Successful Iron Smelting at Onehunga.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4413, 24 February 1883, Page 2 (Supplement)

Successful Iron Smelting at Onehunga.

Auckland, February 8. Chambers' smelting works at Onehunga, for treating the immense irou sand deposits of Manukau Harbor, commenced work today, and several ingots of marketable iron of excellent quality were produced. There can be no doubt or' the genuineness of the success. The works were erected under the supervision of a Philadelphiau named W. H. Jones, who, while in America/was manager of the Iron Sand Smelting Works. The process used is known, as Wilson's oxydising furnace, and has been in use three years in America. Jones states the blast furnaces were tried in America, as in Taranaki, and he estimated the American iron masters lose 10,000,000 dollars in experimenting with furnaces. He also states that while American sands contain only 30 per cent, of iron, New Zealand sands contain 60 per cent. Coal is cheaper here, and labor about the same. At present there is only one furnace at work at Onehunga, but the proprietor is so satisfied that he will erect several others. The success of the smelting is oXJmmense importance to the North Island, as there are large deposits of iron sand all along the West Coast from Manukau to Taranaki.