Possibility For Mining Revival In N.Z.

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30676, 16 February 1965, Page 12

Possibility For Mining Revival In N.Z.

fftew Zealand Press .Association; AUCKLAND, February 15. With a change in the orientation of mineral search in New Zealand, the possibilities for a mining revival here were far from negligible, Dr. M. Gage, reader in geology at Canterbury Universitty, said at the Science Congress today.

The search was changing from the hope of “bonanza” finds to be worked by individuals or small companies, to a more sophisticated kind of mining development involving the proving of vast tonnages of quite low-grade ore, he told the earth sciences section.

“Modern-style mineral search involves a great deal more attention to geology, together with petrology, chemical and geophysical investigations," he said. The scope for permanent or longterm employment for geologists would improve greatly after one good discovery. “The discovery of one respectable petroleum field would likewise create many new jobs for geologists and would probably break down the present closed-shop situation whereby the prospecting

companies tended to bring in their own geological staffs from overseas,” he said. The immediate effect of either kind of discovery would be more jobs for graduates at all levels, but the more important advantage of being able to retain all the higher graduates and best scholars would follow. This would stop

the present drift overseas of post-graduate geologists. Dr. Gage suggested that a ' substantial content of earth sciences should be included ■ in secondary school curricu- ! lum. They should be a ; special subject for the new • bursary examination to be ; held at the end of the upper i sixth year.