C.—2.

tungsten. These ores are essential to the production of tool steel, and the fabrication of machine tools forms the very basis of expansion in munitions and armament industries. Shipping restrictions, transport difficulties, and the elimination of sources of supply of minerals and mineral products normally imported into New Zealand make essential the investigation of every New Zealand occurrence of each particular mineral. In view of these considerations it is of interest to note that production of mercury in New Zealand will be resumed at an early date, that the production of scheelite concentrates, a source of tungsten, has increased, and that the production of such minerals as asbestos, bentonite, and serpentine, not hitherto exploited in New Zealand, has already commenced. MINERAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE. A committee, representing the Departments of Scientific and Industrial Research and Mines, was set up during the year to promote and co-ordinate more intensive surveys of the Dominion's mineral resources, particularly those of special strategic and industrial importance during wartime, with a view to their greater exploitation. The Geological Survey has been responsible for the field-survey work, comprising the mapping of mineral deposits and estimates of quantity available, and for the associated mineralogical and petrographical work. Chemical analyses and laboratory experiments on the concentration of certain mineral deposits have been undertaken by the Dominion Laboratory. The Mines Department has collaborated in the field-survey and prospecting work, and has advised the Committee on the mining and general developmental aspects of its work. Much valuable work has been done by the Committee during the year in obtaining, assembling, and distributing information on the location, quality, and estimated quantities of a wide range of industrial minerals, including the following : Serpentine (for the manufacture of serpentine-superphosphate fertilizer), magnesite, sulphur, oil-shale, scheelite, manganese, mercury, copper, nickel, zircon, talc, quartz crystals (for radio use), boron (from thermal springs), and various industrial clays and sands : — Scheelite. The whole of the scheelite produced in New Zealand is now sold under contract to the Imperial Government, shipment being arranged through the Export Division of the Marketing Department. Advances are made by the Government to the producers against shipments, final payments being made some time later when the returns are received from Great Britain. The Mines Department arranges for each parcel to be assayed before shipment, it being necessary to guarantee the tungsten content of each shipment and its freedom from injurious amounts of arsenic and tin. Every effort has been made to increase and stimulate the production of scheelite. A mining enginer was especially seconded to make a survey of all scheelite occurrences in the Glenorchy and Macraes districts, while in the Wakamarina district prospecting operations are being carried out by the Mines Department on an occurrence at Mountain Camp Creek. Owing to the erratic distribution of scheelite in the various lodes and the mining of all easily available patches in past years, a considerable amount of development work is necessary before any increase in the production of scheelite can be obtained. The Mines Department has already given financial assistance for improving-roads and tracks, for the erection of bridges, for the purchase of plant, and for improvements to treatment units. Some little time must necessarily elapse before the full effect of such assistance can be appreciated, but already the production of scheelite concentrates has increased from a production of 41 tons in 1939 to one of 74 tons in 1940.

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