SEARCH FOR MINERALS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24400, 11 September 1940, Page 13

SEARCH FOR MINERALS

NORTHERN AUSTRALIA WAR-TIME DEVELOPMENT A vigorous search for minerals of war value, such as gold, copper, antimony. tin, mica, silver. Jead. and wolfram, is beirtg conducted throughout the vast desert lands of Northern Australia. A report of the North Australia survey. presented to the Commonwealth Parliament, says that manganese deposits in the foothills west of Cairns in Queensland are being examined, ,and that gold, mica, and rare minerals are being sought further south in the Potallah-Alice Creek district. Examination is also being made of copper deposits over an area of 300 square miles in the Chillagoe (Queensland). In the Northern Territory wolfram is being sought. Aerial photographs and mosaics have been taken and prepared of 15,000 miles of country, and 1500 geological maps covering the whole area have been prepared. In Ihe year preceding the survey the value of gold producedjn the Northern Territofy was about £15,000.' In 1937, due to the co-operation of the survey with the Mines Departments of the territory and to other factors, the value of gold produced in 1937 was nearly £200,000. The survey has drawn attention U the possibility of the Granites area being developed as a low-grade mining proposition, with possibilities of supporting a population of 4000 or 5000 people.