Industry’s Prospects

New Guinea Gold

Industry’s Prospects Geologist Says It Is Good for 20 Years

IT is hoped that the report of Mr.

B. Dunstan (former Chief Govern ment Geologist in Queensland) on the New Guinea goldfields, of which he recently made a close examination, will be published soon. At present he is in Papua, preparing a report on Papuan gold prospects.

Interviewed by a Brisbane newspaper on his way to Papua, in July, Mr.

Dunstan said: “The prospects of gold mining in New Guinea are particularly bright, and there are many years ahead in which the gold yields of New Guinea probably will be greater than any of the annual yields of the past. The Edie Creek and Bulolo River areas are going to produce a lot of gold when once the dredging machinery is all installed, and, later on, we will see gold prospecting carried on more scientifically in the country beyond Edie Creek and towards the Papuan border, where, from all those who have gone through, reports indicate that gold exists over a very large area of coun try. So far, It has only been ‘scratched,’ and encouragement is given to parties to go there prospecting who have enough capital to stand a six months’ or a 12 months’ campaign.

“As a forecast, I anticipate that gold mining will be flourishing in New Guinea during the next 20 years, and perhaps a large timber industry will also be established.

“Consequently, I have been advocat ing road construction from the coast to Wau and Edie Creek, and the estab lishing of emergency landing grounds for planes on areas further up in the ranges, where only tracks are now known and which could be made the ‘starting off’ points for gold prospecting operations further inland.”