QUICKSILVER

Evening Star, Issue 17766, 14 September 1921, Page 3

QUICKSILVER

LECTURE BY PROFESSOR WATERS. The principal business at tho meeting of tho Otago Institute last night (Mr Geo. Howes presiding) was a lecture by Professor Waters on the subject of ‘ Quicksilver, and,.Reference to its Occurrence in Now Zealand.’ Professor Waters first introduced a notable work on metallurgy, this being an English translation of Georgius Agricola’s ‘Do Re Metallic.!. ’ This the professor dis covered in a cellar in Arras, France, during tho war. It was curious in itself and a treasured relic. Proceeding to hia subject, Professor Waters stated that the old distinction of the alchemist between tho precious metals and the base metals was still retained by metallurgists, though not by the chemist. The metallurgist to-day placed mercury among the noble metals. The distinction, between the noble and base metals was based on the manner of their reaction to oxygen. A peculiarity of quicksilver vyas that it was the only liquid metal, and. further, it was tho only metal that had two official names. Tho original name was Quicksilver. It was originally found in the liquid state, and from its likeness to silver was christened quicksilver. He had never been able to find out just wlffin the name mercury was applied. After dealing with the discovery and sources of supply of the mineral, Professor Waters went on to deal with discoveries of it in New Zealand. Cinnabar, he said, was known to exist here as early as 1875. It was worked on a small scale at Waipori from 1902 to 1905, and later was found at Nevis. Unfortunately, as in the case of other metals in tho Dominion, it occurred only here and there, and tho ore was not a payable proposition. Later a discovery was made in the Thames district, where tho ore was worked in 1899, and again from 1906 to 1910. Various companies were connected with the Karangahapo district. and in 1910 £1,500 worth of mercury was produced. There was no evidence. however, of any further production there. To-dav a considerable plant was at work at Puhipuhi, in the Bay of Islands County, on Mount Mitchell, 1,500 ft above sea level. Originally the district was forest-clad, but to-day (he timber had cone, ami the operations weic handicapped by tho tact that not on!}- was timber for mining purposes difficult to get, but firewood also. The district was high up and inconvenient, and the conditions were not favorable to industry. The company, however. had been favored by the fact that its operations had extended through the war period, and mercury had been in great demand owing to its value as a detonating substance. The mine was started in 1917. and up to the end of 1920 it had produced 31.1241 b of quicksilver from 1,442 tons of ore—about 1 per cent. That was a good percentage for mercury. In America they wore pleased to get from to £ per cent., and 1 per cent, was considered good; but in Spain the percentage ran up to 10, so that others were somewhat out of it. Professor Waters produced samples of tho Puhipuhi ore and that from the other districts he had mentioned. The method pursued at Puhipuhi was not the best, but it was simple and effective. Tho lecturer explained other methods of treatment, and carried out one experiment showing Row tho mercury could he dissociated from tho sulphur in a retort and collected on gold. Before concluding. Professor Waters dealt with tho uses of mercury, particularly in regard to scientific appliances, gold mining, and medicine. With regard to the market value of quicksilver, Professor Waters said that Rothschilds practically controlled the world’s supply, and consequently tho price, their agreement with Spain having been renewed and extended to Italy and Austria, greatly to the dissatisfaction of tho Americans. He did not think it would greatly matter to New Zealand, as there was no prospect at present that anv considerable quantities could be produced here.