THE IRONSAND INDUSTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 May 1916, Page 8

THE IRONSAND INDUSTRY.

FURTHER SUCCESSFUL DEMONSTRATION. A further demonstration of the Heslcefh process of smelting pig-iron from Tarariaki ironsaml took place at Moturoa yesterday, a special committee of representative local men watching the operations from the lighting.of the furnace fire to the running off of the metal. Three runs were made during the day, and there was no hitch of any kind, the committee being absolutely satisfied with the patentees' bona-fides and the process generally. There can be no doubt that the inventors have struck upon a very cheap efficient, and simple process of iron manufacture, and it now only requires capital to erect works 'that will keep New Zealand supplied with the whole of its pig-iron requirements. As lias been said before, the company propose erecting works on the wharf side of Paritutu Sugarloaf, at a cost of about £30,000, and to start the manufacture of pig-iron, for which there is an unsatisfied demand, 110 doubt owing to the prohibition of exports from Britain. A more advantageous site could not be obtained. It is served by an old quarry railway connecting with the wharf, enabling all the raw material—eoal, lime, and the sand itself—to lie handled at a minimum of cost, and also the expeditious shipping of the finished product. The sand will be taken from the beach by means of powerful magnets. The company estimates the cost of production at about .£3 a ton, whilst the pre-war cost of pig-iron of equal quality was £0 10s. As to the quality of the local article, Mr. Hollo, of Okey and Rollo, who was one of the committee, informed our representative that lie did not want anything hotter. "It is surprisingly good," he said, ''and ironfounders will be glad to get it. That the industry lias a big future before \jt is my firm belief." 4 It is worth noting that the pig-iron produced yesterday was sold before it actually was run off.