Pacific Mining

Notes

From Fiji

Pacific Gold, N.L.

IN a circular to shareholders, the management of Pacific Gold N.L. advises that since the formation of the company in September last arrangements have been concluded with the Pacific Gold Syndicate for the transfer of the options, prospecting licences and other property held m Fiji. The prospecting licences on the Tavua field, issued by the Mining Board, are: No. 266, 240 acres; No. 267, 170 acres; and No. 268, 127 acres.

In addition, an option was acquired over approxi mately 100 acres in the district of Naitasiri, in

Fiji, approximately 30 miles north of Suva. After sinking a prospecting shaft to approximately 50 feet, crosscutting and driving into the lode, it was found that values were unpayable, and the option has since been surrendered. A new dia mond drilling plant has been purchased, shipped to Fiji, and erected on prospecting licence No. 266, south of and adjoining the Cardigan lease.

The drilling plant, under the control of competent drilling engineers, commenced about January 20, on a site selected by the company’s engineer. It is too early to express any opinion on the pros pects of the bore now going down. Preliminary prospecting work has been carried out on pros pecting licence No. 268, known as Laka Laka, but until further work has been completed the directors cannot express any opinion on the value of this area. As soon as drilling operations have been completed on prospecting licence No. 266 it is intended to transfer the drilling plant to pros pecting licence No. 267, which adjoins the northern boundary of the Emperor prospecting licence No. 236. The directors have recently taken an option over an area at Wainevisi, on the island of Vitu Levu, and arrangements have been concluded whereby the company’s engineers will thoroughly test the area. The area is gold bearing, but values have not yet been determined. A prospect ing party is at present on the island of Mutuka, one of the smaller islands among the Fijian group, but owing to lack of communication it is not yet possible to give any details of this venture. The directors have acquired, for cash, a one-eighth interest in New Caledonia Prospecting Pty. Ltd. which has sent Mr. R. A. Clinton to examine cer tain gold-bearing areas in New Caledonia. Mr.

Clinton’s report and opinion on the areas are ex pected in the near future. A one-tenth interest has also been acquired for cash in Oceanic Gold Explorations NX. formed to examine a reported discovery of alluvial gold on one of the Pacific Islands.

Fiji Prospecting Co.

Prospectors of Fiji Prospecting Co. NX. have examined numerous areas in Fiji, but no properties considered to be worthy of acquisition have been discovered. It is proposed to conserve the funds in hand, so that examinations can be made of mining propositions which may be offered to the company.

Wai Savora Gold Syndicate

Wai Savora Gold Syndicate was registered in Sydney in December with a capital of £l5OO m 150 shares of £lO each, all of which have been fully paid. The syndicate’s lease is about seven miles from Suva. Fiji, and an option over 300 acres more is held. Development work during the last three months is stated to have disclosed values of 12 dwt a ton. Mount Morgan Develop ments Ltd. is believed to have taken an option over the lease until April, and is at present prospecting and developing the lease. A sale of one share in Wai Savora Gold Syndicate is re nnrted to have been made in Sydney early in

January at £lOO, and a buyer in Melbourne offered £BO without attracting business.

Emperor Mines Ltd.

To ascertain the extent of the lode in certain sections, the Company has made arrangements for the use of a drilling plant on its property in Fiji. The drilling plant will be used to test the ore body at certain points, instead of putting in rises or winzes, and the work will be done in conjunction with the present programme of de velopment to the 194 ft. level. It is problematical whether a deep bore will be put down. Mr. A. G.

Campbell, a director of the company, is now in Fiji.

From December 31 to January 25 the company’s mill crushed 1230 tons of ore for a return of 764 fine oz of gold. The head value was 15.3 dwt a ton, and the Toss in tailings was 2.88 dwt a ton. The tailings loss was high consequent on treating telluride ore from No. 5 winze, and this will not recur, as no further tellurides will be treated by this mill. The last three yields are compared in the following table:

Aloha Central Gold Mine, Nx.

Mr. A. T. Day, chairman, and Mr. A. G.

Campbell, consulting engineer, of the Aloha Cen tral Gold Mine NX., sailed on the Monterey from Sydney on February 5 for Fiji to inspect the company’s mine on the Tavua field. The com pany’s option over its areas expires on March 31. It is expected that, following the visit of these two gentlemen to the mine, an announce ment will shortly be made about the future policy of the company.

Granites Development, Nx.

Advice has been received in Melbourne, by cable, from the representative in Fiji of Granites Development, NX., that work has been discon tinued on Blair’s blocks at Tavua. This was done on the recommendation of Dr. Loftus Hills, the Victorian geologist, who has been supervising the company’s operations at Tavua.

Loloma (Fiji) Gold Mines

Directors of Loloma (Fiji) Gold Mines NX., Tavua, Fiji, report that during the past few months exhaustive investigation into the treat ment of the company’s ore has been made, and highly satisfactory extraction has been achieved.

It is expected that when further tests have been completed an early decision to proceed with the erection of a suitable treatment plant will be made. The directors have approved of a joint power scheme with Emperor Gold Mining Co.

Ltd. for the supply of electric power and com pressed air to the companies’ mines. For this purpose steps are being taken to form a com pany under their control to erect and operate the P Prices of shares in Loloma (Fiji) Gold Mines NX. dropped 8/3 to 27/- late in January, fol lowing the report that in the main shaft the crosscut has been extended to 43ft., with the last 20ift. averaging only 12 grains a ton.

Commenting on this development, Mr. P. F. Cody, a director of the company, said that until further information was available the public should not become* “panicky,” as already much gold had been proved in the mine.

Nov. 30.

Dec. 21.

Jan. 25.

Ore (dry weight), tons 644 530 1230 Fine gold. , oz . . . 490 383 764 Recovery, dwt . . . ... 15.2 14.4 12.4