TARANAKI IRONSAND

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 112, 8 November 1917, Page 5

TARANAKI IRONSAND

"A METAL ROMANCE." What is described as "A Meital Bomance" is contained in the history of efforts made during the past 75 years to convert Taranaki ironsand to commercial uses. The history is published by the Taranaki Herald and Budget, New Plymouth. After long and often costly experiment iron is now being turned out in commercial quantities from a blast furnace at New Plymouth, and being put to commercial uses. The latest, principle adopted in the treatment of the sand is to mil it with finely-powdered coal, and to coke the mixture. This in turn is smelted, and the slag is separated from the iron, which is cast into pigs, and in that form is sold to the foundaries. From the little history of ironsand treatment it is learned that Mr. John Perry, over 75 years ago, himself a practical ironfounder from Cornwall, spent much time and money in endeavouring to put the irons&nd to commercial uses. From then onward various attempts were made to achieve the end Mr. perry had in view. These Tange from 1852 to the present day, and each is referred to in detail in the "Romance." There appears to have been unanimity as. to the high quality of the said material, but many difficulties in working it. Leases were sbtained, a certain amount of work done, money spent, bnt nothing further So far back as 1867 the New Zealand Iron Mid Steel Company was formed to work the sand, and set out with a capital of £100,000. It was an English company. Nothing commercially definite came out of the venture. Company alter company was formed, with disappointing results V> the loyal residents of Taranaki whose faith in the value of the natural resources of their province has' withstood some of the severest tests that could be applied. The iron after the various processes had been turned into various articles, among which was a paiT of skates for Prince Albert. In 1892 Air. G. M. Smith's process resulted in the production of sheet-iron, made from iron«and, also iron buckets and horseshoes. A.t last Mr. John A. Heskett, in 1914 an Australian metallurgist, secured some of the sand, and succeeded in obtaining from it, when mixed with coal-dust a fernc-coke, -which when snMliel gave pure iron suitable for all ordinary purposes, on various teste being applied to it. As the outcome of Mr. Heskeit's cxi penments a company was formed to work his patents, and the first ineeW was held on 12th October, 1916. Since Jien works have been erected and the iran produced, sold, and used as a coinmercia proposition. The iron sold had' .realised £12 per ton, as against £22 10s per ton, the price of imported pig ironaccording .to the chairman (Mr. F D r 1 H n?L a it th, e aimual meeting held on 11th October last. Preparations are row *wa? dA° f melt '? a lai'Ser furnace than that hitherto used, and this latest company appears from the history to be .in a fair way of meeting local needs for pig iron, which hay« become most acute of late through a practical stoppage of imports. '