RADIUM IN THE DOMINION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16002, 19 February 1914, Page 3

RADIUM IN THE DOMINION.

CANADIAN PROSPECTOR'S FIND.

SYNDICATE PROPOSED.

(Feom Ouh Own Cobrespondrnt.) OHHISTCHUECH, February 17. Staying in Chrietohurch ia a Canadian fining engineer (Mr J. Hughes), whoso eix years' prospecting in the INortn Island of jNew Zealand have* convinced him that tho extent of tho dominion's mineral wealth lias never yet been fully realised, lie sta4.ee that during his travels lio has discovered a deposit of carnotito of uranium, and hie object is now to etart a. email syndicate to mako preliminary investigations. Uarnotito of uranium does not sound a very inviting mineral. It ie only when the magio word '" radium " is breathed that peoplo sit up mid listen. "Carnotite of uranium, said tho prospector to an Evening News reporter, "ia a radium ore. Aa a rough ostimato, 40 tons of oamotito will yield one milligramme of radium. I don't know what the present market value of radium ie, but it'e a huge figure. In appearance it ie a yellowish metal—canary yellow,—with a specific gravity of about eix. There is no mistako about the ore. I have had ooneiderablo experienoe, and thoroughly understand minerals. I sent samples to a German firm, but their cablegram was rather vague. They made mo an. otter to take 40 tons per month of the ore, but the beet proposition would be to work it in New Zealand." Mr Hughes remarked that carnoiite of uranium wae a l'emarkably rare ore, and there were few known existing deposite. Be could not say whether tho deposit he had found was a largo one, but if tho quantity was there he wae satisfied there •were wonderful possibilities in tho find as a commercial venture. His method of procedure would be to take up 50 or 60 acres of the land, put in prospecting pits, take' samples to proyo the deposit, and then eend them away for analysis. If tho ore was there in any quantity it would be a big thing for New Zealand. Every country was looking very hard indeed for radium ores. x\lthough ho did not say so, the prospector gave the interviewer to understand that the deposit was in the Auckland district Naturally, just yet ho is not wliispering to anybody the exact locality in which the carnotite is to be found.

Speaking generally, Mr Hughes said that he could not understand why the geological survey of New Zealand had not been completed in the Whangarei district. He said it was hie firm belief that there were payable minerals to bo found in abundance other than in the goldfields. For instance, there was a valuable silver field that should not be allowed to he undeveloped. " Some time ago," the prospector added, " I was employed by a syndicate prospecting on one of the ranges running down from Mount Egmont, in Taranaki. I struck a fine reef, but we had to abandon it. The gold was there, but unfortunately there was too much carbon dioxide. It was a great disappointment Dr Bell inspected the reef, and pointed out that there was too much poisonous gas to make the roef of any commercial value. As it Jβ now, though there is nothing much doing in mining. It may bo, too, that a lot of ventures have been unsuccessful —too many wild cats."