AOTEAROA COMPANY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5383, 4 February 1929, Page 2

AOTEAROA COMPANY.

PRECIS OF OPERATIONS* MINING AND FERTILISERS. IMPORTING THE PHOSPHATE. Tiie fqllowing is a communication received by the Thames Star from the Aotearop Minerals Development CQ., Ltd., further to a lecture delivered to the Chamber of Commerce, Thames! by Mr Rudolph von Maim, qngineer. It is part of. the proposed! policy of operations to be adopted by the cepnpany:— . MINING. The crosscut from Te Rapa Gully, which intersects the Jupiter reef, will be repaired and put into working order ; thence it will be extended to intersect the junction of the HagueSmith lode. The Dart shaft will be repaired and made s.ecure so that it will be available for future operations. FERTILISER WORKS. 1 This part of the operations is to be advanced as rapidly as possible: (1) The island: wharf will be constructed. (2) The foundations for the fertiliser plant will be placed and buildings erected to house the machinery. (3) The aerial rope-ways will be e;rec,ted from the wharf to the works and from the works to the railhead. (4) The foundations for the are reducing, and treatment works will be placed and also the buildings erected. The objqct is to transport the whole of the machinery from the Continent to Thames in one lofed by an overseas steamer, and thence to place it directly on to its, permanent foundations with the one ]qt ’of handling. It must be understood! that sojne years will elapse before the company’s mines will be developed to produce sufficient concentrates for the requirements of the fertiliser works, hence it is important that the fertiliser be manufactured from impqrted gredients during the first year’s operations. The aerial ropeways and wharf can handle these at a minimum of cost, the advantages of the geographical position of Thames enabling them to be landed at the works, for quite 10s per, ton less than is the case with 'other fertiliser manufacturers. x ESTIMATED PROFITS. . The instigators are anxious; tqpoint out that, with tfte advantages: of Thames as a site for a fertiliser works large, profits are assured and are definite of calculation. Thesje will enable 8 per c.qnt. dividends to be paid on the full capital of the company, and also to create a reserve fund as an off-sqt for capital expended in mine development during the first period of mining operations. HIGH-GRADE FERTILISER. The type of fertiliser to be manufactured during the first year’s; operations will be high-grade superphosphate and basic super. The products are so well-knqwn to farmers that the market is assured, and sufficient territory exists to and beyond Morrinsville railway junction, and to and beyond Paeroa junction to the east boast to consume the whole of the cqmpany’s proposed output. A GRADUAL CHANGE-OVER. The c'hange-ovep from manufacturing fertiliser from imported ingredients ta the use of ore by-productswill be gradual and will take place as development proceetls in the company’s mines, then will commence t he manufacture of basic slag, citric soluble phosphate, iron sulphate, and a fertiliser calculated tq cure bush sickness. Any balance of ore by-products remaining unmanufactured after the company supplies its fertiliser requirements will, with the addition o£ rock lime, be manufactured into cement.