MINERAL RESOURCES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24432, 18 October 1940, Page 9

MINERAL RESOURCES

SURVEY OF SOUTH ISLAND EXTENSIVE GEOLOGICAL RESEARCH COMMENT BY MINISTER

The progress of the regional geological and special surveys of important minerals which are being carried out in the South Island by the geological survey branch of his department was commented upon by the Minister in charge of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (Dr D. G McMillan) in an interview last night. “ The regional survey of the Glen orchy subdivision, which covers at. area of approximately 250 square miles at the end of Lake Wakatipu has beei completed.’" Dr McMillan said “ This survey covers a scheelite area Scheelite is an ore of tungsten, a metal of strategic importance, the chief use for which is in the production of highspeed tool steels Another important use is in the filaments of electric lights Arrangements are being made for a special geological inspection of the scheelite workings to determine whether any further prospecting work could be profitably undertaken. “The field work in connection with the regional geological survey of thoj Wakaia subdivision in the South Island has been completed This area comprises 400 to 500 square miles, situated some 20 to 30 miles north-west from Gore, and contains shale deposits. In the Orepuki subdivision a season’s geological and geophysical survey of the Orepuki shale deposits has been completed The probable minimum and maximum quantities of shale have been estimated at approximately 2.000,000 and 7,000,000 tons respectively The margin between these figures can only be reduced by boring, at sites which have been selected, to determine the thickness of the shale to basement Other areas of shale at. Cambrians and Nevis are also to be investigated In addition to oil shale, the economic possibilities of gold and coal in the Wakaia and Orepuki subdivisons are being investigated. A coal purvey party recently carried out systematic sampling of the Ohai and Nightcaps coal in Southland.

“Projected surveys included one for iron ores known to occur in the Cat-lins-Wyndham district.” Dr McMillan continued. “ Those ores from this area tested so far are of practically the same composition as Taranaki’s iron sand, and even if a system of treatment were known would be more expensive than the iron sand to work We afe making a complete survey, however, to get a full and correct picture of what exists. The extensive deposits of greensand (the chief constituent of which is glauconite, a potash mineral) in South Canterbury and Eastern Otago have been sampled in connection with their possible use as a source of potash in agriculture in the event of a shortage of supply of imported potash fertilisers. "Investigations of possible sources of supply of zircon in Central Otago and tin and' mica near Dusky Sound are to be made by Dr F. J. Turner, of Otago University, who is collaborating with the department in surveys of minerals of industrial v importance. Zircon in the form of its oxide is used in the manufacture of enamels as an alternative to tin -oxide, and as a refractory in high temperature electric furnaces. . Zirconium metal as ferrozirconium is used in steel manufacture, and in the manufacture of copper-zir-conium alloys and radio valves. Felspathlc clays which occur in the Nelson district are used in the manufacture of insulators at Temuka and might find a further use for sanitary ware produced at Benhar,” the Minister concluded. “A recent geological investiSation of these clays has shown that ley occur in very large amounts in the Nelson district.”