SERPENTINE ROCK

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 184, 10 July 1940, Page 3

SERPENTINE ROCK

USE IN FERTILISER How it is prop'osed to make superphosphate go a long way further in New Zealand was mentioned by Sir Francis Frazer, chairman of the Executive Commission of Agriculture, whjen speaking at Massey College. He pointed out that manufacturers could i.ot increase the output, but science had come to the rescue in another direction. There were in New Zealand millions of tons of serpentine rock which in ; f self was worth nothing, but is contained magnesia and silica. and experiments proved that the addition of one part to three of superphosphate male :t compound in which the acid content was preserved, and thus made three parts of superphosphate produce the same result as 'our. Serpentina rock also contained an important trace of elementr, srch as cobalt and nicKel, which were valuable in prew.r.'Jng bush rickncss. Although more extensive experiments over a lengthy period must be undertaker, before experts could give a final pronouncement, experiments so far justified the assertion that no dieleterious results were manifest and there was every reason for believing it would do all that was claimed for it.