C—2

1947 NEW ZEALAND

MINES STATEMENT BY THE HON. A. McLAGAN, MINISTER OF MINES

Mr. Speaker,— I have the honour to present to Parliament the annual statement on the mining industry of the Dominion for the year ended 31st December, 1946.

MINERAL PRODUCTION The following statement shows the quantity and value of the production of metalliferous mines, quarries, and coal-mines during 1946 and 1945 : —-

Mineral. 1946. 1945. Quantity. Value. Quantity. Value. Gold 119,271 oz. CM lO <N 128,364 oz. | . £ 1,353,207 Silver 224,341 oz. 59,707 244,544 oz. 36,752 Platinum 14 oz. 312 Arsenic 18 tons 316 17 tons 306 Asbestos 31 cwt. 31 Bentonite 154 tons 777 167 tons 800 Clays (other than for brickmaking) 9,425 tons 5,186 8,251 tons 5,408 Clays (for brickmaking)* 109,809 tons 26,179 Coal 2,793,870 tons 4,190,805 2,833,576 tons 4,250,364 Diatomaceous earth 348 tons 574 255 tons 446 Dolomite 3,893 tons 1,946 4,644 tons 2,322 Fuller's earth 75 tons 318 76 tons 273 Iron-ore 7,406 tons 16,422 6,067 tons 14,648 Magnesite 374 tons 262 111 tons 100 Manganese-ore 402 tons 1,686 Mica 882 lb. 882 Phosphate 11,047 tons 3,314 7,956 tons 2,188 Pumice 3,409 tons 12,347 2,183 tons 9,163 Quartzite 18 tons 33 39 tons 71 Serpentine 20,058 tons 3,966 13,933 tons 3,329 Silica sand 16,949 tons 38,921 20,009 tons 45,066 Stone, sand, &c. 2,701,462 tons 741,162 2,634,423 tons 710,448 Talc Tungsten-ore *27 tons 6,350 34 tons 10,360 Quicksilver 2,294 lb. 2,294 Totals .. .. | 6,373,107 1 6,448,458 * Not previously recorded.