Iron Prospect Warrant

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29942, 2 October 1962, Page 16

Iron Prospect Warrant

(N.Z. Press Association) NEW PLYMOUTH, Oct. 1. The Pacific Chemical and Mineral Development Company, Ltd., has been granted a mineral prospecting warrant over ironsands in the Taranaki region by the Minister of Mines (Mr Shand). The company's application was for a warrant over 1000 acres of Taranaki Harbour Board reserve land extending from the Waiongona stream, three miles west of the Waitaca river, to the Herakawe stream, immediately west of Paritutu Centennial Park. New Plymouth. Reduced Area In a letter to Mr K P. Aderman, member of Parliament for New. Plymouth, Mr Shand said he had tadmated to the. Commissioner of Crown Lands he would be prepared to consent to the application provided the area was reduced to 320 acres and provided that the following conditions were observed ta Ute prospecting operations

The applicant is required to take all precautions necessary to avoid encroachment on Land adjoining but not included in the warrant Prospecting operations under the warrant are not in any way to prejudice the interests or safety of the the public. Prospecting operations are to be carried out in suck a way aa aot to. distort the profile of the beach to an extent which ■ would cau* erooton., PuMfc tn be adeThe >^ is to terXraStaMMdhrteiy to tt* excavation from .VMA tW obtained and the profile Of the beach restored. “The area applied for was 1000 acres, but I think it reasonable that 320 acres (half a square mile, which is the maximum area obtainable under a mineral licence) should be adequate to enable the company to ex-

amine the quality of the ironsands and to develop its separation processes with a view to producing an acceptable concentrate,” said Mr Shand. . Prospecting Only “Of course, the operations an for prospecting purposes only, and although some bulk gambles would possibly be removed, the scale of operation will be nowhere near as extensive as if the extraction of the ironsands was dope under the authortty of ■ mineral licence, which authorises an actual When the company's applieetiosT in New Hymoiith on July 18 by the CrWhmiwajwiFr of Crown WlSuhilw to New Plymouth (Mr F. W. Mastin) the New Plymouth City Council, the New Plyanouth . Marine Sports Committee and the Ngamotu Mr Masto^eSned* 1 the appticMfon subject to the e Wftp l -Hi TjyiilL mml St tturt hearing a pilot plant capable of producing up to 100 tons of concentrate daily was planned. In a telephone interview from Auckland today, a company spokesman said operations were not expected to begin until next month. «