New Guinea Gold

Yield Now Totals £835,856 Warden’s Report of Operations

DURING the year 1930, 51,584oz. 16dwts. of alluvial gold, of an estimated value of £117,241, were declared and exported from the Morobe Goldfields, Mandated Territory of New Guinea, as compared with 72,625oz., valued at £154,116 for the previous year.

This information is contained in a report just issued by the Warden.

“The decrease,” continues the report, “was due to easily accessible alluvial claim ground at Edie Creek being worked out, whilst the surrounding area had been taken up as leases for lode mining, thus preventing any further prospecting for alluvial deposits.

“Even if such deposits were discovered it is extremely doubtful whether they could be worked by miners of limited means, with the water available at Edie Creek. To work them on a large scale would necessitate the installation of a hydro-electric plant.

“Towards the latter part of 1930, the production was assisted by the discovery of Black Cat Creek, and it is hoped that the alluvial gold from this creek and its parent stream, the Bittoi River, will considerably swell the 1931 total.

“The New Guinea Goldfields Ltd. received a little alluvial gold from its tributors, but the amount was insignificant when compared with what was produced by the former holders of the leases, the Edie Creek Pty. Ltd., in the previous year.

“The total gold exported during the period of the Australian Mandate now aggregates 387,861 oz. 16 dwts., of an estimated value of £835,856.

“This consists of alluvial gold only, and has been mostly won by alluvial miners. This total should be considerably increased in 1931, when it is expected that the subsidiary of the Placer Development Limited, the Bulolo Gold Dredging Ltd., and the New Guinea Goldfields Ltd. will commence work on their huge alluvial deposits, whilst the latter company and the Day Dawn (New Guinea) Ltd. will have a mill erected capable of treating 100 tons and 20 tons per day respectively.

Large Tonnages Proved.

“The three mining companies (New Guinea Goldfields Ltd., Day Dawn (New Guinea) Ltd., and New Guinea Development. N.L.), operating at Edie Creek, are all actively developing well defined lodes and have already proved large tonnages of valuable ore.

“The workings so far opened up are at, or near, water level and cannot be carried deeper with the existing appliances, owing to the large volumes of water to be dealt with.”