PARAPARA IRON DEPOSITS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 135, 6 July 1909, Page 4

PARAPARA IRON DEPOSITS

AN INTERESTING REPORT. Apropos jjf the southern move to form a prospecting company to taw over the Paruparii und 'Xaiuiiuki .. msand leases from the present Holders, the following will prove interesting. The deposit of iron ore on the sliores of l'aiapara Inlet embraces a section of country 25 miles from east to west, and twelve and a half miles from north to south, stretching' from tile l.ttif Islands, in Golden Bay, almost to I'l--' shores of tho Xasiuan Sea. The most striking point about tile deposit is the vast amount of ore which is visible on the surface. The longest single continuous outcrop is at Mount Rinopai, where the ore appears unbrokenly for 20 chains, with a maximum width of over five chains. The gorge of Washbourne Creek is cut completely in iron ore. In places the waicr uioappeirs beneath huge boulders of ore, which clog the creek-bed, while elsewhere splendid cliffs of solid ore rise majestically from the stream. The quality of tile ore is, in general, extremely higfy. This description is drawn from one of l)r. J. M. Bell's geological survey bulletins. Dr. Bell has .uso examined the gold deposits of the district, which are belkved to be capable of profitable development.

"Jt seems remarkable," Dr. Bell pro-1 coeds, that deposits ot iron «01 =uch immensity, of such high average qualit/, and of such easy accessibility should have remained so long umvorked. X'le day surely cannot be far distant when these enormous deposits will be mined on a scale commensurate with tlKr great proportions. Exposed as they are 011 the surface, they possess every facility for cheap and easy winning; while their close proximity to the sea coast at once affords every opportunity for their exportation in the crude state or as pig-iron. The actual winning of the ore sliould be undertaken with little difficulty or expense, by simply quarrying on tlic open-cut system." In tne Mesabi section of the Lake Superior region in the United States of America, where somewhat similar conditions prevail, the actual cost of mining is estimated at 80 cents., or 3s 4d, per ton. In Neiv Zealand the average cost should not greatly exceed this amount, and mining operations might be conducted even more economically. It will prooalily he found expedient tp convert the ore into pig-iron before exportation. There arc several suitable spots for the location of blast furnaces. An equally desirable site for tlie erection of reduction works for ore drawn from the Waslibourne Block is to be obtained near tlie shores of Pnrapara Inlet. The most suitable spot for constructing a wharf for shipping the ore or its products from Waslibourne Block, and for landing the materials requisite for mining and metallurgical operations, lies a little to the north of Tukurua Point."