SILICA SAND DEPOSITS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 260, 24 January 1928, Page 9

SILICA SAND DEPOSITS

SCIENTIST FROM GERMANY WORKS AT ASHMIRTON Among the passengers on the steamer Arawa, which arrived at Auckland this morning, was Mr. JE. Schnurpfiel, a German scientist, who is hailed in his country as a leading authority on glassmaking and glassware. He is in New Zealand under three months* contract to the Southern Cross Glass Company, to complete the installation of their works at Ashburton. Mr. Schnurpfiel will be followed by about 30 experts from the Continent as soon as the works are ready for operation. Window and sheet glass will be manufactured about May, and later the factory will undertake the manufacture of bottles from the silica sand, upon which geologists' reports have been exceedingly favourable. A lease of the inland sand deposits on the slopes of Mount Somers has been granted to the company by the Government. A report by Professor Speight, geologist at the Canterbury Museum, upon this sand, showed that of the 100 acres leased, a portion of 15 acres contains enough silica sand to keep the works going on a basis of 24 hours a day for 180 years. Mount Somers is one of four districts in the world where this deposit may be obtained.