recovery,4
the output from December 21, 1920, to May 21, 1921, being 966 ounces. A
dredge has been ordered by the newly organized Colombia Proprietary
Gold Mines (Ltd.), a British concern, to operate on Llantin River, 70.
miles south of Buenaventura. It is stated on good authority that the
native production of platinum decreased considerably during 1921,
owing to the lower price paid for the metal by local buyers, which
naturally was reduced in conformity with the New York market. It is
believed that the production may decline somewhat from that maintained
during the war period for a few years, until sufficient dredges are
installed to handle adequately the large reserves of gravel.
PAPUA.
The
first recorded shipment of osmiridium from Papua was made in 1921 and
amounted to 88 ounces. Australians evidently believe that the east end
of New Guinea may yet prove a mining field for this valuable
iridium-osmium alloy.
RUSSIA.
Very
little real news concerning the situation in the Russian platinum
fields has been forthcoming. Apparently a little hand mining is going
on. Late in 1921 it was reported that a State-controlled platinum
trust had been organized by the soviet government, and in May, 1922, it
was reported that Louis Duparc 5 is going to Russia to reorganize the platinum-mining industry at the invitation of the" soviet government.
It is reported 6 that the production of platinum during the first half of 1921 was about 2,700 ounces.
TASMANIA.
The
production of osmiridium in Tasmania in 1921 was 1,750 ounces, as
compared with 2,009 ounces in 1920, 1,670 ounces in 1919, and 1,607
ounces in 1918. This is rather surprising in view of the fact that the
prices paid for the alloy have been continually lowered until it was
reported that many miners had abandoned operations. An excellent
description of the various fields in Tasmania in which osmiridium is
mined is that by Reid,7 published in 1921.
* Min. Jour. (London), vol. 25, p. 50, 1921.
<■ Eng. and Min. Jour.-Press, vol. 113, No. 18, p. 786,1922.
8 Note by Dept. Commerce of a translation from Economic Life.
»Reid, M. A., Osmiridium in Tasmania: Tasmania Geol. Survey Bull 32,1921.
