Summary of the Results of Geologicel Survey and Exploration Works Recently Conducted at Metal Mines in Japan.
1953 Volume 3 Issue 7 Pages 40-42
Details
1953 Volume 3 Issue 7 Pages 40-42
During the past few years, remarkable progress has been made in the results of geological survey and exploration works conducted at metal mines in Japan. This has been the outcome of the reform that has taken place in recent years in the attitude towards geological survey through the promotion of such aggressive and desirable measures as are conducive towards progress, namely, the practical application of fundamental theories to the techniques of geological survey and exploration, the propagation of mining geology, and the advancement and widespread use of geo-physical and geo-chemical methods of exploration and diamond drilling.
In the past year 1951, the average amount of newly proven reserves for every meter of exploratory drilling done at the major mines in Japan, more than doubled that of the previous year, while the new reserves developed in the year reached as high as 7 times the amount of ore mined. This indicates a bright future for mine operators. However if we look at this from the aspect of individual mines, the geological surveys conducted at such mines as Konomai, Matsuo, Kamaishi, Ashio, Kune and Yanahara have shown remarkable results but on the other hand some of the large mines have as a result of these surveys indicated a downward trend.
During the year 1951, of the newly developed ore reserves in the 76 major mines of Japan producing various minerals, only 21% of the totally discovered reserves was from virgin deposits, the rest were all associated with already known deposits and have been discovered either below the known ore bodies or in drift heads.
In Japan, it is not only common in the so-called black ores, but there are many instances of blind veins. We must increase the present low ratio of developed ore reserves coming under the category of newly discovered bodies through our efforts in searching for unexplored resources by re-examining the known ore deposits and thereby catching blind deposits in virgin areas.
