OUR MINING RESOURCES. TARANAKI STEEL SAND.

Colonist, Volume XII, Issue 1170, 11 December 1868, Page 3

OUR MINING RESOURCES. TARANAKI STEEL SAND.

We have seen two specimens of steel, smelted at New Plymouth by Mr. E. M. Smith, a settler of very limited means, who has spent his little all in experiments with this material, of which, kindly nature has supplied a boundless store on the beach of Turnnaki. Thin sand has been proved by repeated analyses to contain a large amount of "Titanium," an element of the most valuable kind in tho production of the rery best steel. Bars of tho finest and purest steel, have been produced by Mr. Smith's system of amelting, and these, which are worth £50 a ton in England, can be made in Taranaki at a cost of £10 per ton. The sand, we are informed by an intelligent correspondent, has passed through in the laboratory of Nature no fewer than ten processes before it reaches the beach ; four more produce the steel fit for the first markets in England. This is equivalent to fourteen manipulations on the crude ore of English mines, and this, we presume, accounts for the difference in the price of the metal as it can now be produced here. Major Atkinson, of Taranaki, has taken to England specimens of articles manufactured from Mr. Smith's bars, consisting of razors, chisels, &c. Mr. Smith's process, we are told, consists of a discovery of his own, by which he mixes the steel sand with a peculiar kind of clay taken from the Urenui river, in Taranaki, so that the material is lit hand, and is readily available, —another liberal provision of nature, similar to that which long ago made the mining districts of England so wealthy and •9 lerriwable, coal and iron ore being found to often

in comparatively close proximity to each other

The sand as it lies on the beach, contains about 75 per cent of pure steel. Some pieces of the smelted stuff have been submitted to practical engineers in Nelson, who pronounce it of the best quality, and lire desiroU3 of Iwving a sufficient supply to enable thorn to make some experiments in working it. A small piece which has taken a brilliant polish, is wonderfully smooth, and without'ho slightest porosity, together with a rough lump, a? it came from the lire, cmi be seen in the window of Mr. G. Bonningtou, Trafalgarstreet. An important use suggests itself for the steel sand of Tarunnki, and it is one which will probably attract, the special attention of the ordnance department of the Home Government; more particularly as there Occurred lately the failure of v large twelve ton gun, which, as we learn by the last mail, burst while being proved at Woolwich in consequence of a Haw in the steel tube. At any rate if the steel is proved in England to be what it is understood to be here, there is large wealth for Taramiki, and not a little benefit to manufacture in England, lying on the steel sand shores of New Plymouth.

What is wanted now is simply capital to provide the necessary furnaces to smelt the sand on a largo scale, and we trust that Major Atkinson's effort* to popularise this great source of wealth among English capitalists will be crowned with complete success.