AGAIN IN DEMAND

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 August 1946, Page 4

AGAIN IN DEMAND

INTEREST IN WEST COAST GREENSTONE

DOMINION BUYERS ACTIVE Not since the period immediately preceding the outbreak of the first World War, when buyers from European countries were active and an Australian company spent over £30,000 in the development of the Griffin Range deposit, has such interest been taken commercially in West Coast greenstone (nephrite) as at present. . Stones which have lain undisturbed for over 30 years on river banks, among mining tailings and even in backyards have recently been sold at reasonably good prices. Most of the sales have been to New Zealand firms but United States manufacturers have also shown interest and, in at least one case, have opened negotiations for the purchase of large quantities of certain types of greenstone.

One of the largest buyers of good quality stone has been the jewellery manufacturing firm of L. W. Lawson Ltd., Auckland. According to information given an Evening Star reporter by Mr. L. W. Lawson, principal of the firm, it has long-range plans for the utilisation of greenstone in the manufacture of modern jewellery, which will be sold all over the world. The company is building a new lapidary works in Auckland, for the cutting and polishing of the stone, and it will be equipped with the most modern machinery obtainable.

Price Variations.

There are many variations of greenstone and the type which is in most demand at present is the pale green, translucent form. The prices which are being offered vary considerably, with the quality of the stone. Up to 10/- a lb has been paid for exceptionally good samples but there have been sales of quantities in excess of two tons for'as low as l/_ a lb. It is interesting to note that in the early 1900’s the average price of the exported stone was 1/4 per lb, and the average annual export for the ten years prior to the ill-fated operations of the New Zealand Greenstone Company was just over eight tons. As yet there is no indication at what level the price will’ become stabilised with the new demand and probably much will depend upon whether the United States firms prosecute their preliminary enquiries.

Greenstone, or nephrite, is a .form of jade and since its unique "hardness first attracted the Maoris to the West Coast rivers in search of supplies for their implements, tools and ornaments, this district has remained the sole source of supply. Other varieties of jades, some green, occur in other parts of the world and recent discoveries of extensive deposits of a similar variety to the New Zealand greenstone have been made in Alaska and the United States. However, their properties are not exactly the same and it is doubtful whether they will become direct competitors' of the New Zealand jewellery stone. Prior to the- First World War, the chief export trade from the West Coast was with with Germany and German buyers were constantly on the look-out for good quality stone Many attempts were made by local residents to ascertain the German secret of cutting the hard stone but without success, and the stones, boulders in some cases, were invariably sold “in the rough.” In Germany and Austria the greenstone was cut into ornaments and slabs for interior decoration. It was also recorded that because of its hardness it was utilised for machine bearings. Griffin Range Deposits. Early investigations by mining engineers established that the souice of origin of the major portion, if not all, of the greenstone found in the Kumara and Arahura districts was the nephritic deposits in the Griffin Range, above Wainihinihi, including McArthur’s Crags and Mt. Brown. It was not surprising, therefore, that when the demand was at its height, about 1910, exploitation of these deposits on a large scale should be undertaken. A company was formed under the title of New Zealand Greenstone Ltd., largely with Australian capital, although the late Mr. Michael Hannan, of Greymouth, was a director. The company, with a nominal capital of £60,000, acquired a property of 5496 acres of mountainous country and made rapid progress with developmental work.

The chief objective of the company, however, was not nephrite (the jewellery greenstone) but a closely allied stone, of similar appearance, known as serpentine, which out-cropped in large quantities on the mountain tops.

Orders were obtained from all parts of the world for the nephrite and also for the serpentine (as a decorative building stone). During the early development work by the company a block of jewellery stone weighing one and three-quarter tons, was recovered and shipped to Germany. As frequently occurs in such ventures, the company found its original estimates of development costs were too low, in view of the rugged nature of the country, and had to increase its capital. By 1913, about - £30,000 had been spent in building a road from the Kumara-Otira road to the foot of the range, an aerial ropeway to the quarry on the mountain side, quarrying equipment, sawing machinery and incidentals. Early operations were successful, slabs of serpentine 12 feet in length, seven feet in breadth and two tons in weight being cut and also quantities of nephrite. Outlook Was Bright. The outlook for the new industry was bright when the Australian Government decided to use a quantity of the stone in connection with its new offices in London. In addition selling agents were appointed throughout Europe. But then the blow fell—war was declared. The manager of the claim was am Austrian and he was interned. The market collapsed and no further work was ever carried out with the expensive machinery, which was gradually disposed of. Now there is fittle remaining on the barren outcrops to indicate the first and only major effort to commercialise New Zealand greenstone, apart from the utilisation of isolated boulders and stones found in the rivers, streams and alluvial fields. -