Still Big Industry
p. 11 · Read in the full issue
New Guinea Gold is Still Big Industry
PRODUCTION of gold in New Guinea in the last financial year dropped by more than 5,000 fine ounces, but it is still a
million-pounds-a-year industry.
Figures given by the P-NG Department of Mines show that the Trust Territory’s gold production last year fell from 90,800 fine ounces to 85,700.
In Papua, however, gold pro duction increased to nearly 1,100 fine ounces. Only 280 ounces were produced in the previous year.
There were big increases also in the Papuan production of copper ore and silver.
The amount of copper ore mined rose from only a few pounds in 1953-54 to about nine tons last year, and silver from 60 oz to 249 oz.
THE Mines Department figures show that native are playing a steadily increasing part in the production gold in Nejv Guinea.
Last year, they recovered 917 fine °z valued at more than £14,000 In the Kamantu district alone native miners produced nearlv £ll,OOO worth of gold. Y