WORLD ACHIEVEMENTS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 114, 24 January 1940, Page 3

WORLD ACHIEVEMENTS

NEW METHOD OF PROSPECTING

It is an old saying that there is more than one way of killing a pig. There is also more than one. way of searching for metals in the earth.

Prospecting is likely to become more scientific than ever before if the idea of two Swedish investigators is widely adopted. They are Dr. Nils Brundin and Dr. Sven Palmqvist who search for hidden metal by examining the leaves of trees.

Fantastic though this may sound it is nevertheless precisely what these scientists do. It is well known that earth or gravel or water become impregnated with traces of any metal which lies buried in the neighbourhood. Minute examination of these is not always practicable,, but a method of experimenting on fhe leaves of trees and shrubs has been discovered, and this eventually leads to the same result, the trees sending roots deep into the soil and the sap carrying up to the leaves minute traces of whatever metals mav exist in the neighbourhood.

Dr. Brundin and Dr. Palmqvist ask onlj r for supplies of leaves taken from a given area. After reducing the leaves to ashes they find it possible to say quite definitely what metals are to be found in the region where che trees grow. If gold is there, traces of it will be loun«; in the ashes, and if other metals are present they are sure to be indicated. Where no trees grow other vegetation may be treated in the same way and quite as successfully.