MANUFACTURE OF ALUMINIUM

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25300, 27 September 1947, Page 2

MANUFACTURE OF ALUMINIUM

INVESTIGATIONS AT LAKE MANAPOURI VISIT BY REPRESENTATIVES OF CANADIAN FIRM Provided that a source of cheap electric power near a port could be found, New Zealand could probably establish an economic aluminium industry, said Mr L. G. Bash, of New York, in an interview with “The Press” yesterday. Mr Bash is head of a delegation of three invited to New Zealand by the Minister of Works (Mr R. Semple) to study the prospects of setting up an aluminium smelting works in the southern sounds. other members, of the party are Messrs F. E. Dickie and P. C. Kirkpatrick,. both of Montreal. The visitors are representatives of the Canadian firm of Aluminium, Ltd. Mr Bash supervised the inception of aluminium enterprises in India and Australia. Mr Dickie is an experienced engineer connected with aluminium production, and Mr Kirkpatrick is a hydro-electric engineer. > “To a greater degree than- is the case with any other metal, the provision of abundant electric power is essential to the manufacture of aluminimum.” said Mr Bash. Mr Bash said that Lake Manapouri was being considered as a source of electric power if the establishment of the industry was decided upon. Between 50,000 and 100,000 horse-power would be needed for the industry, he added.

“So far as is known, New Zealand possesses none of the basic raw materials for the production of aluminium, but if a smelter could be constructed with easy access to ocean transport and to large sources of Ipwcost hydro-electric power, it seems reasonable to assume at the outset, at least, that an economic industry could be developed just as has been done in Canada, in spite of a similar lack of raw materials,’’ said Mr Bash. Important Pacific Market The Southern Pacific area was an important market for aluminium, and would be increasingly important as the expanding industrial uses for the metal were developed in that area, he said.

“It is an interesting characteristic of the aluminium industry in nearly every country in the world where the metal is produced that the ■ raw materials need to be imported,’’ continued Mr Bash. “Hence the natural mineral resources of the country are not seriously depleted. It is also to be noted that the establishment of an aluminium enterprise, through the encouragement of hydro-electric development, fosters the subsequent establishment of other profitable and economic industries.” Canadian Industry All the main products had to be imported for the aluminium industry in Canada, said Mr Dickie. Soda ash was the ohly material used in the manufacture o p aluminium which was found in the country. There was no shortage in the world of bauxite, the material from which aluminium was extracted. Canada was the secondlargest producer of aluminium in the world, tne country’s output being exceeded only by the United States. If the industry was to be established in New Zealand a nucleus’ of skilled men would have to be imported, Mr Dickie said. The plant involved in the undertaking would produce well in excess of the requirements of New Zealand and Australian manufacturers of aluminium products. New Zealand’s needs alone were insufficient to warrant the establishment of a plant. The party will leave this morning for Dunedin, and on the following day for Te Anau. From Te Anau the party will travel to Milford Sound. A boat will take the engineers to Doubtful Sound, which would probably be the port for the industry if it was established at Lake Manapouri. They will be accompanied by two officers of the State Hydro-electric Department, Messrs W. M. Fisher and R. C. Smith.