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Denniston State Goal-mine,, Denniston (W. Farnworth (First Class), Mine-manager).—Pillar-extraction was continued in the whole of Forsyth's Sections, which include the Third and Fourth South, 9 Box Jig, Fourth North, and Rope End. Pillar-extraction was continued in the Extension Section until April, when encroachment of fire necessitated sealing off this area. However, little coal was lost as there was ,only about one month's work for two pairs of hewers in this particular part and all material was recovered. Pillar-extraction was also continued in Old Waterloo and Waterloo Dip Sections, and with reference to the last mentioned it is hoped to recover an area which was considered unobtainable. Between Forsyth's and Birchall's Sections an intrusion of stone causes the coal to become two separate seams, only the top part of which has been worked, so prospecting will be done in the bottom part, which is showing 7 ft. of good coal, the stone intrusion having thickened to 16 ft. Pillar-extraction has recommenced in Birchall's Section, which has been standing for approximately fourteen years, and the same procedure is being adopted to prospect the extent of the " bottom seam," although the stone intrusion is not so thick as on Forsyth's Section side. Eighty men were employed on the surface and 199 men underground. Aerial Ropeway to Cook's Lease. —Construction on this aerial was abandoned. Millerton State Colliery, Granity. (R. Marshall (First Class), Mine-manager).—Mine Creek Mine: In the early part of the year extraction of the Mangatini rope-road pillars was commenced with 3 pairs of miners and is still being continued with good results. This area was stopped in 1946. In the North East Section,2 pairs were engaged on prospecting work in virgin ground with satisfactory results. At the close of the year a fair amount of surface prospecting and trenching was carried out with a view to proving the continuation of the seam at lower levels than is at present being worked in this section. Extraction is still being carried on in Pollock's Level with 1 pair. Extraction was completed in Sixth West and Third West Sections during the year, and these are now sealed off. Old Dip Mine : Four pairs were engaged in pillar-extraction in the Settlement Section in good high coal. Fire broke out in this section in the early part of the year, but as all the stoppings were in for the formation of an artificial panel it was quickly controlled. Further concrete dams were built during the year to isolate the area. In the Lower Area, 2 pairs were engaged extracting along a fault line. An endeavour is being made to reach a large block of unworked ground fairly close to the Old Dip Mine mouth, and to this end 1 pair of miners commenced work in the latter part of the year splitting through old pillars in an endeavour to reach this area. A considerable amount of work was done on the bathhouse with a view to modernizing it. Fortyeight men were employed on the surface and 82 underground. Stockton State Colliery, Ngakawau (G. Gilbert (First Class), Mine-manager).—Fly Creek Mine: Operations were confined mainly to pillar-extraction in the South Section under very wet difficult conditions. In the East, development continued along the escarpment from the new dip. A few thousand tons of excellent coal was won by opencasting. Development is now completed and no pillar-extraction is possible. Underground hydro bin and haulage way therefrom were completed. In the Old Mine, extraction was continued in No. 4 and 5 Sections. An excellent grade of coal was won under very wet conditions. The limit of safe extraction is now almost reached from the present haulage way. Arrangements are being made to penetrate the area from the escarpment at a much lower level, ensuring recovery of a large area of pillars below the level of the present haulage way. Webb Mine : Development continued satisfactorily. The main headings were advanced 54 chains from the mine entrance. The seventh panel to the south was formed. In order to leave as much of the thick coal to the west as possible for opencast, the new line, of development is to the north where the coal is thinner and the overburden of greater thickness. Headings in this direction, breaking off the main west heading at a point 44 chains from the mine entrance, were advanced 10 chains in very good coal. The seams dip to the north, having dipped 30 ft. in 10 chains, and will reach a point 70 ft. still lower about 28 chains from the present heading face. A new power line was erected over Webb Mine and the power conveyed by cable down a borehole near the working-places. Pump was installed and is in use in the North Dip. Opencast Area. —Production during the last few months of the year was very unsatisfactory, largely due to the thicker overburden met with. This difficulty will be solved with the arrival of additional machines within a few months. A large area just ahead of the present opencast workings has been proved by bore to contain over 1,000,000 tons, average thickness 35 ft., overburden not exceeding 2 to 1. Analysis reveals that the coal is of exceptionally high quality with very low sulphur and ash content. Close boring at 200 ft. centres continues over an adjacent area of 250 acres where it is expected to prove 15,000,000 tons of excellent coal well within the opencast range. During the year remarkable success was obtained in recovering coal from areas formerly worked underground and where all the coal that could be safely won underground had been extracted. Area 1, Coal Island : Twenty thousand tons of coal were recovered twenty-seven years after underground extraction had been completed and actually more than 50 per cent, recovered by opencast. Area 2, Stable Pillar Fire Area : In this area a fire broke out twenty-seven years ago and continued to burn until about twelve years ago. The coal was 30 ft. thick. The floor of the old workings was 20 ft. above the stone floor. The fire had destroyed all coal above the level of the floor

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