From New Guinea

Enterprise Of N.G. Gold And Petroleum

Development, N.L.

MR. H. TAYLOUR, general manager of En terprise of New Guinea Gold and Petro leum Development N.L., in a report on the progress of operations at the Edie Creek mine, advises that the pilot plant has been clos ed down, pending a decision concerning the installation of compressed air drills in the underground workings, and the installation of additional treatment units in the plant. Metal lurgical tests show that the association of gold values in the ore is by no means identical with that found in other ores in the vicinity.

Ore testing is not yet finalised, but results to date indicate definitely that the run-of-mlne ore can be profitably mined and treated on a large scale.

The Company’s holdings at Edie Creek com prise eight gold-mining leases, having a total area of 336 acres. These leases extend for 6,000 ft. along the direction of strike of the main lode. The mineralised zone in which the main lode and several smaller veins occur, has been prospected within the boundaries of the Company’s leases for 4,000 ft. along the strike, and quartz located at intervals throughout.

The drainage adit is being advanced on three shifts to cut the main lode on the footwall side, 150 ft. vertically below the level of the main West drive, or 450 ft. below the apex of the outcrop. The drainage adit has been advanced to 596 ft., and is expected to cut the main lode within the next two months.

On the adjoining property of New Guinea Gold fields, Ltd., the downward extension of payable ore has been proved to a vertical depth of 150 ft. below the horizon of the Company’s drain age adit, or 600 ft. below the apex of the Com pany’s main lode. A large tonnage of ore is now practically developed on the Enterprise property.

Mr. Taylour also advised that for March 4,070 yards of wash and 5,470 yards of overburden were treated for a yield of 58 oz. 12 dwt. of unrefined retorted alluvial gold. This compares with January and February as follows: — Jan. Feb. Mar.

Wash dirt, yards .. .. 5,103 1,747 4,070 Overburden, yards . . .. 3,159 3,495 5,470 Unrefined retorted allu vial gold, oz 33 32 V 2 58 Va

Bulolo Gold Deposits, Ltd.

Bulolo Gold Deposits, Limited, New Guinea, report that a clean-up will not be made until about April 24, as the manager is taking out larger paddocks on both the Morobe Alluvials and the Morobe Deposit areas.

Bulolo Gold Dredging Ltd.

Production of Bulolo Gold Dredging Ltd., for March, compared with that of the previous two 4 periods, as follows: Jan. Feb. Mar.

Cubic yards .. .. 862,800 897,000 1,041,000 Bullion, oz 15,096 11,624 16,281 Gold, fine, oz. . 10,408 8,020 11,235

Value—

Aust. currency* £91,070 £70,175 £98,306 Value, per c. y. /25.3 /18.7 /22.6 Working profit . £65,493 £52,421 £68,958 •At £ AB/15/- per fine ounce.

The No. 5 dredge will not be operating at full capacity until the end of April. No. 6 dredge began digging to bedrock on March 24.

Sandy Creek Gold Sluicing Limited.

The mine manager of Sandy Creek Gold Sluic ing Limited, New Guinea, has issued the fol lowing comparative figures of production:— Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar.

Cubic yards .. .. 26,558 15,150 18,441 17,260 Gold, oz 377 249 258 338 Per cubic yard .. 2/iy 2 2/5% 2/114 2/10V 2 Working cost .. 1/2 1/6 1/5 1/1

Developments (New Guinea), N.L.

Developments (New Guinea), N.L. has obtain ed an option over a sluicing area of 400 acres situated at Booloumba Creek, Conondale, Queens land. The area was reported on by Mr. E.

Ross, mining engineer, and his report shows

good values from test shafts. Mr. F. A. Ro berg has also inspected the property. He recom mends that the area be systematically tested by pitting.

New Guinea Goldfields, Ltd.

The Mining Trust, Ltd., consulting engineers to New Guinea Goldfields, Limited, reported in March that during the previous three months production, etc., had been:—

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Edie Creek mill—• Gold, oz., fine 1,190 1,181 652 Silver, oz., fine 3,951 4,126 2,936 Alluvial— Gold, oz., fine 1,337 1,274 914 Silver, oz., fine 961 904 665 G«ld Ridges mill- Gold, oz., fine 296 308 601 Silver, oz., fine 346 359 671 Operating profit— Edie Creek . . £2,329 £2,502 £1,214* Alluvial 5,540 5,503 2,383 Golden Ridges . 1,199 1,018 3,532 •Operating loss, due to a reduced tonnage. caused by influenza epidemic and low-grade ore from the Karuka vein.

Reduced alluvial production in February was due to a pump breakdown. Golden Ridges production was from tailings retreatment.