IRON WORKS AT ONEHUNGA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17661, 23 December 1920, Page 8

IRON WORKS AT ONEHUNGA.

(Published by Arraneem«nt.)

o ' AN IMPORTANT INDUSTRY. That there is unlimited wealth in the .vast ironsand deposits in New Zealand is undeniable, but the difficulty has been to evolve a satisfactory process for the treatment of the ironsand. A new invention, for which great things are claimed, has resulted from years of experimental work carried out by Mr. N. G. G. Winkelmann, engineer, of Auckland. The process has been subjected to very close tests, and it is asserted that it accomplishes what other inventions have failed to do. A company, called the West Coast Ironsand Smelting Company, has been formed to acquire the patent, and it intends to erect works on a comprehensive scale at Onehunga early in the New Year. It has completed negotiations for the lease of a large area of beach at Manukau Heads, which is estimated to contain many millions of tons of ironsand. A test has shown the ironsand to be equal to 66.36 per cent, of iron, which is a convincing indication of its richness. In fact, the merits of the deposits are so well-known that it is unnecessary to quote the result of analyses. The experimental work done by Mr. Winkelmann is of great importance to the ironsand industry, and it is confidently anticipated that it will have far-reaching effects. The principal part of his invention is an entirely new furnace arrangement which is a complete departure from previous practice. Hitherto high-column shaft furnaces have been used, and the contention is that the failures experienced in the past are due to this. A well-known engineering authority, in reporting on Mr. Winkelmann's process, states that in the old style of furnaces, owing to the high colsnm and pressure of the ore charge of "briquettes,'J high grade coal was necessary to carry what is known in smelting practice as -' the burden," to resist crushing effect. The blast furnace invented by Mr. Winkelmann is only a few feet in height, consequently there is no "loose" briquette material to contend with,, and consequently, no piping or running of the charge. The furnace admits of low blaat pressure as against high pressure, the one being led into the fusion-or smelting zone of the furnace in a properly prepared condition, which renders the smelting operations continuous instead of intermittent, as they have been formerly. An immense advantage which the furnace possesses is that any class of fuel, that is, charcoal, breeze or aneiwracitic eoai in a {jne state of division may be used. No other furnace so far constructed cap use the waste gaEes so advantageously as this type of furnace arrangement. Another important innovation is that the blast furnace compartment, being detachable from the revolving or rotary furnace, may be -wheeled away for the purpose of refining, and another one may take its place, thus rendering interruption unimportant. In addition to the furnace arrangement, it is claimed that the admixture in Mr. Winkelmann's process is a factor that will make for complete success. It lias been stated by unsuccessful experimenters that the presence of titanic acid 1 in the ironsand prevents the successful utilisation of the sand deposits. Mr. Winkelmann has found that this is pot so. The ironsand has been put into the furnace of the old type and has simply run out again, or else blocked the furnace, His invention incorporates the titanium in the steel, and thus enhances the value of the finished product. Steel and wrought iron , are the only things that can be made out of the ironsand. Pig iron for commercial purposes, in Mr. Winkelmann's opinion, cannot be manufactured out of the ironsand. j Mr. Winkelmann is confident that by his process mild steel will be turned out in one operation. This would at once provide the solution of the vexed ironsand problem. The man in the street has, because of the failures that have occurred, formed the opinion that "it can't be done." Mr. Winkelmann, however, is prepared to show that it can be done and done very simply and inexpensively. More than that, he asserts that the product of his process will compete with steel' from any other country where iron is produced. The importance," therefore, of the operations of the West Coast Ironsand Smelting; Company cannot be estimated. The iron industry would assume a leading place in the industries of New Zealand,and the steel from the company's works would find a place in the markets'.of the world. Full information regarding the working of the process and the co3t of production may be obtained from Mr. Winkelmann, at his city office. 23, Hellaby's Buildings, Queen Street. There is a limited number of shares still available, but early application is necessary.- The registered office of the company is on the first floor of the Herald Buildings, and persons interested should communicate at once with either the Secretary, Mr. J. A. Duncan, ■ at that office or with Mr. Winkelmanru"