Labour. The supply of this has become much more plentiful and men continue to come in daily
Health. This I regret to say has been very far from good.
Rainfall. The total rainfall for the month 3 inches.
RAUB,
The following is the Mining Manager's re- port for the four weeks ending 9th July, 1896:---
MINING.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
Raub Hole, No, 2 Shaft South.-In the inter- mediate drive going south a decided change for the better has taken place. At 120 feet in from the winze the break met with in the level above was passed through. This break has thrown the lode a considerable distance to the south from its regular course. Immediately the break was passed through a decided change for the better took place. The lode began to open and show gold; we have now driven 22 feet on it, and in the face of the drive it is full 3 feet wide, showing very good gold. This development considerably improves the prospects of this section of the mine. which has not been over bright of late. Now that it is proved that the ore chute is going down I intend to push on driving at the 220 feet level. This level is in 156 feet south from the crosscnt. I shall have to go considerably further than I originally expected to, owing to the ore chute being thrown so much further south. The stopes over the back of the inter- mediate drives as they rise towards the next level show an improvement both in the size of the lode and the quality of the ore. the stopes going north the lode is small, 6 in. to 10 in, and shows very little gold. The main level going north at the 220ft. is now in 87ft. from the crosscnt. There is no change either in the lode formation or in the country
rock.
h
In
Bukit Koman, No. 1 Level. The main level going north is now in 353ft. from the crosscut.
}
think the rush of water is coming from it, the ground being very soft and open.
Western Lode.There is no change to report from this section. The usual quantity of crush- ing stuff is being sent from here to the mill and prospect remain unchanged.
Battery-On Monday, the 6th instant, a general clean-up took place for May and June, 2,565 tons giving a return of 1,008 oz. 15 dwt. 6 grs. smelted gold, the following being the proportion of stuff crushed from the different
mines:-
Raub Hole Western Lode... Bukit Koman
301 tons
39
183 1,779
Total... 2,565
**
The return is below our late average, owing to a decreased return from the stuff crushed in May. I expect a better return from our next clean-up. After working all night to effect some repairs to the engine and mill, crushing was resumed at 6 a.m. on the 7th inst. Mill has been kept going full time since.
WM. BIBBY, Mining Manager.
INTERVIEW WITH MR. BIBBY.
Brisbane Board of Directors of the Raub In view of the recent discussion by the Australian Gold Mining Co. of the proposed doubts which were expressed or rather hinted electric power installation a Raub, and the
at as
established branch of mining industry, a to the practicability of a now well- Singapore Free Press representative sought an interview with Mr. Bibby, the able Manager of the Raub Mines, who was leaving on the 22nd July for Ranb, after a short visit to Singapore.
scheme for the present was not to be under- At the outset Mr. Bibby stated that the
taken. It had practically been arranged that during the ensuing year operations were to be The lode in the face of the drive is about 7ft.
confined merely to developing the mines, and wide, but is a good deal disturbed by an intrusion
that at the end of that time the whole question of slate. There is about 3ft. of solid stone on the
was to be raised again should the prospects be hanging wall sides, in which gold can be seen on
found to be such as to warrant the proposed breaking the ore. The ground in this end is very deciding not to erect such an installaiton expenditure. And in view of the Directors favourable for driving and goed progress is being made. In the face of the level going south the further enlargements would probably be made lode looks very well indeed; it is 9 ft: wide, solid
to the battery power, which new instalments and well defined, between clean slate walls. Gold
would in all probability be transferred to- can be seen in the lode from wall to wall. It
wards Bukit Koman, to some more central is making a lot of water in the face. The face site as regards the present and prospective of this drive is now in 372 feet from the operations of the mines. By going to Eukit crosscut. In the leading stope coming in over
Koman they would be within easy distance of the back of this drive the lode is fully 20 feet
a plentiful water supply, and even if they could wide and shows good gold right through, the not get sufficient water from the Sungei Koman whole of which is being sent to the mill for locally, they would be able to draw supplies crushing. There is very little work being done from the Simpan river, whilst the battery would in the rest of the stopes, as we do not requiregions practicable were it decided eventually to be in such a position as to render future exten-
erect an electric power iustallation.
the stuff.
250 ft. Level.-The lode has been ent through at this level. It is 13 ft. wide on the south side of the crosscnt and 12 ft. on the north side. Both the foot and hanging walls are clean and well defined slate. There is 4 ft. to 5 ft. of fairly good solid ore on the hanging well side of the lode, the remainder being a mixture of quartz, diorite, and slate, in which a a little gold can be seez. The whole width of the lode is payable, although not rich. As there is a good- payable lode all along the bottom of the level above there is every reason to believe that the whole of the ground between the two levels (100 ft.) is payable. I have let a contract to drive 100 ft. north and south on the course of the lode. When these drives are advanced far enough it is my intention to resume sinking the shaft another 100 feet. The mine is making a lot of water, principally from the top level. The pump has to make 25 to 30 strokes per minute to keep it out.
Bakit Malacca. This place is keeping up its reputation as a regular water hole. After sink- ing between 4 and 5 feet we were again swamped out and have not been able to see the bottom of the shaft since, the two 8-in. pumps making from 40 to 50 strokes per minute. Unless this place drains, much heavier pumping machinery will be required than any we have at Raub. I shall keep on pumping to see if the water abates. This additional inrush of water was caused by cutting some quartz leaders in the shaft. I do not think we can be far from the lode and I
|
Electric motor pow had long passed the well-known Brazilian the largest mining org the Real del Monte Company installation of 2,000 horse-pow transmitted a distance of 27 miles. the Telluride Company; in Colorado, five ago put up an experimental plant of 300 power, and so well were they satisfied with that they were now constructing a 1,600) power installation to work and light the in fact, to do everything about the mine there was no need to go further abroad the other side of the Pahang hills to süccessful instances of the working of electro motors. At Rawang a very
successful tion had been at work for some tim pumping the water out of four for mines and lighting the workings, doin the work of three or four steam. and thus saving the expense of running the proprietors, Lok Yew and Tambusam Pillay, finding that they can do the work a one-third the cost of steam. Indeed, so well pleased are they with the success of their | scheme that they have under consideration the erection of a 700 horse-power instalation, to be
to Kuala Kuba, Serendah, and Rawang, Selangor river. This power is to be conveyed supplied with water taken from falls far up the t
distance of 14 miles, Mr. Foster, the Rawang ** present time in connection with the work. The electrical engineer, being up there at the installation is intended for pumping and light- furnishing power for any small motors about ing principally, but wir also be useful as the mines.
in New Zealand, on the mines of the Pioneer The first successful installation; perhaps, was
Company in Otago province, where the battery has been driven by an electro-motor since 1884- The Company were sceptical at first about the merits of the new system of power, but they were compelled, owing to the scarcity of fire:::: wood, either to erect an electric power installa- tion or to close the mine, and have-apparently had no cause to regret the decision then taken. Everyone was aware of the successful in scouted stallation at Niagara, which was at first
as an utter impossibility. They were now working at Niagara with a 28,000 horse-power plant, which was being used for every conceivable purpose, the Company transmitting power to the city of Buffalo, 22 miles away, and hiring out power to all comers. at the rate of $36 per horse-power per annum. On the opposite side of the Niagara river, the Canadian Electric Company had also inangu- rated a 20,000 horse-power installation, which was used for lighting purposes and for driving paper mills, saw mills, and tramways, &c. In plant was in operation, transmitting power to British Columbia, again, a 12,000 horse-power
Portland, a distance of 12 miles, which was applied in a variety of ways.
Even Japan was more go ahead than Aus- tralia, her numerous mountain water courses affording a splendid field for the installation of electric power. At Yokohama a 5,000 horse- power plant was in existence, which was used not only for lighting purposes but for working tramways and for driving cotton mills; and il so satisfied were they in Yokohama that they were proposing to duplicate the plant at an early date.
the
Questioned as to the feasibility of such an in- stallation at Raub, Mr. Bibby stated that it was proposed to derive their water supply between Latta Tinbam ("The Falls of the Mist "y and Latta Chindram, the first of which is 120 feet high and the second about 60 feet, which would give an effective fall of about 320 feet, the inter- vening distance between these two falls being occupied by a series of small rapids. To convey the water from the river to the power station would necessitate 1,860 feet of "Auming," the conduits or troughs having a sectional area
Coming to the available water supply a of 9 square feet. The water would then be Raub, Mr. Bibby said that during the present taken from a small reservoir in steel pipes exceptionally dry season the gangings 26 inches in diameter for 2,500 feet, and there Simpam river had never been less than 900,000 it would be applied at the end of this water cubic feet an hour, and during eight "lead" to the Pelton generators, which are the of the year the quantity would be most effective water motors known. From as much. Then, again, the these the power would be transferred by copper be duplicated almost indefinitely by: cable from the generating station over rough ther up or down the river and making hilly and uninhabited country, some 2,000 or pipe line. If they were to go a mile f 3,000 feet high, to the centre of the mining or down the river they could get an operations or wherever power was wanted, the fall of about 200 feet, making 550 - voltage of the supply being about 10,000 volts, In his opinion there was no qu sufficient in fact to kill any living thing nuwarily the practicability or the coming into contact with the cable. On reach an installation for Raub ing Raub the voltage would be reduced to more the Pelton Wheel Company moderate tension by means of a step-down Electric Company of Americ transformer," just before entering the distured to express doub tributing station, where it will be applied to of their power, a every purpose in connection with the mine for the idea, guaranteeing which power is wanted.
s? than steam or even any
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and