THE NELSON HEMATITE PAINT WORKS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5662, 23 May 1879, Page 7

THE NELSON HEMATITE PAINT WORKS.

(From the Otago Daily Tim.cs.)

This business, at present carried on on a small scale, bids fair, when it has acquired its legitimate development, to take an important place amongst our colonial industries. After having been conducted for several years at Nelson, in two small factories, it was, in the middle of last year, taken up by a company, of which the headquarters are at Dunedin. We therefore think that some account of the manufacture as at present carried on, derived from an authentic source, and a sketch of the extension of its operations which is in preparation, will be acceptable to our readers.^ Thu immense deposits of hematite iron ore, or limonite, scattered over some 800 acres on and near the shores of the Para-Para Inlet in Golden Bay, and comprising at the lowest computation 60,000,600 tons of the purest ores of the metal, are met with lying on the surface iu masses of every size, from that of a child’s head to blocks larger than any house, and the profusion of which creates astonishment in every visitor. 'These tracts of land are held under lease from the Crown by two gentlemen residing in Canterbury and Otago, and will probably be, ere long, utilised in smelting works, the ore having been found to produce iron of the finest quality, and being also capable of conversion into Bessemer steel. By an arrangement with the lessees, the Hematite Paint Company is at liberty to take as much ore as it may require for its special purpose, and when a smelting company is formed, the shareholders in the paint company will have the first option of acquiring shares in the other.

The ore, shipped to Nelson, and carted to the factory, is calcined iu a kiln with wood fuel, by which the combined water, present in it to the extent of 15 per cent., is expelled, and the color changed from that of ochre to a ruddier tint. Another chemical change is also undergone in the kiln, for after calcination it is found to contain a considerable amount of magnetic oxide of iron, which analysis fails to detect in it in the raw state. The two processes for the purpose of procuring the paint adopted in the original factories of Mr. Louisson and Messrs. Johnston differ in some important respects. It would be, however, beside our purpose to compare or contrast them, and it must be understood that what follows is a description of the method followed by the former manufacturer, who ia the manager of the company. The calcined ore, first broken into pieces the size of road metal, ia crushed with a small admixture of lime and a continuous stream of water, in a stamper battery driven by a six horse-power steam-engine, and escaping through coarsely-perforated plates, into a rectangular box, deposits in it most of the magnetic ironsand (which is shovelled out by a workman), the residue of the metal, in the state of peroxide, passing on into a couple of berdans revolving at a high speed, and furnished with heavy drags, which grind the ore against the bottom and sides of the berdans to a fine powder. The stream of water which accompanies and moves it, carries it into and through a succession of settling-boxes, in which the impalpable particles are slowly deposited. This is the paint, which now only requires to be dried to be fit for market. The drying is accomplished entirely by artificial heat, the wet paint being spread over a large platform made of fireclay slabs, under which a fierce fire is kept up night and day. The dried paint, after being passed under rollers, is put up in calico bags, four of which, packed in a stout wooden case, weigh Icvvt. Bags and boxes are marked with the company’s brand. When required for use it is mixed with boiled oil in the usual manner.

The hematite paint obtained by this simple process is gradually making its way into use by its intrinsic merits. It adheres well to both wood and iron ; it renders the former almost uninflammable, a fact we commend to the attention of insurance companies. It protects iron from corrosion, whereas lead paints promote this by galvanic action. It covers a larger surface, weight for weight, than any other paint, and last, but not least, it is very cheap. Combining such telling advantages, it is not surprising that it finds favor with practical men, nor that the Government use it on the railways, to the exclusion of other paints. Mr. Blair, engineer-in-chief, Middle Island, testifies strongly to its superiority over the imported article, and the opinion of experts is uniformly to this effect. The question suggests itself—ls the company in a position to enter the Home market as a competitor for the English demand ? It is confidently expected that this will he done, and that before many months have elapsed a profitable business will be carried on with the Home country. Hitherto the expenses have been necessarily considerable. The directors hope to bring down the cost of production to one-half the present figure, and have good reason for expecting do do so, when the factory is removed to Para-Para, in the immediate neighborhood of the ironstone, as it will be in the course of a few months. For instead of having to transport three tons of ore to Nelson for each ton of paint to be made, the same quantity can be put in the factory at Para-Para for one-fourth of the present cost. The cost of wood for roasting the ore, will be reduced by one-half by the bush-tramway now completed. Costly steam power for crushing and grinding will be superseded by waterpower, working at a nominal expense ; and the process of drying the paint, which, in the restricted confines of the Nelson factory must needs be done by tire, will probably be in great part performed by the cheap agency of air and sun.

Altogether these savings are estimated to amount to not less than £7 per ton. When this result is realised, the Hematite Paint Company will have before them an outlet in England for unlimited quantities of the pure article they manufacture. We are, therefore, justified in predicting an important future for this hitherto little noticed branch of colonial industry. It will be satisfactory to the shareholders to learn that the works at Para-Para are being carried out as rapidly as the means of the company admit of ; that good machinery has been purchased on very favorable terms, the shallow channel deepened, and the tramway to the bush finished, and all for less than the estimated cost. The expectations held out in the prospectus of the company that only half the capital would be required, will apparently be realised. Hematite paint, it seems, will not long be the only pigment manufactured at Nelson, as it is, we understand, in contemplation to commence shortly the manufacture of chromate of potash, and some of the chrome pigments from the chrome-iron which is found in great quantities a few miles from the town ; one seam oh the Dun Mountain being 40ft. thick. All the other materials required exist on the spot. Chrome pigments were under a cloud for some time. When it was supposed that the aniline colors would supersede them, chrome accordingly fell in price, but has long since recovered in favor and market value. We shall look forward with interest to the endeavors being made to utilise the immense but unexplored mineral resources of Nelson to bring up that backward province abreast of its neighbors. We may add that it is believed that deposits of hematite exist in this province in quantity in the ranges around Waifcati, but of the economical conditions of the deposit we are not yet informed.