RIDDLE OF THE SANDS

Taranaki Daily News, 12 October 1929, Page 17 (Supplement)

RIDDLE OF THE SANDS

TARANAKI IRON DEPOSITS

(By

“Scrutator")

Safety razor blades manufactured from Taranaki iransands were received bv the Batea Harbour Board at its meeting yesterday. Tire samples were sent by the Anglo-American 'Steel Co., Ltd., which advised that it was desirous of developing Taranaki ironsands.

The foregoing paragraph published reccnently in the . Daily News records the beginning of the latest chapterjin the romance of the vast ironsand deposits stretching lofi miles along the Taranaki coast from Mokau to Patea. It is SO years since the first chapter was commenced, and it may be many years yet before success will be recorded

In the past numerous ventures always failed through lack of finance, distance from markets, cost of production, or technical difficulties. Now, however, optimism has been revived by improved methods of electric smelting and manufacture of steel, and., the Anglo-Ameri-can Company has approached the Patea Harbour Board for a lease of a coastal area. Similar representations were made to the New Plymouth Harbour Beard some time ago, but ■ the company decided it could not comply with the conditions, and when the leases were put up to public auction-, as required by law, there wore no bids.

Smeltings have produced 50 to 01 per cent, of iron of the finest quality and cf exceptional tensile strength, and from it excellent steel tools have been made. But while the results from experimental furnaces have raised the hopes of investors very high, production on a commercial basis has never been achieved. The presence of titanic acid has generally 'been the main cause of' the trouble. The most recent company found that after every tapping a thin coating c-'f varnish was left on the hearth of the furnace and when 12 to 14 tappings had been accomplished the deposit was quite sufficient to blow out the furnace. Then, it was necessary to start all over again, and it is a costly operation to heat up a furnace. Besides this, however, each new tapping produced less pig iron than the one before.

It was about 80 years ago when Mr. John Perry, a pioneer of Taranaki, first attempted the smelting of sand in a small furnace on the banks of a creek running into the Huatoki River.' The Governor (Sir George Grey) had promised J hat if the experiments-were successful he would grant Mr. Perry a lease of a beach area, but so great were the difficulties met with that only a small quantity of iron was produced. Next 'to enter this adventure for wealth ivr.j Captain Morshead, a retired officer of the East India Company. In 18'58 the Provincial Government granted him a lease, but, though an attempt was made to float a company in England, operations were never commenced. In ISG9 Henochburg and Co., Wellington, erected a furnace on the South Road, just outside New Plymouth, and were so encouraged by partial success that they expanded the concern into the Pioneer Steel Company. Once again, however, failure was to be the fate of the company. Mr. Chilman went to England to impress on the ironfoundei'S the value of the Taranaki product, and to obtain information concerning the latest-methods of treatment, As a result-the lease of the Pioneer Company’s interests was sold to Mr. Walduck, who failed as the others had done. It was then that the late Mr. E. M. Smith, afterwards member of ‘Parliament for the district, led a movement to form a new company. Of all the names associated with attempts to develop the industry, his will probably always be the most prominent.

Mr. -Smith discovered a method of compounding the sand with clay. in -theform of a brick before subjection to the fire. This, it was ' contended,. would prevent the choking of. 1 the furnaces. A blast ’ furnace on. the American plan was erected at Henui following the formation of the New Zealand Titania Steel and Ironworks Company, Ltd. About £20,000 of capital was called up, but when everything was in readiness the company refused to take charge of the furnace. However, at the earnest solicitation ■of Taranaki shareholders, who guaranteed ‘the company against loss, permission was given to carry on experiments. The next development of note was in 1870, when Messrs •Smith and D. Atkinson produced three tons 15 cwt. of pigiron, which was reported from England, to .be of the best possible quality. For some reason unknown, however, the furnace was blown out and. the works closed down. Eventually the Bank of New Zealand purchased the plant and moved it to Auckland. Various unsuccessful . attempts were made to smelt the sand locally until financial troubles that commenced about -1892 placed a damper on the whole business. Mr, Smith never lost heart, however. His faith in ultimate success was always strong, and. from 189(1 until his death in 1907 he pursued assiduously this great object of his life. In more recent years local enthusiasts formed the New Zealand Iron Ore, Smelting and Manufacturing Company, Ltd., and erected an experimental furnace at the foot of Ngamotu Road, near the site of the Union Oil Company’s leasehold property. Here the results achieved were so satisfactory that it was decided about .1917 to build .a commercial plant tinder Paritutu, in the vicinity of Fishing Rock quarry. Approximately 200 tons of pig iron were smelted and a substantial part was converted into excellent tools, etc., in the Dominion. Once more, however, titanium and high costs won the battle, and in 1920 the blast - furnace was sold to the Onakaka Iron and Steel Company. • . That, briefly, is the history of ironsand endeavours in Taranaki. The irddie of the sands remains unsolved. Will science'. some day discover the secret and crown the efforts of the pioneers ? Will a great industrial centre spring up around numerous blast ■ furnaces and factories? Who knows?