The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-08-14
MINING IN CHINA
IS NOT ENCOURAGED
Too Many Obstacles Placed in
Way of Operating Meri-
t0riOus Ground.

The four provinces OF Kwengtung.
kweichow. Kwangsi and Yunnan. con-
stituting the consular district OF Canton,
possess mineral resources OF great vari-
Iety and richness. Gold has been washed
for centres from the waters OF Hainan.
Silver mines are found In all four of the
provinces. and are being worked at
Pakshlktong, Kwangtunk. and IN Kwei
Hsien, Kwangs along foreign and semi
foreign lines. The most important de-
pobits that have been tapped to any ex-
tent In this district are the stanniferous
lodes at kochin, In AIengtsz Hsien, Yum
nan, and at Hiutsongling in Tamechow.
Hainan Al Kochin alone has any con-
siderable advance been made toward
copper, antimony. orpiment, lead and
quicksilver are found In various sections
or the district in varying quantities and
different qualities. writes Consul General
Bergholz OF Canton. says the Boston FL
nancial News.
Mining in Chipa has been handicapped
oy ices. royalties. transit, l!kin. and ex
port charges, etc. imposed by the cen
tral government. Mines are not to be
opened until there has been obtained
from the board OF commerce a permit to
prospect and permit 10 operate. Min
ing concessions must not bo over 30
square II 0l-l-3 n'le) In area and the
length may not be more than four times
the width Should there be graves upon
the land Included in the concession care
must be taken In sinking shafts to avoid
them. and when such avoidance is abso-
lutely Impossible a liberal allowance must
be made for removing the graves. The
permit to prospect allows merely an ex-
animation Of the surface outcrop OF the
vein and such examination must not be
carried to too great depth or over too
great an extent Of ground" Foreign
capital may be admitted TO only equal
shares with Chinese capital In any orig.
inal mining enterprise.
Should a COMPANY consisting SOLELY Of
Chinese capital find It's funds too limit
ed to conduct the undertaking properly,
security of It's machinery and plant. but
1t cannot mortgage the mine for this pur-
pose. The ordinary land tax must be
psn on 10 all o sbd affected by
rental OF kuping tael fGs7 cents5 per
NOW d-6 OF an acre.. The fee for a
and before prospecting may begin one
years rental on all government land
thereby affected must be paid. The fec
!ished at s67, for any area OF ID square
!! or less, and for eevry additional square
H. ss,70. A tax must be paid on the
oa ap'Pqt of all mines sn as doa o0%s So
rax. per cent ad valorem: (2) petro-
leum, copper. tin. lead, sulphur and cin-
nabar ni rs per cent; ca gold, platinum.
tD quartz crystal and all sorts OF pre-
cious stones, 20 per cent. Export duty
must be paid on all ore or minerals ex-
ported according 10 the customs regu-
lations. Upon receipt of a permit to
prospect a bond OF 5000 taels (sS35o)
must be filed, and on receipt OF n per
nit to work bond OF 10000 taels (S6700)
Is required by the authorities.
When to these provisions OF the law
are added the long and complicated
process by which such permits can alone
be obtained. the numerous and indefinite
but necessary payments involved therein.
the difficulties encountered by mine oper-
ators In China are apparent. Were for.
eign capital given larger opportunity
there Is no doubt that millions OF dollars
would pour Into Yunnan. Kweichow and
Kwangsei from abroad. and turn loose
their mineral wealth. but to AL sugges-
tions OF this kind the people of these
provices turn an unsympathetic car.