Mining Review
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^CTNATOME AUSTRALIA PTY. LTD. SOUTH AUSTRALIA. DEPARTMENT OF MINES. MINING REVIEW FOR THE HALF-YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31ST, 1931. No. 55. ISSUED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE HONORABLE R. S. RICHARDS, M.P., MINISTER OF MINES. ADELAIDE : HARRISON WEIR, GOVERNMENT PRINTER, NORTH TERRACE. 1932. HPRM 2018D039449 RECENT PUBLICATIONS OF THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. ANNUAL REPORTS (NEW SERIES) OF THE GOVERNMENT GEOLOGIST. WARD, L. KEITH — Annual Reports. 1913-1927 (Issued as Parliamentary Papers). GEOLOGICAL MAP. Geological Map ot South Australia, colored; scale. 32 miles to an Inch. February lOtb, 1928. REPORTS (NEW SEKIES) OF THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 1. WARD, L. KEITRI, and JACK, R. LOCKHART— The Yelta and Paramatta Mines (with plans). March 22nd, 1912. 2. JAOK, R. LOCKHART— ,. The Mount Grainger Goldfleld (with map). June 25th, 1913. S. WARD, L. KEITH, and JACK, R. LOOKHART— The Yudnamutana Mining Field. December 8th, 1915. METALLURGICAL REPORTS BY THE GOVERNMENT METALLURGIST. 1. CONNOR, J. D.— / Notes on the Recovery of Copper from its Ores by Leaching and Precipitation, in the United States of America, and on Appliances used in connection; therewith. March 16th, 1916. 2. CONNOR, J. D.— Notes on— y I. The Leachlngof Copper Ores from Mount Cofiln. II. Wet Gravity Concentration of Pyrltlc Ore from Nairne. III. The Milling of Barytes at Aldgate. • IV. The Treatment of Copper Ore from the'Prince Albert Mine. March 19th, 1917. BULLETINS (NEW SERIES) OF THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 1. JAOK, R. LOOKHART— The Geology of Portions of the Counties of Le Hunte, Robinson, and Dufferln, with special reference, to Underground Water Supplies (with maps). September 2nd, 1912. 2. WARD, L. KEITH— The Possibilities of the Discovery of Petroleum on Kangaroo Island and ths Western Coast of Eyre's • Peninsula (with maps). January 24th, 1913. •8 JAOK, R. LOOKHART— The Geology of the County of Jervois and of portions of the Counties of Buxton and York, with speolal reference to Underground Water Supplies (with maps). January 31st, 1914. -4. WADK, ARTHOR— The Supposed Oll-bearlng Areas of South Australia (with,maps). February 24th, 1915. 5. JAOK, R. LOOKHART— The Geology and Prospects of the Region to the South of the Musgrave Ranges and the Geology of the Western Portion of the Great Australian Artesian Basin (with maps). Also Appendices on Flora of the Country between Oodnadatta and the Musgrave and Everard Ranges, by Captain S. A. WHITE, M.B.O.U.; and on Results of Magnetic and Astronomical' Observations, by G. F. DoDWBLL, Government Astronomer. September 6th, 1915. •6. JAOK, R. LOOKHART— The Geology of the itoonta and Wallaroo Mining District (with maps). May 22nd, 1917. 7. JAOK, R. LOOKHART— The Phosphate Deposits of South Australia (with maps). May 19th, 1919. •8. JACK, R. LOOKHART— .RE The Salt and Gypsum Resources of South Australia (with maps). December 1st, 1920. 9. JAOK, R. LOOKHART— . •. • The Iron Ore Resources of South Australia (with maps). February 6th, 1922. j 10. JAOK, R. LOOKHART— The Building Stones of South Australia (with maps). March 13th, 1923. 11. JAOK, R. LOOKHART— Some Developments In Shallow Water Areas In the North-East of South Australia (with maps). December 15th, 1924. 12. JACK, R. LOOKHART— Clay and Cement In South Australia. May 17th, 1926. 13. JAOK, R. LOOKHART— . Pigment Minerals in South Australia. March 26th, 1928. 14. JAOK R. LOOKHART— Geological Structure and other Factors in Relation to Underground Water Supply In Portions of South Australia. 15. JAOK, R. LOOKHART— / Report on the Geology of the Region to the. North and North-West of Tarcoola (with map); RECORDS OF THE MINES IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA. BROWN, H., Y. L.— • • Record of the Mines of South Australia (Fourth Edition, with map). 1908. Reviews of Mining Operations in the State of South Australia. A Short Review of Mining Operations In the State of South Australia during the Year 1903. No. 1 {out of print)*. Reviews of Mining Operations in the State of South Australia, published half-yearly, commencing January 1st 1904. Nos. 2 to 26 inclusive. (No». 2 to 8* inclusive and Not. 16,18, and 19 out of print). ' Mining Reviews for the State of South Australia, published half-yearly. Nos. 27 to 55 Inclusive. Nos. 1 to 8. Reviews of Mining are Incorporated in the Record of Mines. Frontispiece.] [By courtesy b.H.A. Smelters Pty., Ltd. The Broken Hill Assoc. Smelters Charge-handling Installation. Section of telpher spanning the blast furnaces. (See page 76.) PREFACE. IN this Review are printed the statistics of mineral production for the year 1931. The total value of the minerals (excluding building stones, macadam, ballast, limestone burnt for lime, sand, and clays or shales used in brick- making) produced within South Australia amounted to £553,558, a total that is materially belojv the corresponding figures for each of the last eight years. The value of the materials cf construction excluded from that total was £89,511 for the year 1931 ; thus making a total of £643,069 for the value of all the mineral production of the State. General economic conditions in the industrial life of the Commonwealth have been responsible for the decrease in production of those minerals which are produced for the Australian market; and the .low world price for copper has prevented realisation on a considerable amount of ore that has been raised and stacked for future disposal. » The brightest feature of the year's production has been the considerable increase in the amount of gold won, chiefly from parcels of ore crushed at the Government batteries at Mount Torrens, Peterborough,, and'Tarcoola. The activity of prospectors and miners generally, and the opening up of new dis- coveries at Mongolata, have resulted in the production of .more than twice as much gold as was won during the. previous year. Encouragement has' been given to those engaged in the gold mining industry by the payment of a premium due to an enhanced market price for gold and a high rate of exchange. The work carried out in connection with the Moonta Prospecting Scheme throughout the' year resulted in the establishment of considerable reserves of copper ore from which, under normal conditions, profitable returns can be obtained. But realisation cannot be effected until a treatment plant is provided. Experimental work has proved that the ore is amenable to concentration, and that a high percentage of the metal content of the ore is recoverable. The work of the men engaged in these mining operations has been admirable, arid the results achieved could not have been attained from the funds available had it not been for their willing co-operation. • • This Review contains detailed reports on the Mongolata Goldfield, and on the progress of mining at a number of'other localities, including Second Valley, Outalpa, Forest Range, Tarcoola, Orroroo,N and Balhannah. Notes aie furnished also on the progress of boring operations in search of oil at Warooka, Minlaton, and Maitland ; and the. results of boring at Largs Bay Jetty to ascertain the source of the gas emitted by the beach sands are described. The reduction , in the cases of lead-poisoning at the Broken Hill Associated Smelters, Poit Pirie, is shown by a graph and statistics. These gratifying results have been attained by diligent search for the sources of plumbism, followed by radical alterations of plant to remove the hazards when they have been located. L. KEITH WARD, - < Director of Mines. "May 7th, 1932. " IN D E X—No. 55. PAGE. PAGE. Accidents in Mines, Quarries, and Treatment Metal Prices... 10, 30' Plants .. 21 . Mineral Production, 1931 ''20 • Anna, Hundred of, Lignite Boring .. 40, 54 Mineral Production, Decennial Table .'. 18 Areas and Conditions of Mining Tenements. 0 Mineral Production, 1841-1930 Table 99 . Asbestos, General Note 39 Mining on Private Lands : 8 Assays at the School of Mines 25 Mining on or under Roads ..... 7 Barytes ..; ...'...' 39 Mining Operations for the Half-year 25 Balhannah Mine, Sampling of Surfacc Mintaro District Gold Mining v... 97 Dumps • 75 Mongolata Gold Mining '....'. 59 •Barossa District Gold Prospecting........ 96 Moonta Copper Recovery Co/, Ltd. .. 1 80 Bingo Copper Mine, Government Drilling at 45 Moonta.Extended C. Mine • 80 Birdwood District Gold Prospecting 96 Moonta Mines Commonwealth Assisted' Birthday Gift G.M., Deloraine '. 74 Scheme, Summary of Work Done 80 Bismuth 37,07,70 Moonta Mining Co. (Wild Dog) ........ 86 Boomerang G. Mine (Smith & Foureur)...: 09 Moonta Prospecting Synd., Ltd 86 Bristol Gold Mine,,Tweedvale :... 67 Moorlands Lignite Field, Final Average Bonus for Discovery of Petroleum 12 Figures and Tonnage 52 Boring, Government Operations' 45 Mount Painter Radium Mine 38 Broken Hill Associated Smelters Pty., Ltd.. 70 New Deloraine G.M ' 72 Coober Pedy Opal Field 39 Norman Gold Prospect, Orroroo .-... .75. Deloraine Blocks G.M. (Deloraine North):-. 73 North-Eaist Matta'Government Drilling ... ' 45 Deloraine District Gold Mining 72 Notes for Miners'. :•. 5 Notes for Sampling ••. 13 Ecliunga District Gold Prospecting 90 Eclipse Gold and Bismuth Mine, Forest Opal Field, Coober Pedy 39 Range ' 70 Orroroo, Gold Prospect 75 General Notes 30 Golden Ridge Mining Co 67 Permits to Prospect for Oil.. • n Gold Premium and Bounty 36 Petroleum, Search for at Maitland, Minlaton Gold Production of S. Australia (graph)... 36 and Warooka ; 39 Gold Prospecting, General 95 Plumbism at Port Pirie Smelters.' 70 Government Battery Returns 20 Quarry Statistics, Labor, Accidents, &c 21 Gumeracha District Gold Prospecting 97 Gypsum . ..' • 37 Radium !.." gg Iloyal Charlie G. Mine •...-. 9 . Hardy, Hundred of, Gold Mining '....' '93 0 Rutile " 37 Hillside Copper Mine, Ardrossan 93 Ilmcnite 38 .Search Licences 10 Inkerman Lignite Boring 46 Sheoak Ridge •...;... " 74 Inspections under the Mines and Works Subsidies for Mining 33 Inspection Act 24 Tanunda District Gold Prospecting 95 Labor in the Mining, Quarrying, and Tarcoola District Gold Mining 71 S melt ng I ndustries : ; 21 s Largs Bay Oil Co.