MINERALS AND OILS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4370, 25 January 1922, Page 3

MINERALS AND OILS.

MEANS OF LOCATION.

A WONDERFUL INSTRUMENT.

Mr E, F. Cone contributes to the “Scientific American” a remarkable article in which, he describes an instrument invented by a German scientist (or the location of minerals, which bids' fair to revolutionise minr 'eral prospecting. The writer says: ■ In December of last year ,Mr Herman A. Holz, of New York, gave the preliminary details of a new German invention, which was described as, the ■ old dividing rod rendered efficient for the detection of minerals, metals, and ' even crude oil. Mr Holz, a dealer of the highest standing in scientific instruments of precision, stated, that wonderful progress had been made in . Europe in the last four or five years in the utilisation ,of atomic forces; that processes and practical means had btfen developed tp a high s,cale of perfection for definitely locating solid liquid and gaseous deposits in the earth without boring or prospecting, and even for accurately determining the position, depth, width, and thickness of each deposit, and for differentiating between the various minerals forming the deposit. TESTING THE INVENTION. The, invention has been developed , by a Geiman engineer high standing, who for many years was chief engineer of a prpminent boring and drilling company. • Mr Holz personally visited Germany a year ago to investigate and study thg invention apd the tests to which it had been subjected He himself located with the apparatus and extensive lead-zinc-siH ver field in Germany, and thoroughly checked all phases of the device. The principle on which the new instrument is designed is‘described by Mr Holz as follows: All material? of mineral origin seem to give off certain emanations different for each element. The difference probably lies In the speed of. the- electrons given off, and has some certain relation to the atomic weight of the elements. These variations, carefully studied by the inventor, permit him to differentiate y clearly between the various materials forming a deposit by synchronisation of the apparatus to the waves of different form*- Thus, if the apparatus is adjusted for lead, , It is actuated only by lead; if set for ; oil, it is acted upon only by pit. The apparatus can be adjusted for practically all useful minerals found- tn the earth, sUch as all ores, salts, coal, sulphur,, asbestos, oil, natural gas, etc 7 There are several very remarkable. features, of this processremarkable, of course, only because so very little is known about it. ■ Mr Holz says : “The strength of the atomic forces which act on the.appa-i ratus is often surprisingly large. We seem to possess 7 not the slightest idea of the magnitude of some of the forces which are present on this earth and which,,'have not yet been explored in this country. ,T feel certain that systematic' research work along these lines would clear up some of the great mysteries with whiclt we are confronted—the mysteries of electricity, of magnetism, of life, I have reasons -to believe that the divining rod, used for over a thousand years and in sOnie cases/ undoubtedly with success, is acted upon by a few of the / rays which are utilised completely and systematically in th A highly developed, apparatus.” ' Since the announcement of this remarkable invention developments have been rapid and startling. Through the efforts of Mr Holz and his acquaintance with the inventor, as well as because of 'his standing among scientific men, arrangements were made with' influential interests in New York for the going to that country of the inventor for the purpose'of thoroughly demonstrating and testing his apparatus... Accordingly, early this year the inventor, Philip Scherumly, of Frankfurt am Main, Germany, arrived ini the United States and, under the direction of one or two skilled mining engineers* set about his work of proving .the claims made for lus new device or practical divini ing rod. SUCCESSFUL TESTS IN AMERICA. The first test was made among the iron ore fields of the Lake Superior region. Here, through ice and; snow several feet thick, the ‘'polarisatpr,” as the new invention is - called, locat- - ed new ore fields. The next trial Was in the Pittsburgh district, where new pockets of natural gas were looked for. There, also, itjls reported, the explorations were 100 per cent, satisfactory.’ The last trial was ip the oil fields of the southern part of the.cpuntry. There also it is claimed a 100 per cent, record was made in the location Of new oil pockets or fields. v ■ The definite result of these trials was the incorporation of a new company tp use exclusively in the United States the new instrument, and the payment to the inventor /of a large sum for the Concession. John Hays Hammond, the well known American engineer, is one of (he most interested men in this movement. The new company is stated not .to be a comi mercial proposition, but will be engaged in research and geological studies. , • The large economic value of this invention is self-evident; if the expectations of its promoters are realised it will' revolutlpnise mining methods and reduce the speculation phase of prospecting to a minimum. It should be added that in the operation Of the new invention cartridges of the material sought are placed in the device; the mechanism then synchronises the emations, exchanges reciprocally, anil locates the definite confines of "the material in the earth.