NEW ZEALAND BLACK SAND
DISCOVERED TO BE RADIO ACTIVE. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, February B. The announcement from London of the isolation of the new element, halnium, recalls experiments made in New Zealand in 1915 by Mr Leslie Macarthur. Exhaustive tests were made by him through the medium of an electrical combination to discover if New Zea. land black sand was radio-active. Observations on the beach near Hawera led to the deduction that there must be some chemical constituent in the ironsand which prevented oxidisation when exposed to svn, weather and swlt water. Ferruginous sand was subjected to extensive tests, the immediate results being 6uch as to justify the treatment of it. Over J 6 cwt of sand in ten pound sections each was treated with a variety of chemically appropriate fluxes and gleanings from the negative were sent to Madame Curie. In reply a report was received to the effect that the sample was of high value. Mr Macarthur then made an offer to the New Zealand Government to conduct hulk experiments if electricity could be supplied, but nothing was done.
The cinnamon coloured powder, referred to in the cablegram, was thought by Mr Macarthur to he similar to the extract secured by him,
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Bibliographic details
New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11437, 6 February 1923, Page 4
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205NEW ZEALAND BLACK SAND New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11437, 6 February 1923, Page 4
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