SILICA SAND

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26775, 19 May 1948, Page 6

SILICA SAND

IMPORTANT PRODUCT

HYDE TOWNSHIP’S LINK WITH INDUSTRY

GOVERNMENT INTEREST

Hyde township, 15 miles north of Middlemarch, is one of the many “ghost” towns to be found in Central Otago. Once the scene of a profitable gold-mining enterprise, well supplied with saloons and hotels, the township now boasts one hotel, a store, a school, two churches and a handful of houses. The passing motorist, unaware of the history of this tiny centre, scarcely deigns to give it a glance as he speeds through on .his way to Ranfurly, Middlemarch, or Palmerston. But Hyde township, although the exciting and romantic days of the picturesque gold-diggers have gone, leaving little apart from scarred cliffs, a labyrinth of man-made tunnels, and the remains of the water-race which carried water to the workings, still has an industry of importance to the Dominion. Some of the finest silica sand in New Zealand is being despatched from Hyde, not only to Dunedin manufacturing concerns and foundries, but also to places in the North Island. Much of the sand sent from Hyde is over 90 per cent, pure, an excellence of quality which is only rarely approached outside Otago. A number of pits are operated by Mr R. L. Tod, of Hyde, who works under a mineral licence and pays a royalty to the Crown for the right to mine the sand. The existence of large deposits of silica sand in the Hyde district has been appreciated for a number of years, and many tons have been sent out by previous contractors, but it is doubtful whether any of them have approached Mr Tod’s programme of 1800 tons a year. Consignments for the North Island are bagged before being despatched by rail, and South Island orders are sent in truck loads from the railway siding at Hyde. Most of the work is done by pick and shovel, but a bulldozer is used to clear away spoil and lay open the sand deposits. Importance to Industry Dunedin users express complete satisfaction with the type of sand which is being sent out from this "sleepy hollow ”in Central Otago. Silica sand is an important essential of modern industry, one of its principal uses being the making of heavy moulds in foundries. Having sand of the right consistency is most important and the almost pure white product from the hills around Hyde appears to be ideally suited to the needs of most users. The Government has not failed to be impressed by the potentialities of this comparative side-line in a sheep farming district. Inspectors have already been engaged in measuring the overhead and the ratio of spoil and rubble to the sand underneath, and it is believed that the grinding down of the sand for use in glass-making is under consideration. No definite in-' formation could be obtained by the Daily Times on this point, but somewhere on a Government file are records of the inquiries made, and it is possible that some action may be taken in the matter. Use in Electrical Goods Because of the fine quality of Hyde’s silica sand resources, there has been a growing demand from the manufacturers of electrical goods. As an indication of how much fine-grade sand is required in the manufacture of elements for electrical appliances it suffices to say that one Christchurch firm has ordered 100 tons this year for this purpose alone. A small two-man firm has ordered five tons for its activities during the year. The prospect of Hyde ever becoming a “ boom ” town again is practically non-existent, and the placidity of this typical Central Otago settlement is unlikely to be disturbed by the clanging and clatter of industry on a large scale. The fact remains, however, that the township does not entirely depend for its livelihood on the quality of the wool and the mutton produced on surrounding farms. In a small, but important way, Hyde has a share in the development of the industrial potential of New Zealand.