and were followed a month later by Mr. Charles G. Lush, the well-known
expert on the working of alluvial tin deposits. Mr. Lush was to advise
as to the best method of developing the company’s property, which was
then stated to be 13 square miles in extent. Parenthetically it may be
mentioned that other suitable areas were afterwards taken up and several
handed over to subsidiary concerns. Mr. Lush first went to the Juga and
Sub-Juga properties, and the first communication received from him was
the following cable, dated Bauchi, December 17: “Have visited Juga, am
very favourably impressed. Up to the present time proved alluvial extends
over 200 acres and averages 9 feet; alluvial contains 4s. per cubic yard;
the value of stream tin, £600,000. I will visit Sub-Juga this week.” On
December 22 he again cabled as follows: “Sub-Juga—Have visited, am very
favourably impressed. I consider admirably adapted for the Australian
method of working. It will be necessary to erect a dam; will make survey
and report upon. Alluvial extends over 500 acres and averages 9 feet.
Estimated value of stream tin, 2s. 6d. per cubic yard.” From these and
other communications subsequently received it was evident that Mr. Lush
had been most favourably impressed with the field generally, and with the
value of the Champion Gold Reefs property in particular.
Four subsidiary companies have been formed to date, viz.:
Naraguta (Nigeria) Tin Mines, Ltd.
Lucky Chance Mines, Ltd.
Juga (Nigeria) Tin and Power Company, Ltd.
Tin Fields of Northern Nigeria, Ltd.
The Naraguta (Nigeria) Tin Mines is not only a productive concern, but
one that has already entered the dividend list, 1s. per share having been
distributed. The property was originally five square miles in extent, but
the area has since been extended. It was held under option by Champion
Gold Reefs, who transferred their option to the present company. The
purchase consideration paid to the Niger Company was £50,000, payable
as to £30,000 in cash and £20,000 in fully-paid shares. The Government
and the Niger Company are together entitled to a royalty of 10 per cent.
on the profits. Before the present company was formed the Niger Company
obtained from the Naraguta property over 1,000 tons of tin concentrates,
and it is stated that in one square mile of the property, which has
been systematically tested by pits, there are 10,000 tons of black tin
awaiting extraction. Up to the present time, the ground treated has
produced tin to the value of £3,000 per acre, whereas in other countries,
such as Australia and the Malay Peninsula, £1,000 per acre is considered
phenomenal. Some of the ground gives fully 5 lbs. of tin to the cubic
yard. There can be no doubt that Naraguta is going to be one of the
“gems” of the district.
The Lucky Chance Mines, Ltd., was originally formed in May, 1905, to
acquire property in New Zealand, but at the end of 1908 only seven shares
had been issued, and the paid-up capital was £5 5s., the company having
no assets or liabilities. Towards the end of last year, however, it was
placed on its financial legs by the Champion Gold Reefs of West Africa.
The latter company sold certain of its tin areas to the Lucky Chance
Company for 200,000 shares, and agreed to procure the subscription of
8,000 further shares. To-day the Lucky Chance Company is a robust and
ably-controlled enterprise, with excellent prospects of development.
Its properties comprise nearly 12,000 acres. The South Juga property
has recently been sold to the Juga (Nigeria) Tin and Power Company for
£10,000.
The Juga (Nigeria) Tin and Power Company owns what is known as the Juga
property, which is situated on a plateau 3,280 feet above sea-level,
having a total area of 1,600 acres, and the Sub-Juga property, which
lies upon the lower plateau immediately below Juga, the area in this
case being 6,720 acres. As already remarked, the South Juga property
has recently been added. Mr. Lush estimates that 200 acres of the Juga
property will be highly payable. For the purposes of his estimate, he
took the average depth as 9 feet, which, extending over 200 acres, equals
2,904,000 cubic yards, each cubic yard containing 6 lbs. “In valuing the
ground at 6 lbs. per cubic yard,” Mr. Lush said, “I am not taking into
account only the high results obtained from some of the bottom wash, but
am reckoning it as a whole. I do this because working results may prove
that the wash does not extend over the whole 200 acres, but the gravel
does, and I feel confident will average what I state.” In a similar way
he estimated that the Sub-Juga property would yield 3 lbs. per cubic yard
over 5,808,000 cubic yards.
Tin Fields of Northern Nigeria, Ltd., is a company owning eight square
miles at Federri and nine square miles near Dila River, both in the
Bauchi Province.
In addition to having floated these companies—in which, of course,
Champion Gold Reefs retains a large interest—the company has also large
holdings in the following concerns:
Northern Nigeria (Bauchi) Tin Mines.
Anglo-Continental Mines, Ltd.
Anchor Diamond Mines.
It also still owns a lease over five square miles in Ashanti.
NARAGUTA (NIGERIA) TIN MINES, LTD.
_Capital._—£175,000, divided into 175,000 shares of £1 each, of
which 158,500 are issued and fully paid.
_Directors._—Frank N. Best (Chairman), H. C. Godfray, Herbert
Moir, John Waddington, H. Bousquet, H. S. Reitlinger.
_Secretary._—Newman Ogle.
_Offices._—Friars House, New Broad Street, E.C.
This company owns an area of 3,200 acres at Naraguta, and two further
blocks known as the “C” and “Q” areas of eight square miles. It was
formerly worked by the Niger Company, who won from the alluvial beds
its 1,000 tons of tin concentrates. The company was registered on 15th
January, and the property was taken over on 4th February. Mr. C. G. Lush,
the company’s consulting engineer, has inspected the property, and has
stated that on the Naraguta property they had ground which would give
fully 5 lbs. of tin to the cubic yard. He further reported that ten
acres had already been treated and given that result, which could be
taken as a very fair prospecting whole.
The returns up to and including the month of October 1910 amounted to a
total of 350 tons of tin oxide made up as follows:
1910 Tons
February 28
March 34
April 36
May 36
June 37
July 44
August 45
September 45
October 45
---
350
===
Good profits can be, and are being, made under the present primitive
methods in use, but the greatly increased profits to which the management
is looking forward can only be secured by adopting the most up-to-date
machinery, such as is used in Tasmania and other countries. In order to
assure success experienced men are being brought from Tasmania by the
Champion Gold Reefs group, and the Naraguta Company will have the benefit
of their advice.
At the statutory meeting in April last the chairman stated: “We have
the proud distinction of owning the property from which the first
shipments of tin were made—not only that, but one of the richest out
there, and I am quite confident this company can look forward to a very
successful career. The extent of our property is four square miles, one
mile only of which has been thoroughly prospected, and calculated to
contain 10,000 tons of tin oxide. At the present market price of tin
this should yield over £500,000 profit. Our engineer tells me that up to
the present time every acre of ground so far treated has produced tin to
the value of £3,000, whereas in other countries, such as Australia and
Malay, £1,000 per acre is considered phenomenal: therefore, I consider
we can congratulate ourselves upon being interested in such a unique
proposition.”
As an indication of what may be expected when improved working methods
have been introduced, Mr. C. G. Lush states that thirty men and one
plant will be able to produce as much and even more tin than is now
being obtained with three hundred men. “If we put only one plant on the
property,” he says, “it will take us, perhaps, a hundred years to work it
out, but there is no reason why we should not have four or five plants,
and work it out in a lifetime!” In Australia, Tasmania, and the Straits
Settlements 1½ lbs. of tin per cubic yard is considered very good, but
Mr. Lush is of opinion that in Naraguta the ground will give fully 5 lbs.
of tin per cubic yard; in fact, 10 acres have already been treated, and
have given that result, which can be taken as “a very fair prospecting
whole.” All that is necessary is to get the plant there as soon as
possible.
In Mr. Frank D. Bourke the company has an excellent and indefatigable
manager, and recently the directors engaged the services of Mr. A. F.
Kitto, who left on October 12 to assist Mr. Bourke in the management.
LUCKY CHANCE MINES, LTD.
_Capital._—£75,000 in 300,000 shares of 5s. each, all issued
and fully paid.
_Directors._—Mr. S. R. Bastard (Chairman), Mr. F. N. Best, and
Mr. Oliver Wethered.
_Secretary._—Mr. Newman Ogle.
_Offices._—Friars House, New Broad Street, E.C.
This company owns the following properties:—
(1) _Dubbo._—A property in Bauchi, Northern Nigeria, consisting of 632
acres. This property is under the charge of two engineers.
(2) _Rafinsiroma._—This is a small rich property of 33 acres adjoining
Dubbo to the south, and capable of immediately producing tin by ground
sluicing and calabashing.
(3) _Bengalili._—A property of about 320 acres on the river Bukeru,
situated about one mile to the north of Dubbo, and capable of producing
tin by handworking at once.
(4) _Bengalili North._—This is an area of about 120 acres adjoining and
to the north of the Bengalili property, also capable of producing tin by
sluicing and calabashing. The river runs through this property.
(5) _Polchi._—A property of 84 acres adjoining South Juga, and situated
on the main road from Toro to Bauchi. The property is now being worked
and is producing tin.
(6) _Boidun._—This property is situated on the road from Dubbo to Bri,
and is about one mile west of Dubbo. It extends for a distance of about a
mile along the river.
(7) _Bilidi River._—Three square miles, or 1,920 acres. Good tin was
found on this property, besides an appreciable amount of gold in the wash.
(8) _Kurdum._—Five square miles, or 3,200 acres. On the tests made the
overburden went 3 lbs. of tin for 7 feet, and the bottom wash went 60
lbs. of tin for 1 foot.
(9) _Kwall Falls._—The first application was made on behalf of this
company for this power, which would be of great value, as it gives 2,000
horse-power in the dry season, and commands several properties.
The _Dubbo_ property is situated near the village of Dubbo, on the Dubbo
River, and west of the Soli Hills. It is sometimes described as Topaz
Valley, so named on account of the large quantity of topaz found in the
wash. It is situated about six miles north of Juga. The Lireui natives
have done a lot of work on this property, sinking shafts in some cases a
hundred yards back from the Dubbo River. These shafts run from 8 to 10
feet in depth, proving that the bottom wash must have been very rich for,
as a rule, the Lireuis only mined shallow ground where the wash is easily
got. Mr. Lush said that he had not seen similar work in any other part of
the tin district.
Mr. Lush reported that the pannings from the river bed gave very high
values, and four shafts sunk to a depth of 8 feet averaged 6 lbs. of tin
to the cubic yard. One shaft, which bottomed at 5 feet, went 30 lbs. of
tin to the cubic yard. An open-cut on the river bank exposed 17 feet of
gravel, which went 6 lbs. to the cubic yard. The overburden thrown out at
the shafts sunk by the Lireuis, where tried, gave an average of 5 lbs. of
tin to the cubic yard. At the southern end of this property Mr. Lush says
the river comes down from a hill with a fall of some 350 feet through
a rocky gorge. By working a dam at the top of the rapids sufficient
water could be conserved to run a plant by electrical transmission. This
country is mostly granite sand, no stiff clay or pug. Mr. Lush states
that nearly the whole of the 632 acres are an alluvial deposit, and in
his estimates, in order to be well within the mark, he estimates that the
payable dirt extends over 300 acres and averages 6 feet in depth. The
manager reported on August 29 that he had 300 men employed, and for the
four weeks ending August 27 he had recovered 31½ tons of tin, and had cut
735 feet of water leads.
_Rafinsiroma_ adjoins Dubbo to the south, and the manager, reporting on
August 29, said he had just started work on this property. On September
4 the manager reported that he had already shipped 505 lbs., and a
cablegram received October 9 states that a further shipment is being
made.
Work has been started on Polchi, and on October 9 a cablegram was
received stating that the first shipment had been made.
On the _Bilidi River_ property Mr. Lush reported that he made several
tests from wash exposed on the river bank below the Kofai crossing, and
obtained payable tin results in all. He then followed up the river for
about three miles, and in one part he says he got gold as well as tin
in the concentrates. In five pannings he reports there were from six
to ten colours of gold in every dish, which in his opinion was highly
satisfactory. Two miles below the Kofai crossing he found some very
promising flats, where he also got eight colours of gold in one dish. At
the time of his visit he says there was sufficient water running in the
Bauchi River for centrifugal pump work.
As regards _Kurdum_ and _Dila Rivers_, at the lower end of the ground,
near the village of Bundas, Mr. Lush says he obtained very good prospects
of tin in gravel from the river bed. At Dawka, some eight miles upstream,
the wash taken out of the river went 80 lbs. to the cubic yard. Several
pits were sunk on the banks, but owing to soakage water only one
bottomed, the depth of which was 8 feet, and gave the following result:
Overburden 7 feet went 3 lbs. of tin to the cubic yard.
Bottom wash 1 foot went 60 lbs. of tin to the cubic yard.
The river between Dawka and Bundas falls 400 feet, and at the latter town
it is 30 feet by 2 feet deep, flowing at the rate of 60 feet per minute.
Even in the middle of the dry season Mr. Lush says a race cut from a
point about a mile upstream would give sufficient head to generate 500
h.p. by electricity.
Mr. L. H. L. Huddart, in his report on the Kurdum River concession, says
he feels justified in making a preliminary estimate in order to give an
idea of what the property may be proved to contain, and he bases it on
the following reasons:—
(_a_) The tin falls above the property.
(_b_) The river has its source in a country rich in tin.
(_c_) The good values obtained in the stream bed and samples
taken from the banks.
(_d_) The method of deposition of the alluvial which indicates
that “wash outs” are unlikely to be found. In fact some good
leads should have been left by the river in the older gravels.
Upon these grounds he is of opinion that there are about 300 acres of
alluvial ground that should prove to be about 2½ yards deep with values
of about 3 lbs. per cubic yard. Mr. Huddart adds that an output of about
30 tons per month, or 360 tons per year, should be reached without
difficulty. In conclusion, he says: “The property is a good one, and its
ample supply of water cannot be too strongly emphasised. Tin will be
produced quickly from the river bed, and systematic development should
bear out the above estimate, and enable the work to be laid out with a
view on ultimate production of about 40 tons per month.”
Application for the Kwall Falls for electric power has been made on
behalf of this company, and great importance is attached to them. They
are situated about 14 miles west of the Niger (Bauchi) Syndicate’s area,
and it is stated that in the driest months there is ample water flowing
with a drop of 400 feet to generate 2,000 h.p. without any expense of
damming.
TIN FIELDS OF NORTHERN NIGERIA, LTD.
_Capital._—£100,000 in 100,000 shares of £1 each, of which
45,000 were issued to the vendors and 24,507 for cash, 10s.
paid.
_Directors._—Mr. S. R. Bastard (Chairman), Mr. F. N. Best, and
Mr. C. H. Dudley Ward.
_Secretary._—Mr. Newman Ogle.
_Offices._—Friars House, New Broad Street, E.C.
This company owns alluvial tin property at Federri comprising an area of
5,120 acres, and a further property situated on the Dila River or Doss,
comprising an area of 5,760 acres.
On the Federri property a tin-bearing area of 300 acres has been proved
containing tin alluvial from 2½ to 3½ yards deep, going from 3 lbs. to 6
lbs. per cubic yard, and it is estimated that the property has a life of
twenty-six years.
The second property is the Dila River or Doss, which has a proved area
of tin alluvial deposit from 3 to 5 yards deep over 400 acres, with an
average value of 3 lbs. per cubic yard. The life of the property has been
estimated at twenty-three years. A fully qualified engineer is now in
charge of the properties, and production of tin is expected to commence
immediately. The consulting engineer is Mr. C. G. Lush.
JUGA (NIGERIA) TIN AND POWER COMPANY, LTD.
_Capital._—£275,000, in 275,000 £1 shares, of which all are
issued.
_Directors._—Sir J. West Ridgeway (Chairman), Mr. Segar Richard
Bastard, Mr. Frank Norman Best, Sir Horace G. Regnart, J.P.,
and Mr. Henry S. Reitlinger.
_Secretary._—Mr. Newman Ogle.
_Offices._—Friars House, New Broad Street, E.C.
This company owns three properties, as follows:—
Acres
(1) Juga 1600
(2) Sub-Juga 6720
(3) South Juga 1280
_South Juga._—Mr. C. G. Lush, in reporting on the South Juga property,
said: “On the northern end there are several native workings, in which
payable prospects can be got. It would be advisable to have shafts sunk
right along the lead from the Juga boundary to the Bauchi road, and
boring plant used if water hindered sinking to bed-rock.... Some of the
tin carried into Juga must have found its way into South Juga.” Mr. L.
H. L. Huddart, reporting on the property, said: “The elevation is about
3,000 feet above the sea-level, with precipitous granite hills rising at
least 1,500 feet above the valley on both sides.... The tin occurs in a
valley about four miles long, running north-east and south-west. Bed-rock
is granite with frequent outcrops of granite and granulite, which form
baths more or less at right angles to the valley. The average width is
about 2,000 feet.... The ground is friable and easy to work.... A water
course which rises on Juga runs right down to the valley. From December
to April there is practically no running water, but from May to November
the stream runs freely.... If the small tributaries are dammed, and skill
is used in saving the water, there should be sufficient for all purposes
for six or seven months in the year. Later on a portable pump elevating
plant would have sufficient water for at least nine months. There is a
considerable quantity of water held up between the granite baths, and the
water-locked ground provides natural reservoirs.... A thorough system
of prospecting should be inaugurated.... Pits should be put in right
across the valley at 100 feet intervals, and a property plan made out
showing the depth of ground valued. These will enable the mining work to
be laid out in a systematic manner, and will disclose the rich leads.”
Mr. Huddart has formed a favourable opinion of the property, and gives
the following reasons for the estimates he has prepared: (1) Amount
of work previously done by natives who never touch anything but rich
wash; (2) sampling and inspection of native working and their tailings;
(3) the fact that this proposition is geographically a part of Juga on
which rich wash exists; (4) personal knowledge of the ground tested and
discoveries on every known part of this field, and general occurrence of
cassiterite on all parts of the property. Taking the property as a whole,
he estimates that there are 180 acres of alluvial ground, running 4 lbs.
per cubic yard, averaging two yards deep. In conclusion, Mr. Huddart says
this is an attractive property.... Importance is readily attached to the
fact that the property can be made an immediate producer.
_Juga Property._—This property is on a plateau 3,280 feet above the
sea-level, and Mr. Lush estimates that 200 acres will be highly payable.
He takes the average depth of ground as 9 feet, and this extending for
200 acres equals 2,904,000 cubic yards. The area is of exceedingly high
quality, and exceptionally free from impurities. In his report Mr. Lush
says: “Valuing the ground at 6 lbs. per cubic yard, I am not taking into
account only the high results obtained from some of the bottom wash, but
am reckoning it as a whole. I do this because working results may prove
that the wash does not extend over the whole 200 acres, but the gravel
does, and I feel confident will average what I state.”
_Sub-Juga._—This property, comprising an area of 6,720 acres, lies upon
the lower plateau, or plain, immediately below Juga. The natives have
done a great deal of work here, and their beds were extensively tried
by Mr. Lush, who got very rich prospects when panning. Some of the dish
concentrates went as high as 40 lbs. of tin oxide to the cubic yard,
and in no single instance did he get less than 3 lbs. He considers that
out of the 6,720 acres 400 are proved to be highly payable, but this
only includes the main lead, which runs right through the property for
6¼ miles, and does not include any of the runs coming in from east and
west. He takes the average depth of ground as 9 feet; this extending for
400 acres equals 5,808,000 cubic yards. Mr. Lush has recommended movable
plants for these properties. Transmission of electrical power to run
both the nozzle and the gravel pumps is, of course, the cheapest and
best method of working, but it will be some time, probably two years,
before the contemplated hydraulical scheme can be installed. Mr. Lush’s
recommendations have been accepted by the board, and two plants are
being constructed, and their cost when mounted and erected at the mine
will not exceed £10,000. In addition to the sluice boxes at present
on the property, there are now on the way a further sixty-nine sluice
boxes, with all exhausters complete, and these will enable sluicing and
calabashing to be carried on pending the arrival and erection of the
hydraulic plant.
Mr. Hooke has been appointed manager, with Mr. Grant as his assistant.
Besides sluicing, surveys have to be completed, dams constructed,
prospecting done, especially by means of boring, tools being supplied for
those parts where the water is too heavy for the pits to be sunk.
Mr. A. W. Hooke writes under date September 14, 1910, as follows:
“Attached hereto are my notes upon the leases of the company and the
dam site. In setting forth this general report several difficulties
have faced the writer—the absence of any systematic sampling record—the
flooded condition of the existing holes, and the short time in which to
cover the ground.
“At the same time also an effort had to be made to organise the labour
and increase the output under existing circumstances. I give the
following summary to show how the output has increased in the last four
weeks. From August 15 to September 10 the production stands thus:
Week ending. Calabashers. Crude Purchased at
Tin Won.
August 20 52 men 768 lbs. ¾d. per lb.
” 27 102 ” 3,319 ” ¾d. ”
Sept. 3 127 ” 3,327 ” ¾d. ”
” 10 133 ” 4,925 ” ½d. ”
“Some of this ore is being won on Juga, but by far the greater part comes
from Nafuta. It contains much iron impurity, and a streaming box has
already been made for its re-treatment at Juga. It will be understood
that the natives bring their weekly winnings from Nafuta to Juga on
Sundays, when it is weighed and purchased from them. The first three lots
shown above were purchased approximately at ¾d. per lb., and the last one
at ½d. The condition of the tin, &c., is a big factor in guiding one as
to the price, but as time goes on I hope to instruct the native into the
way of streaming his tin and bringing it to a better quality. If I can do
this, and keep the price down, it means a big advantage to us.
“Labour at 6d. per day is most satisfactory (9d. is the ruling rate
elsewhere except at Dubbo). This week my whole gang struck work and
demanded an increase from 6d. to 9d. I flatly refused, and to time of
writing have almost as many new men as I require. Some of the old hands
have since returned to work. I have despatched a headman to Gingim and
Polchi, who will doubtless secure all that I require.