BIGGEST TIN FIELD ON EARTH

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 282, 25 May 1912, Page 2 (Supplement)

BIGGEST TIN FIELD ON EARTH

MINES IX NORTHERN NIGERIA AS PROFITABLE AS GOLD. When a short time back it was asserted that Northern Nigeria was rich in tin, the statement was received with in«redu-' lity. Now, however, it has been proved that the country is the biggest known tin field in the world, and it promises to be the richest. The Royal Niger Company owns an enormous area of land, and it is largely due to its policy that the tin areas of the country have been developed, and that Nigeria lias begun to attract the attention of the world. The tin industry promises to be as wealth-produc-ing and as important to Nigeria as gold mining is to South Africa. For years work on the field has been going quietly ahead, and the fact that attention is being directed to it more strongly is due to the combination of three favorable factors. In the first place, the area over which mining operations have been spread is now so large that a tig, field of enormous extent may be counted as proved; in the second, the existence of tin lodes has been proved in addition to alluvial workings; and in the third the railway to the tin fields is practically completed, and should be opened very shortly.

The enormous importance of this new line will be appreciated when it is mentioned that the present methods of transport are partly by river. 1 partly by rail, and partly by road, and the time involved in the journey is over two weeks. When this branch line is in work the journey from the coast to the tin fields will be only two days, and Naraguta will be 20 days' journey from Liverpool. The saving of time will be enormous, and the facilities for getting goods and plant to the field and bringing tin to the British market will be so greatly increased that the industry is likely to go ahead by leaps and bounds. On the question of railway freight charges there is much difference of opinion. The view is expressed in some quarters that there arc likely to be largely lowered, but whether this be so or not, it is quite obvious that even if rates should be fairly high, the margin of profit between the cost,of production and the selling price will continue to be so large that well - managed companies should be able to show handsome returns under new conditions. One authority holds the view (says a London paper) that tin will be won on the field for £25 per ton. and delivered in Liverpool for an equal sum. which would yield a very big profit, with tin anywhere near the present price. Others hold the view that this estimate is too optimistic. It is estimated that the completion of the branch railway line will set free about 20.000 natives, and these will be available for work at the mines.