OUR OWN IRON.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 August 1920, Page 6

OUR OWN IRON.

AMPLE NEW ZEALAND DEPOSITS. AN INDUSTRY OF THE FUTURE. "The practical production of iron would be a notional benefit to the Dominion," said Mr. George Eraser, in the course of some interesting remarks on the possibilities of the iron industry in New Zealand. He explained that many attempts had been made to successfully tre& the ironsand which lies in thousands of tons along the beaches of the west coast of the North Island. The latest development was at New Plymouth, where a substantial blast furnace had been erected, and after repeated trials some 200 tons of pig iron had been produced and sold to various iron founders throughout the Dominion. Although it was good iron it had more characteristics for steel-making than toward the soft-grey iron that suits foundry purposes. Eventually the furnace had to shut down, and the result of the enterprise went to prove that the with its high percentage of titanium—some 9 per cent. —would not lend itself to successful treatment in a blast furnace. Mr. Fraser explained that the titanic acjd in time congested the furnace, thus becoming a stumblingblock to' continuous running, which is essential to economic working. He was of opinion that the ironsand lent itself to steel manufacture more than to a soft-grey iron. Of the quality of the steel there was i\o doubt, some very fine cutlery and other articles having been turned out of New Zealand ironsand steel. '

"The ironsand," continued Mr. Fraser, ''lias a prospect of being successfully brought into practical use by the applicatibn of the modern electric furnace, assisted by cheap hydro-electrio power. The meaning of cheap power will be apparent when it is known that for a small electric furnace plant of a capacity or output of say ten to twelve tons a day would require three thousand to four thousand horse-power. The thing that favors this kind of reduction for ironsand is the high temperature obtained by electricity and the clearing of the furnace contents at short intervals of the operations, wtyich tends to the ridding of the titanic acid and so keeps the furnace clean for continued operation."

The ironsaml Mr. Frascr therefore looks upon as a "steel proposition," and thinks the future of New Zealand in the matter of the making of suitable grey iron for foundry purposes lies in the limonite ores of the Nelson district. In that district there are millions of tons of high-grade ore in sight, witlf huge quantities of limestone on the spot, and excellent coal witnin a few miles for producing first-class coke for blast furnace fuel. "Nature has gifted New Zealand with the very best means of producing tliQ.. iron that we require," remarked Mr. Frascr, "and. with the high prices ruling for iron the present affords the opportunity of developing this industry profitably. I am led to understand there is every prospect of the production of iron in the near I future as an established industry, and I it is deserving of every aggistMpe."