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The following statement shows the quantity and value of the production of metalliferous mines, stone-quarries under the Stone-quarries Act, and of coal-mines during 1928 and 1927 : —

The value of minerals, including kauri-gum, exported and of the coal used in the Dominion, which is shown in Table No. 1 accompanying this Statement, amounted to £3,222,137, as compared with £3,312,543 during 1927. The total value of such minerals exported to the end of 1928 amounted to £169,465,395. GOLD AND SILVER MINING. The following statement shows the quantity and value of bullion-production, the dividends paid by registered companies, and the number of productive claims and gold-dredges during 1928 and 1927 : —

COAL-MINING. The output of several classes of coal mined in each inspection district is summarized as follows : —

1928. | 1927. Mineral. j — 1 — Quantity. Value. Quantity. Value. £ £ Gold and silver* .. .. .. 532,914 oz. 551,242 506,420 oz. 550,166 Platinum .. .. .. .. 35 ,, 263 33 ,, 231 Osmiridium .. .. .. .. 10 dwt. 10 Tungsten-ore.. .. .. .. 6^% tons 432 6JLtons 445 Sulphur .. .. .. .. 719" ,. 8,200 469" „ 3,375 Iron .. .. .. .. 6,362 „ 31,802 3,383 „ 17,761 Quicksilver .. .. .. .. .. .. $$ f, 462 Stone .. .. .. .. .. 461,890 .. 570,369 Pumice .. .. .. .. 2,301 „ 8,280 1,733 „ 6,230 Coal .. .. .. .. 2,436,75-3 „ 2,436,753 2,366,740 „ 2,366,740 Totals .. .. .. .. ! £3,498,872 .. £3,515,779 * The gold-silver bullion is generally exported unseparated.

Dividends Number of ProducProduction of Bullion. paid by Registered tive Claims and Class of Gold-mining. Companies. Dredges. 1928. 1927. 1928. j 1927. 1928. j 1927. Oz. £ Oz. £ £ £ Quartz .. .. 506,473 446,014 480,978 449,281 99,181 49,591 22 22 Alluvial.. .. 10,593 40,517 10,402 40,154 1,660 2,155 333 346 Dredging .. 15,848 61,711 15,040 60,731 3,283 6,766 5 4 Totals .. 532,914 551,212 506,420 550,166 104,124 58,512 360 372

Output of Coal during 1928. ' Total Output Class of Coal. Northern West Coast Southern „ !° District District District Total. 0 (North Island). (South Island). (South Island). Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Bituminous and sub-bitu- 179,460 1,169,272 .. 1,348,732 41,819,046 minous Brown .. .. .. 602,429 31,408 339,401 973,238 22,734,951 Lignite .. .. .. .. 159 114,624 114,783 4,208,838 Totals for 1928 .. 781,889 1,200,839 454,025 2,436,753 68,762,835 Totals for 1927 .. 747,530 1,156,191 463,019 2,366,740 66,326,082