Pacific Islands Mining Notes

From Fiji

Emperor Mines Ltd.

IN deepening the internal shaft below No. 2 ■ (190 ft.) level. Emperor Mines Ltd., Tavua, Fiji, has met with an important development, said a report in mid-April. The shaft is down 24ft. and the average assay the full distance is 20 dwt. Good telluride specimens were disclosed at 16ft. The formation in the shaft closely re sembles that of the Loloma mine.

The development will add appreciably to the ore reserve of the company, as the lode is a big one and values are highly profitable. Operations are entering the sulphide zone, and the explora tory work proves that the lode is living down.

In the Loloma mine, developmental work has been in the sulphide zone, and the advice that the formation closely resembles that of the Loloma is of interest. Sinking below No. 2 level is part of the developmental programme, as it is intended to extend drives and crosscuts at the proposed No. 3 level. Every foot of sinking in the ore body will augment the reserves of ore.

It will be recalled that at the annual meeting in October last year, the managing director (Mr.

E. G. Theodore) emphasised that operations at No. 2 level had revealed some of the most im portant developments and enhanced the prospects of large tonnages of good grade ore on No. 2 level and in the deeper ground.

All preparatory work for the new treatment

plant is well advanced, and good progress is being maintained with its erection.

Crushings for the past four months have been:

Pacific Gold N.L.

Directors of Pacific Gold N.L., after consul tation with the field superintendent (Mr. H, L.

Bessell) have decided to abandon the option on the Wainivesi area, Fiji. The company will con tine its investigatory work elsewhere.

Loloma (Fiji) Gold Mines N.L.

Loloma fFiji) Gold Mines N.L., operating at Tavua, Fiji, issued the following report of con struction operations on the property in April: Assembling of upper half head frame in hand.

Lining of crude ore bin completed, lining of main ore bin in hand. Assembly of jaw crushers and crushing rolls completed. Completed foundations for drier dust chamber; roaster stack completed.

Brickwork for roaster well advanced. Timber and concrete work for agitator section well in hand.

Excavations for thickner walls completed and formwork begun. Excavations and formwork for filter section well advanced.

Mt. Kasi Mines Ltd.

Mt. Kasi Mines Ltd., Vanua Levu, reported ;n April that the outputs since the beginning of the year have been:

Koroere Gold N.L.

The proved ore developed on the Cardigan lease, and on the Koroere area, Tavua, is not of sufficient tonnage to warrant the capital expendi ture involved in a modern milling plant, stated the managing director of Koroere Gold N.L., Mr.

E. G>. Theodore, in a lengthy report on the future policy of the company.

The Koroere ore, Mr. Theodore said, would not pay to mine and treat, except in a large plant where the milling costs are extremely low. The proved ore at the Cardigan, he stated, is of too limited tonnage to warrant the class of plant which would result in low costs. A campaign of deep ground development to test at depth the Cardigan lode would, in Mr. Theodore’s opinion, cost not less than £50,000. He recommends that consideration be given to a proposal that the Co.’s properties be merged into one of the other mining companies operating and erecting milling plants on the field. If some arrangements of this kind were made with, say, the Emperor Co., the advantages, he believes, would be entirely mutual.

Emperor could treat at its new plant the ore from both the Cardigan and Koroere at a rate of about 200 tons a week, without any additional milling machinery or plant.

The directors believe that the interests of the Co. would be best served by continuing the pre sent developmental policy for 12 months. With this in view, it is intended to carry out develop ment work designed to indicate whether it would be better for the Co. to instal its own mining and treatment plant, or enter into negotiations for absorption by another company.

Four weeks ended Jan.231 Feb. 20 Mar 20 Apr. 17 Ore treated, tons 2.080 2.102 2,370 2,356 Head, value, dwt. 10.75 10.3 9.0 8.9 Gold, oz. fine 1,027.7 997.6 974.2 960.5 t Five weeks’ period.

Four weeks ended Jan. 28* Feb. 25 Mar. 25 Apr.22f Ore tons 1,853 2,359 2,600 2,310 Gold, fine oz. 352 365 447 655 Value, fA .. 2,773 3,194 3,911 5,731 * Twenty-one days’ run.

Additional recovery for February from slag 65 fine oz. t Mill closed for 5 days for Easter and for repairs.