TARANAKI IRONSAND.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 194, 17 August 1922, Page 8

TARANAKI IRONSAND.

AN EXPERIMENT IX ENGLAND. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. There was an experimental smelting of 12001b of Taranaki ironsand at a : Darlington steel works during the < Premier's last English visit, and the engineers' reports presented to-day I detail the results. They express the opinion that conditions in New Zealand are I such that a blast furnace and modern ; steel plant are not at present feasible, but if power, coke, coal, and limestone I are obtainable at reasonable prices small quantities of pigiron and steel 'may be produced to partially meet local 1 requirements, and this will form the basis for building up a larger industry ■ when the demand has increased suffi[ciently to justify expansion on a larger ! scale should further investigation show that suitable raw materials are available. Both pigiron and steel of a satisfactory quality containing little titanium can be produced from titaniferous ironsands in an electric furnace, but the Snyder electric furnace used in the ex-- ,- periment is not suitable for the production ofpigiron. New Zealand would be justified in starting the manufacture of pigiron in electric furnaces, provided power, coke, coal, ami lime can be obtained at a price which will enable pigiron to be produced at about £5 10/ to £5 15/ per ton as a basis of cost.