A RICH MINERAL FIND.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 53, 2 March 1916, Page 7

A RICH MINERAL FIND.

(To the Editor.) Sir,—ln the "Star" of 29th ult. appears an account of a valuable find of molybdenite by Mr. H. F. Cbaffey, inter alia being the following: "His most important discovery is," he states, "a three feet reef of molybdenite, which produces an acid for steel toughening of immense value, and in great demand at present. It was worth only £90 per ton in 1909, but has risen to £700 since the war, as the Germans had bought up practically all known deposits, even in New Zealand and Australia, before the war." Before proceeding further I may state that I am that gentleman's working partneT, and that we have during the last few months put in a very strenuous time prospecting for scheelite, wolfram, chrome iron, and molybdenite, and would seem to be near our reward. Although the writer (42 years of age) passed his medical test at Drill Hail, Auckland, on 23/7/15, after mature consideration decided that a find of either of the above minerals would be a greater assistance to the Britisn Government than probably active service would. It is hardly credible that tltf-re should be ruch a belt of highly M.ineral.so.-l country at our very door, but the fact remains that we have unearthed other metals which may also prove mo3t valuable, more so at the proses., juncture. '.Though, for the sake of a little outlay, these lands lie idle, it very often happens that the prospector, by these valuable finds, docs more to open up and develop the resources of his country, and it is, from nry point of view, to be regretted that the pioneer finder of a new mineral has to do so much without receiving the. help which he often so badly needs, so far as obtaining a grant to aid him in liia strenuous but worthy work. If the percentage of tungstic acid in scheelite, wolfram, or raolybdic acid in molybdenite Ehould turn out to be high, a (jTeater leturn comes to New Zealand, though, en the other hand, should it be low, simply because the prospector is unable to get his ore out to the highroads, very often the find remains undeveloped altogether, whereas Government aid would open up any field, however poor it might be to the prospector.—l am, etc., H. F. PORTER.

P.O. Box 289, Auckland.

am, etc., E C. WALTON, Birkdale, March 1, 1016.