TARANAKI IRONSAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18172, 18 August 1922, Page 6

TARANAKI IRONSAND.

DARLINGTON EXPERIMENT. l| Then* was an experimental smelting .;*|| of 12001b. of Taranaki ironsand at » Darlington steel works during the Prima || Ministers last visit to England, and the ; ; engineers' reports presented to the House •>;} of Representatives this week detail the results. They express the opinion that > conditions in New Zealand are such that a blast, furnace and modem steel pmnt are not at present feasible. If power,, ~ coke, coal, and limestone are obtainable --, at reasonable prices, however, sm»"quantities of pig iron and steel may be ■>■;? produced to partially meet local require-.■:.;£, ments, and this will form the basis for v building up, a larger industry when UJ».;:, demand has increased sufficiently, to justify expansion on a larger scale shooW ;;., : further investigation show that suitaDjeraw materials are available. Both ffij~:M iron and steel of a satisfactory quality containing little titanium can be pro- ~:. duced from titaniferous ironsands m an. : ; - electric furnace, but the Snyder electric,: furnace used in the experiment is not suitable for the production of pig iron.. New Zealand would be justified in starting the manufacture of pig iron in electric furnaces; provided power, coke, eoa«> and lime can be obtained at a price.. waicß. will enable pig iron to be produced »:» about £5 10s to £5 15s per ton «s a. basis of cost. ""'^'^i