, arc unobtaini ,ble.

Year. Quantity. Value. Year. Quantity. Value. 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 Tons. 32 54 2 39 42 17 28 55 137 68 58 143 £ 2,788 2,635 83 1,200 1,439 791 1,848 3,407 15,486 6,055 4,263 15,070 1911 .. 1912 .. 1913 .. 1914 .. 1915.. 1916 .. 1917 .. 1918 .. 1919 .. Tons. 138 135 221 204 194 266 161 169| 131 £ 11,853 13,347 22,933 21,498 27,784 49,070 28,972 37,922 29,489 Totals 2,294! 297,933