Seeking Gold In New
p. 38 · Read in the full issue
Guinea.
Mining Experts In Unmapped Country.
MR. J. NASON-JONES, geologist, for merly leader of the Finsch Coast Geological Survey, conducted by the Anglo-Persian Oil Co., Ltd., on behalf of the Commonwealth Government, ac companied by Mr. C. Duchatel, mining engineer and manager of Sunshine De velopment Co., Ltd., New Guinea, ar rived in Port Moresby, Papua, early in October, upon the completion of a pros pecting expedition that necessitated their journeying overland from the Mandated Territory.
The expedition carries a stage further Mr. Nason-Jones’ plan to explore and map the whole of the auriferous coun try within the two Territories, of which some five thousand square miles have now been covered.
Leaving Lae, Mandated Territory, in February, Mr. Nason-Jones travelled up
the Markham Valley to Sangan, and then proceeded up the Waffar River to find a new route into the Ramu field, discovering an important new tributary of the Purari River and vast areas of grassland supporting a large native population. He explored the headwaters of the Purari River, between Bena Bena and the Ramu Divide, and in June was joined by Mr. Duchatel.
Breaking new country, Messrs. Nason- Jones and Duchatel then rounded the Kratke Mountains, and entered Kuku kuku territory, via the Langama River.
They crossed the main range to the headwaters of the Taori and thence to the Vailala River, traversing the north ern fall of the Albert Mountains and Staniforth Range and descending the Bui Sa.
For a month they subsisted on palm tops and such other scanty fare as the forest had to offer. During the whole of this time they were engaged upon cut ting a track through uninhabited and extremely rough country. At Keke, on the Lower Vailala, they succeeded in ob taining canoes to convey them the re maining distance to the coast.
Although much of the country was masked by a great thickness of sedi mentary rocks, and gold indications were in general disappointing, it is understood that the Tauri area in the neighbourhood of the border is of con siderable promise, and after a short stay in Port Moresby, Mr. Nason-Jones pro poses to return there via the Lakekamu River and Mt. Lawson.
Mr. Duchatel will shortly return to Wau by ’plane in order to arrange for the testing of a new property acquired by his company between the Kunimaipa and Waria Rivers.