Oeposits Not Yet
p. 21 · Read in the full issue
Fiji’s Manganese Industry.
Oeposits Not Yet Proved
ALTHOUGH there is a consider * able amount of manganese vailable in Fiji in surface deposits, eep drilling to determine extent of ic ore will be necessary before ipital expenditure on roads, wharves c, is warranted.
This statement was made in Syd -5d early in February, by Mr. Ron re, of Dickson Primer & Metal •aders London (Pty.) Ltd., in sup ying details of the situation in ji following the amalgamation of B organisation with Consolidated anganese and Mining Co. of Fiji 5t November. (PIM, Dec., p. 31).
Metal Traders, with interests in mdon and New York, now owns per cent, of Fiji’s largest man nese mining company, and has an tion on a further 25 per cent, of ares.
Mr, Lye said that Consolidated mganese had experienced a cer n amount of bad luck in Fiji. Due bad weather, flooding and slips some of the new roads, in the per Sigatoka region, mining and insport of manganese had been Id up last year after a vessel had ;n chartered and was standing to commence loading the com tiy’s first export cargo. Eventu -7 .the ship was despatched with isiderably less aboard than had in intended, and consequently the irter had resulted in a rather ivy loss. flr. Lye said that the Fiji Gov iment had given every assistance, i he felt that it should open its :ket as well as its heart and give company a little more financial operation in its exploratory work. f test drilling is encouraging, isideration will be given to estab ung stqrage hoppers and a load cantilever. One place under for this was Tuvuriki nt, the western extremity of i Levu.
'his was still a long way from mam deposits, but there were possible places from a naviga lfi p ? lnt of view - Test drilling ild also decide whether a road r the mountains from the Nadi iction might be warranted. It ild certainly greatly reduce the iking distance. teanwhile, the company is pro ling with the building of cer i roads to deposits being worked is stockpiling the mined ore’ wiil eveitually be carted trucks to the CSR wharf at
When another 8,000 or 9,000 tons are ready—probably about June— another vessel will be chartered. As with the last shipment, loading will be by lighters, to the ship in the stream. The CSR wharf is usually required by sugar vessels.
Mr. Lye indicated that if the manganese operations develop sat isfactorily, the company will in vestigate certain deposits of guano or phosphate in Fiji.
Mr. Lye will visit Fiji from his Sydney office in February-March.