week. These cannot be quite bottomed on account of the water in the wash,
but as the rain eases off they can be completed and sampled.
“_General._—The three leases are all properties upon which hydraulic
sluicing can be carried out satisfactorily, and the wash and overburden
in each case is ideal material for gravel pumping. I am quite pleased
with the general condition of things, but am anxious to have my sampling
completed, so that I may form some estimate of yardage and the average
value.”
PRELIMINARY REPORT BY MR. ARTHUR W. HOOKE, ACCOMPANYING HIS LETTER OF
SEPTEMBER 14, 1910.
_Juga Property._—This lease stands at the highest elevation of the
three, and practically forms the divide between South Juga and Nafuta.
Its watershed is large, and the greater portion of this goes north-east
through the Nafuta gorge to the flats. The lease embraces an area of
1,440 acres and compasses the flats adjacent to two streams coming from
the South, which unite and continue north-east, passing into the Nafuta
gorge as the Juga River.
The maximum depth of the ground is only about 12 feet, and much of
it is amenable to ground sluicing, though it could be handled more
advantageously by gravel pumps. This latter scheme is eventually the
policy to adopt, as thereby most of the material can be stacked after
treatment, and any chance of silting-up be avoided.
The former (ground sluicing) will be a temporary expedient—I say
temporary advisedly, because the detritus from such operations will
eventually find its way to the area for the dam site above the Nafuta
gorge. It will be readily understood that the shape of the property is
irregular in order to most economically take in the desired area.
The rocky surroundings naturally bring down their storm waters rapidly,
and this will always act as a deterrent in ground sluicing and be a point
in favour of power plants.
The lease carries a sparse supply of timber, but will justify the
installation of a steam plant of such dimensions as that already under
construction. As time wears on, however, an alternative power must have
consideration.
The contour of the country does not lend itself to the construction of
earthwork headraces, &c., being too rocky; service water, will therefore
have to be carried in a pipe service.
I am forwarding a sketch plan showing the two streams and their
confluence under the name of the Juga. Pits as shown have been sunk and
a sampling done. The samples (Mr. Robinson informs me) were taken by a
native headman, and run very erratically from 17 lbs. to nil per cubic
yard. Robinson says that some of the holes at that time had been flooded,
and is of opinion that all the bottom wash in some instances was not
included in the samples taken.
At the present time all the pits are more or less flooded and silted, but
I will re-sample the whole of these and advise results at the earliest
possible moment.
The two dams shown in the sketch have been carried away by floods. Higher
up the river at “A,” a much better site exists, which will give more
pressure and command more ground. I propose to place one here as soon as
I can.
The tracts shown on the drawing will give some idea of the direction in
which the other leases lie.
Viewed in conjunction with the plans, the directors will have a more
concise idea of their relative positions.
_Nafuta or Sub-Juga._—Of the exclusive area held here some 1,850 acres
have been embodied in the mining lease just issued. It embraces what
appears to be the pick of the Nafuta flats and encloses a maximum of
alluvial drift with a minimum of rock, and at the same time adheres to
the water-course. The Nafuta gorge terminates quite abruptly, and opens
in an expansive plain lying some 400 feet below. The lease commences
at the foot of the gorge, and runs along the river in a north-easterly
direction. Its width embraces the deepest of the flats, though there is
still some ground at the south-west corner of the exclusive area that
warrants attention. I should say from a cursory examination that the
amount of workable ground is in excess of that of the other leases,
though no attempt can be made to quote tonnage until many more pits have
been sunk. It is from this area that most of our present tin is being
won. The tin contains much impurity, such as iron, and the natives find
a difficulty in separating it by calabashing.
The average depth, judging by the present trial pits, is 12 feet. The
wash is clear and medium sized, and the overburden is ideal material for
removal where viewed in the old paddocks.
I see no difficulties in it as a gravel sluicing proposition, once
provision is made for power. The lease carries no timber, and is a power
consideration from the beginning.
Of tin value I can quote last week’s winning of 4,000 odd lbs. of crude
tin by 120 men with calabashes, and this too in the face of many weather
difficulties.
A site has been set aside for a native village, and already people are
congregating and erecting their grass huts.
_South Juga._—This lease, as its name implies, lies south of Juga. It
covers 855 acres, and is approximately 4 miles long by 2,000 yards wide.
It is traversed for its entire length by the track which leaves the
Toro-Bauchi road and comes on to Juga. The lease is narrow—it lies in
a long gully, and appears bound by a succession of rocky bars. These
no doubt may be acting as excellent natural tin savers, but they will
make work very irregular. Of the tin value here I cannot speak with any
definiteness. I have not traversed the ground in detail, and as no pits
have been sunk upon it, I have no samples to guide me. It will have my
attention so soon as I can get one lease into a regular producing stage.
_Nafuta Dam Site._—In proceeding from Juga to Nafuta one traverses the
basin of this proposed dam. As a site its position would be hard to beat.
It covers some 356 acres, which narrows down to a steep rocky neck,
through which the waters debouch on to the Nafuta flat. The sides of the
gorge rise in an abrupt slope, and are composed of granite. It forms an
ideal situation for a retaining wall which, if reared 100 feet, would
throw back 326 million cubic feet of water. This quantity of water would
develop approximately 550 horse-power for 370 days of 12 hours, using
1,220,000 cubic feet per day, and allowing 525,000 cubic feet for daily
evaporation and soakage losses.
At present the dam area is enclosed in the Nafuta _exclusive area_,
which expires at Christmas. I propose therefore to take it up as an
agricultural lease, which I believe can be secured at annual rental of
1s. per acre.
The dam is a necessity for the operation of Nafuta, though, of course
once established, it could generate high tension electricity for
transmission to Juga and South Juga, and operate them as well.
A masonry retaining wall could, I think, be most cheaply built, as the
stone exists on the site. It would be the installation of a quarrying
plant of say half-dozen rock drills and channelling machines, also a
small aerial line up the bed of the dam for handling the stone, and a
“flying fox” gear across the gorge for handling all the stone in the
retaining wall.
In some places at the lower end the water is lost to sight 30 feet or
more beneath the huge granite boulders that lie in the gorge.
GONGOLA SYNDICATE, LTD.
_Capital Authorised._—£9000. Issued and fully paid, £6607.
_Directors._—Mr. S. R. Bastard (Chairman), Mr. C. G. Lush, Mr.
Walter Wethered.
_Secretary._—Mr. Newman M. Ogle.
_Registered Offices._—Friars House, New Broad Street, London,
E.C.
This syndicate owns the following properties in the Bauchi Province:—
_Rein._—An exclusive licence to prospect an area of 4½ square miles near
the towns of Rein and Forum.
_South Bukeru._—An exclusive licence to prospect an area of 3 square
miles south of Bukeru, and sold to the company of that name.
_Shen._—A mining licence to work an area of 24 acres on the left bank of
the Shen stream.
The Rein property is situated on the south-eastern side of the Bauchi
Tin Fields, between the pagan towns of Forum and Rein. The area encloses
about six miles of a stream flowing in the northerly direction from Rein
to Forum, where it junctions with a system of rivers on which the Ribon,
Bisichi, Doss, and other properties are situated.
The area is three-quarters of a mile wide by six miles long, an extent
of 4½ square miles, practically the whole of which is tin-bearing
alluvial. The alluvial is composed of a sandy material of an extremely
free nature, and the bottom is the usual coarse grey granite. The latter
outcrops in very few places, and carries from about a yard to four yards
of alluvial ground. Although the bottom could be reached in only a few
places in the stream bed, good prospects of black tin were obtained in
nearly all samples panned, and from the alluvial flats, as exposed by the
banks of the stream, the results ran from about 3 to 5 lbs. of tin per
cubic yard. The panning concentrates contained 10 to 15 per cent. of
titaniferous iron sand (which was allowed for), but this mineral presents
no difficulties, and can be easily eliminated by the ordinary dressing
operations.
The width of the property (three-quarters of a mile) does not include the
whole of the large alluvial flats that occur on either side of the river,
but having secured the river and so much of the adjacent ground, these
flats are protected, and, if necessary, may be taken up when the land for
mining purposes is selected.
Of the area staked, certainly more than two-thirds carries alluvial
ground of the thickness given above. Except in the bed of the stream,
rich patches are not expected, but a fairly uniform value throughout.
_Water._—There is a continuous flow of water for sluicing purposes all
the year round.
_Grades._—Cannot be determined without survey, but at the lower (Forum)
end of the property there is sufficient fall to allow the tailings to be
inexpensively dealt with.
_Costs._—Will compare favourably with other mines in the district, _i.e._
with ground of moderate value the costs would amount to between £10 and
£15 per ton of black tin, and present transport charges £27 10s. per ton
inclusive.
Final tests of the flats are capable of being cheaply and quickly carried
out by means of trial pits; boring is unnecessary. The probability is
that the workable ground will prove to be of too large an area to be
included in one mining lease, and that it will be necessary to split the
present area into two or more properties.
_Shen Property._—This property is situated on the left bank of the Shen
stream, on which it has been pegged out for some distance with an average
width of about two chains. The Shen property adjoins the concession
acquired by the Bisichi Tin Company (Nigeria), Ltd.
_South Bukeru._—This property, comprising an area of three square miles,
is situated about four miles south of Bukeru. It is situated on the top
of the Bukeru watershed, a basin heavily watered with small streams
running through the whole area, which is stated to be alluvial, and all
the ground is tin-bearing from the top to the bottom of the pits, which
have been sunk to a depth of about fifteen feet. Pump or boring plant
will be necessary to thoroughly test the property. This property has been
sold to the South Bukeru (Nigeria) Tin Co., Ltd.
NIGERIA TIN CORPORATION, LTD.
_Capital._—£100,000 in 100,000 shares of £1 each; 34,782
issued; a further 25,000 are under option at 25s. per share
until December 31, 1910.
_Directors._—Oliver Wethered (Chairman), H. C. Godfray, R. J.
Hoffmann, H. J. Moir, C. V. Thomas.
_Secretary._—George Kerr, A.C.I.S.
_Offices._—Capel House, 54 New Broad Street, E.C.
This company owns four areas aggregating 14 square miles in Nigeria,
and in addition to these has large holdings of shares in the leading
companies operating in this field, including:
Champion Gold Reefs of West Africa, Ltd.
Naraguta (Nigeria) Tin Mines, Ltd.
Juga Tin and Power Company, Ltd.
Anglo-Continental Mines, Ltd.
Northern Nigeria (Bauchi) Tin Mines, Ltd.
Another of the company’s assets to which considerable importance is
attached is the interest in the Juga (Nigeria) Tin and Power Company,
whose property comprises what is known as the Juga area, situated on a
plateau 3,280 feet above sea-level, amounting to 1,600 acres, and the
Sub-Juga area which, as its name implies, is situated upon the lower
plateau immediately below Juga, amounting to 6,720 acres. A further
property, known as the South Juga, has also been acquired. From August
15 to September 10 the quantity of crude tin produced by the Juga
Company was 12,339 lbs., but Mr. C. G. Lush, the consulting engineer,
states that, as in the case of the Naraguta property, the bed of the
river, in which the richest deposits of tin are contained, is exposed for
calabashing in the dry season, which is now beginning, so that a much
larger output of tin may be confidently expected in the near future. New
plant is now being supplied capable of dressing twelve tons of tin oxide
per day.
The Anglo-Continental Mines Company is largely interested in what are
undoubtedly the best gold mines in the Tarkwa and Prestea, districts
of West Africa, but it has also a substantial slice of the Nigerian
“cake.” It has already had one profitable “deal” in the successful
flotation of the Northern Nigeria (Bauchi) Tin Mines, Ltd.—a company
holding prospecting licences over a compact block of 50 square miles in
the Bauchi Province, and mining licences over three blocks of about 12½
acres each. Portions of the property have been worked sufficiently by the
Niger Company to prove their exceptional value as tin-bearing areas. Mr.
C. G. Lush, reporting in February last, stated: “From surface pannings
I should estimate the over-burden, or rather stanniferous gravelly
deposit overlying the wash, to go 2 lbs. per cubic yard.... Provided
sufficient power is obtained, there is room here for at least four big
plants capable of treating 10,000 cubic yards of gravel each per week.
40,000 yards at 2 lbs. equals 80,000 lbs. of tin oxide, equal to 35 tons
per week, which, at £80, means £2,800; less cost of treatment at 6d.
per yard £1,000, carriage on 35 tons of tin (at £15) £525, Government
royalty at 10 per cent. £127, leaving a net weekly profit of £1,148.” The
Anglo-Continental Mines Company has a large interest in this company, and
is looking for big dividends therefrom in the not very distant future.
But this is not by any means the full extent of its interest in Northern
Nigeria, for it has acquired an adjoining area of 50 square miles, which
are stated to afford equally satisfactory prospects.
Apart from the indirect interest the Nigerian Tin Corporation has in the
Northern Nigeria (Bauchi) Tin Mines, through the Anglo-Continental Mines
Company already referred to, it has a large holding on its own account.
The original intention, when the Nigerian Tin Corporation was formed, was
that it should confine itself entirely to taking participation in deals
and promotions, but feeling persuaded that this is the most important
virgin tin field the world has yet seen, the directors decided to extend
the scope of the corporation’s operations, and, as already stated, four
areas have been acquired of eight, three, two, and one square miles
respectively.
Mr. H. O. Crighton, late manager of the Pusing Lama Mine, in the Straits
Settlements, has been appointed the company’s manager in Northern Nigeria
in January last, and has already taken up three areas on behalf of this
company.
NORTHERN NIGERIA (BAUCHI) TIN MINES, LTD.
_Capital._—£200,000 in £1 shares, of which 169,000 are issued
and fully paid, including 100,000 given in part payment of the
property.
_Directors._—Sir Robert A. Hampson, J.P. (Chairman), Mr. Hugh
C. Godfray, Mr. George T. Harris, Mr. Oliver Wethered, and Mr.
Hetherington White.
_Secretary._—Mr. E. Price.
_Offices._—19 St. Swithin’s Lane, E.C.
This company has exclusive prospecting rights over an area of 50 square
miles in the Naraguta district of Northern Nigeria, together with mining
licences over a further area of 12½ acres situated at the head-waters of
a small river.
The manager of this company in Nigeria is Mr. Means, who has done a
considerable amount of prospecting on the property. This large property
of 50 square miles was originally secured by the Anglo-Continental
Company. It is believed there are several large areas of alluvial tin on
the property, which has not yet been properly prospected.
With regard to the smaller concession of 12½ acres, Mr. Lush confirmed
the statement that the alluvial tin at this point was exceptionally rich,
averaging as much as 12 lbs. per cubic yard.
In his report on this property dated February 21, 1910, Mr. Lush said:
“From surface pannings I should estimate the overburden, or rather
stanniferous gravelly deposit overlying the wash, to go 2 lbs. per cubic
yard. It would be interesting to see the values and thickness of the
bottom wash. Provided sufficient power is obtained, there is room here
for at least four big plants capable of treating 10,000 cubic yards of
gravel each per week: 40,000 yards at 2 lbs. equals 80,000 lbs. of tin
oxide, equal to 35 tons per week.
“I look for a fair depth of payable ground, everything points to its
being so, but only boring can decide this.
“Life of property would largely depend on the depth of the deposit and
the number of plants erected, but presuming the deposit is 15 feet deep,
and you instal four plants capable of putting through 10,000 yards weekly
each, it would take fully eight years to work out this 500 acres of the
property.
“I understand that the total area of land taken over by you from the
Niger Bauchi Syndicate is 50 square miles, or 32,000 acres. In this
report I am only dealing with the southern and south-western part of your
holding, some 20 square miles, as I did not visit the northern portion. I
was, however, credibly informed by one of the Government mining officials
that on the northern block of 30 square miles there are also stanniferous
deposits, and in addition a very promising tin lode, a continuation of
the one that has been opened up by the Niger Company on your eastern
boundary. The actual value and life of only the area I have reported
upon would, in my opinion, quite justify your proceeding with vigorous
development work at once. The probable values of the remaining 30 square
miles may possibly turn out equal to the southern; there is no reason why
they should not, as the whole of the property is within a rich alluvial
and lode tin district that has hardly as yet been scratched.”
On June 15 the company’s representative in Nigeria cabled: “Active
sluicing operations will be commenced as soon as sufficient water
is available. Meantime 6 tons of tin have been produced by means of
calabashes.”
A complete sluicing plant has been shipped, and pending its arrival
washing by means of calabashes is being continued.
At the first statutory meeting, Mr. Lush said, since delivering his
report:
“I see by a cablegram from Mr. Means that he has found good tin on other
areas. There are about 4 square miles of about 2,600 acres that have been
proved to carry tin since I left there.”
REPORT ON THE N’GELL RIVER TIN DEPOSITS, NORTHERN NIGERIA
BY MR. H. W. LAWS
The N’Gell River, which is one of the sources of the Kaduna, rises in the
pagan town of N’Gell on the highest watershed of the country.
Black oxide of tin is found in large quantities in the bed of this river
where it is not deeply covered with gravel, and in the various streams
flowing into it, especially those coming in from the south. The ore
undoubtedly has a very local origin, it is derived largely from the
denudation of the small tin-bearing quartz veins in pegmatite granite on
the sources of the tributaries known as Nos. 1 and 2 streams, and lode
matter containing massive crystals of tin is also breaking down in the
neighbourhood of Nos. 4 and 5 streams. All these it will be noted are on
the south side of the river.
For the purpose of discussing these tin deposits as a mining proposition,
the river may be conveniently divided into three portions:
A. The headwaters of the N’Gell River (sections 49 and 50 on
plan) with Nos. 1, 2, and 3 streams.
B. The portion of the N’Gell River flowing through the Niger
Company’s area for a distance of 2½ miles with the tributaries
known as Nos. 4, 5, and 6 streams, and
C. The portion of the N’Gell River flowing for a distance of
six miles through section 46 and 36 to 40 on the plan.
A
This portion is actually on the apex of the watershed. The streams
which fall rapidly to the valley below on the west are crossed by
numerous bars of granite and quartz reefs, which act as natural riffles,
and have served to concentrate the ore in high values, but relatively
small quantities of alluvial in the beds and banks of the streams. Good
alluvial also occurs in patches amongst the granite hills away from the
waterways.
The streams get a fairly regular supply of water from springs and the
drainage of the many veins, but they are also subject to scouring floods
caused by heavy but entirely local rains. The floods are breaking down
the alluvial with great rapidity, and large quantities of ore must be
washed down to the valley below every year.
During three months of somewhat irregular work last year we recovered
30 tons of black tin from Nos. 1 and 2 streams. Part of this was won by
sluicing the alluvial banks, of which 2,736 cubic yards, worth 10 to 11
lbs. of black tin per yard, were worked. Operations were commenced from
the boundary, the ground was worked fairly, and although superficially
it only represents some 300 square yards, it gives a fair idea of the
value of the bank deposits. The values, of course, would not apply to
the alluvial apart from the streams, nor to that on No. 3 stream,
where there is far less grade and more alluvial, but, taken as a whole,
the proposition is decidedly the richest yet found in Nigeria. Until
further prospecting has been done and a detailed survey carried out,
it is impossible to give any accurate estimate of the payable alluvial
available on this portion; as a hand-work proposition it is not of great
extent (as will be gathered from my report to the Niger Company last
December, a copy of which I attach), but as an area systematically worked
with the aid of machinery, it is undoubtedly a property which should
produce a large tonnage of tin over a period of many years.
The above-mentioned report also clearly sets forth the difficulties in
the way of systematic mining, if it is to be regarded as a separate
concern. I have carefully considered the methods suggested by Mr. Lush in
his report. The first we have already tried. The second is impracticable,
because we have no higher level at which we could conserve water for
hydraulicing the whole of the alluvial deposits, and the third and fourth
can only be considered in conjunction with one or both of the other
portions of the N’Gell River.
A modification of the second suggestion might prove satisfactory as
a temporary measure. It would be possible to conserve in a reservoir
constructed near the head of one of the streams sufficient water
to sluice by gravity—I do not think there would be pressure for
hydraulicing—the alluvial in and near the main river and part of that
about the three streams. The ground higher up the streams could not be
worked by this means.
B
This portion of the river flows through the Niger Company’s area, as
shown on the plan attached. The river, after leaving the town of N’Gell,
falls into a fine open valley within which is an apparently deep basin
filled in with loose gravels heavily charged with water.
Four important streams numbered 3, 4, 5, and 6, enter the river from the
south, three of them having falls in the position marked on the plan.
In addition to the alluvial being washed down the main stream, this basin
must also be enriched by the tin-bearing wash in the tributaries, which
also show good prospects.