Australian Iron Ore.

Progress, Volume II, Issue 6, 1 April 1907, Page 232

Australian Iron Ore.

The Commonwealth has just commenced a new chapter m its mineral history, a steamer the Somerset, having recently arrived in Europe with the first cargo of iron ore ever shipped from Austiaha It consists of 2,000 tons from the mine known as the Iron Knob, situated about 40 miles from the shores of Spencer Gulf, South Australia, which, with another mine, the Iron Monarch, is stated to be from one of the richest and most extensive iron ore deposits in the Commonwealth. The ore has been found to average over 60 per cent of iron, and like that obtained from the Blythe River, Tasmania, rivals the best Swedish in its high percentage of metal and freedom fiom deleterious materials The Iron Knob belongs to the Broken Hill Proprietary Company, which obtained possession of it as a means of furnishing their reduction works at Port Pine with a supply of ore for fluxing purposes. But the rich character of the ore led to on enquiry whether, in view of the alleged depletion of the leading deposits in Sweden, Norway and Spain, it could not be more profitably utilised, and replaced at Port Pine by ores containing a lower percentage of metal The question was speedily answered m the affirmative, the samples submitted to experts being declared the best they have ever handled, and capable of being easily converted into Bessemer and Harveyise steel The importance of this will be readily understood when it is explained that the quantity of ore forming the deposit is estimated at several million tons, and that another mine m the vicinity of the lion Monarch, is regarded as being equally rich Hitherto the exports of iron ore from Australia have been of a most insignificant character, amounting m 1905 to only !,050 cwt., value /98, ot which Belgium took 40 cwt , Germany stiO cwt , and Japan 430 cwt The metal is distributed throughout the Commonwealth, the deposits in New South Wales being estimated at 59,307,000 tons although 80,000,000 tons and even more would be nearer the mark ; while those m Queens land are considered to be equally extensive ~ There are also vast deposits in Tasmania and Western Australia At present the whole of the ore raised is used for fluxing purposes despite its genciallv rich character Should the experimental ship"ment by the Somerset prove successful, British ironmasters will find themselves in possession of a new and apparently inexhaustible ore supply of the best charactei — Syrev and Shipping