Gold dredge in the Bulolo area

Abstract

Despite difficulties of travel, gold prospectors pushed into the Bulolo area in the late 1920's and early 1930's and found extraordinarily rich fields. All the parts of huge gold dredges, as illustrated here, were airfreighted into the area. At the height of the boom in 1938-39 when the value of gold production reached a peak of £2,251,436, eight dredges were operating. The total value of gold produced in both territories until June, 1960, was about £40 million, of which over 90 per cent came from the Wau-Bulolo area. Production has declined in recent years and now only one dredge is operating. Lode mining and sluicing are still carried on at Wau but reserves are limited. Minor deposits of manganese, and copper are mined and in 1959-60 total mineral production was valued at £719,645. Alluvial mining is being carried out on an increasing scale by native miners, about 2,500 of whom are working alluvial deposits in the Kainantu area of the Eastern Highlands. The value of production by these miners increased during the past 10 years from £2,434 to £57,982 in 1959-60. Show more