“Economic Possibilities” Of Minerals

Press, Volume C, Issue 29515, 17 May 1961, Page 16

“Economic Possibilities” Of Minerals

(New Zealand Press Association)

DUNEDIN, May 16. The New Zealand Geological Survey would certainly be doing further detailed investigations of the Red Hills area in Fiordland where initial mapping had revealed chromite, nickel, and asbestos minerals which were “economic possibilities,” the director, Mr R. W. Willett, said today. The survey is not interested in “risk ventures” itself, but would collect basic information on the deposits and the fundamental geology of the area to publish or make available to mineral groups that might be interested, said Mr Willett, who is visiting Dunedin after attending the survey’s conference at Te Anau.

The area involved is a strip of land from the end of the Humboldt range (which runs from the head of Lake Wakatipu) northwards about 40 miles to the Jackson river on the West Coast. The Red Hills range has a distinct red colouration from the minerals present and will not support vegetation. The immediate need was good maps of the area taken from air photographs and the Lands and Survey Department would be requested to give this task priority, said

Mr Willett. Air mapping work would probably have to be supported by ground parties, and the survey might go ahead with other investigations of the area soon. Field prospecting on its own was of little use unless backed up by proper maps for interpretation.

The recent mapping of Fiordland by field geologists had “shown a number of new minerals and put into perspective a number of old ones W'e know —which with further detailed work may be of economic importance,” said Mr Willett, Depending on the results of examination of mineralised samples, it was likely that further detailed work would also be undertaken in central Fiordland, to the west of Lake Te Anau, where massive occurrences of lowgrade sulphide ore minerals had been found. “It is not yet known which metal the sulphide minerals contain. Iron, copper, or nickel are possibilities, and the content will soon be determined,” he said. The survey will be concerned in the future with having a "new look” at interesting areas of the Dominion to re-examine what was there, the geological structure of the land, and possible usage in the currrent economy, said Mr Willett. The minerals about Nelson, and the North Auckland, coppers would be investigated again.