Mining News

From Fiji

Emperor Mines, Ltd.

rMPEROR MINES, LTD., Fiji, reports a clean up for January of 13,502 tons of ore for 3,807 oz. of fine gold. Average grade was lower at 5.64 dwt. a ton. The drop in grade is attributed by the Co. to the continuous heavy rain through out the period, diluting the ore with over burden. Latest four-weekly yields;—

Storms caused 24 hours’ stoppage in January production. y Dividend:—6d. per share (5 per cent.), pay able February 24. (Previous dividend, 1/- per share, paid November 10.) The Co. reported on January 24 that dis charge of timber and fuel oil by steamer at the new wharf at Vatia was expected during the second week in February. The lime plant at Tau (8o miles from Tavua) is in commission, and the first samples of lime have given satisfaction.

Mt. Kasi Mines, Ltd.

Yields from the Mount Kasi Mine, Vanua Levu, Fiji, for the past four months, are compared in the following table:—

Loloma (Fiji) Gold Mines, N.L.

Loloma production for the last four clean-ups has been:—

Plant closed down four days in January for overhaul: also lost 24 hours owing to storm.

Dividend:—l/- a share, payable March 8 Books close February 22.

From New Guinea

Sunshine Gold Development, Ltd.

C Unshine Gold Development, Ltd., Re-

J ported in mid-January that sluicing opera tions had been adversely affected by heavy rain.

A small section of the race was carried away and had to be replaced with fluming. As a re sult of the mishap the directors anticipated .a reduced gold recovery for January.

Early in February the Co. stated that repairs to the damaged section of the race had been completed and the paddock pumped out, sluicing being resumed on January 31.

Bulolo Gold Dredging, Ltd.

Production of Bulolo Gold Dredging Co.’s dredges in New Guinea from October to De cember last was:—

Sandy Creek Gold Sluicing, Ltd,

The mine manager of Sandy Creek Gold Sluic ing, Ltd., New Guinea, reported early in February that the last four yields compared as follows:-

Enterprise Of New Guinea.

Enterprise of New Guinea Gold and Petroleum Development Co.’s clean-up from Surprise Creek

Crushed (tons) ..

Nov. 30. Dec. 28. 13.085 11.854 Jan. 25. 13,502 Yield, oz. (est.) .. 4,110 3,744 3,807 Dwt. a ton .. .. 639 632 564 Combined head (dwt.) value 6.9 6.8 6.13 New mill (dwt.) 6.9 6.8 6.2 Pilot plant (dwt.) 5.9 6.7 5.22 Combined residues (dwt.) 0.53 0.47 0.45 New mill (dwt.) 0.53 0.47 0.46 Pilot plant (dwt.) 0.55 0.47 0.35 Cone, from pilot (tons) plant 2.7 2.0 4.5 Containing oz. (est.) .. 50.75 10.5 29.4

Nov. 2. Nov. 30.

Dec. 28.

Jan. 25.

Ore, tons .. 3,318 3,272 2,909 2,977 Gold, fine oz. . 695 671 636 597 Value £6,081 £5,871 £5,565 £5,224

Four weeks ended Nov. 2.

Nov. 30.

Dec. 28. Jan. 25.

Tons treated .. 2,125 2,115 1,655 1,795 Gold, oz. fine . 2,852 2,844 2,240 2,436 Silver, oz. fine 663 654 491 502 Residue, dwt. . 1.57 1.62 1.25 1.15

Cubic yards Oct.

Nov.

Dec. 1,260,000 1,210,000 1,302,000 Bullion, oz. .. 19,547 20,491 27,116 Gold, fine, oz. .. 13,487 14,139 18,709

Value—

Aust. currency* £118,011 £123,716 £163,704 Value, per c. y'd. /22.5 /24.5 /30 1 Working profit .. £77,192 £82.609 £111,851 ♦At £ A8/15/per fine ounce.

, . . Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan.

Cubic yards .. .. 16,073 19,154 17,206 14 196 Gold > oz 368 445 486 293 Per cubic yard . 3/5% 3/6 4/23/ 4 3/1 Working cost ... 1/2% 1/3 1/4% 1/5%

mine for January yielded 45 oz. 18 dwt. of re torted gold, from 1,890 cubic yards of bouldery wash. Heavy rain and floods caused minor race washaways, and sluicing was delayed. Arrange ments are now under way for turning the Watut River through worked-out ground, thereby en abling the present bed of the river to be worked by an hydraulic elevator.

On February 8, the Co. made a call of 5/per share, bringing the paid-up amount of each share to 55/-.

New Guinea Goldfields, Ltd.

The following progress report for October to December has been issued by the Mining Trust, Ltd., consulting engineers for N.G. Goldfields, Ltd.:—

From Papua

Papuan Apinaipi Petroleum Co., Ltd.

Papuan apinaipi petroleum co., ltd., re ports that the second test bore on the Oiapu structure under the Commonwealth Oil Advisory Committee’s programme was completed at 523 feet on January 28. This is the fourth bore drilled, the other two bores being on the Apinaipi structure.

The results obtained in the No. 2 Oiapu bore provided useful data, and exceeded expectations, the Co. states. Although all the four bores showed traces of oil and gas, the strong traces of oil and blobs of paraffin wax met with at from 165 feet to 523 feet in the No. 2 Oiapu bore, in the opinion of Mr. Launcelot Owen, the Co.’s expert geologist, place beyond doubt the petroliferous nature of the strata underlying the structures so far tested. Mr. Owen also advises that it is his contention “that the general struc ture is so obvious that one major test well at least is justified in the present state of our knowledge”.

In continuation of the Commonwealth Oil Advisory Committee’s programme, the drilling plant is being transferred to the site of the No. 5 bore. Negotiations are in progress with the Federal Government for the construction of a road whereby a major deep drilling plant may be transported to the area.

Cuthbert’S Misima Goldmine, Ltd.

Figures for the monthly clean-up on January 23 from Cuthbert’s mine on Misima Island, Eastern Papua, compare with the previous two months as follows: —

During December, the Co. won 478 tons of ore from development, 2,430 tons from stoping, a total of 2,908 tons. Average assay value was 5 dwts. 20 gr. of gold, and 34 dwts. of silver per ton.

Gold Mines Of Papua, Ltd.

Comparative monthly returns from Gold Mines of Papua, Ltd., Misima Island, show: —

A 42 ft. launch is being built at the London Missionary Society’s Technical School Department, at Fife Bay, Papua, for service in the Daru district. It will be named “Oliver Tompkins” in memory of the young colleague of Rev. James Chalmers. Both these missionaries were murdered in 1901 at Dopima. Goaribari Island, in the Kikori River delta.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Edie Creek mill — Gold, oz., fine .. .. 870 1,129 1,171 Silver, oz., fine .. .. 3,781 4,679 4,312 Ore, tons — 3,600 Alluvial — Gold, oz., fine .. .. 863 849 993 Silver, oz., fine .. .. 636 612 722 Golden Ridges mill — Tons treated .. 1,155 — ■ 2.329 Gold, oz., fine .. .. 554 878 943 Silver, oz 647 928 1,229 Operating profit— Edie Creek .. £743 £3,257 £3,525 Alluvial 2,597 2,633 2,960 Golden Ridges .. .. 222* 1,302 1,514 ♦Loss.

Nov.

Dec. *Jan.

Treated, tons 2.900 2.908 2.641 Bullion, oz 2,609 2,850 2,589 Gold, fine oz 799 779.5 672 Silver, fine oz 1,738 1,987 1,852 Est. value at £ A8 oz. £6,493 £6,354 £5.490 Value per ton 44/10 43/8 41/7 •Mine and mill shut down from December 21 to 27 for Christmas holidays.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Tons 2,378 2,003 2,612 Fine gold oz 316 281 329 Silver, oz 997 929 992 Value, £ 2,925 2,625 3,000 Residues, grs. 6 6 6.2