METALS FOR ALLIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24896, 21 April 1942, Page 5

METALS FOR ALLIES

AUSTRALIA AS SOURCE PRODUCTION PLANS (Air Mail) SYDNEY, Apl. 15. Australia is facing a colossal task in organising production of minerals lo supply Britain and America with vital metals to take the place of those lost in the East. In addition continually increasing local consumption must b" met. The minerals most urgently in demand are tin, zinc, lead, wolfram and scheelite (basic metals of tungsten, used in making special steels), zircon (use--! in making zirconium for munitions', and rutile fused in welding*. With thousands of men needed to work deposits, the supply of labour is a major problem. Large numbers of men are already being diverted from gold mining, and it is expected that many more will be recruited through the Labour Army. Gold-mining machinery, too. is being impressed. Wolfram supplies from China and Burma are now almost completely cut off from Great Britain and America, and without tungsten the armaments industries would be largely crippled. Now Australia is supplying Great Britain with all tungsten ores above her own requirements, but a large quoia may be diverted to America. Canberra officials are perfecting plan.; to develop immediately extensive wolfram deposits in Central Australia and to increase production in Tasmania and elsewhere. A vast expansion of tin-mining is being planned to offset part of the Malayan production lost to the Allies. Australia has always exported large quantities of zinc and lead, but in thest metals, also, production is to be .stepped up to meet new demands caused by the fall of Malaya. Surprise is expressed in Canberra at the report that there are shortages of bauxite (basic material ot aluminium) in America. Australia has large bauxite deposits, and may send ore to America as back loading on munition ships. The New South Wales Minister of Mines, Mr J. M. Baddeley. said that deposits of bauxite in New South Wales were estimated at 18,000,000 tons, and large quantities could be shipped to America. The deposits which were surveyed last year at the request of the Federal Government have not yet been exploited.