The National tribune., 1899-06-15

be of value as an iron ore. In addition to
iron, variable quantities of silica and titanic
acid are nearly always found as impurities
Deposits of bauxite have been discovered
in the United States, Ireland, France, and
Germany, and are being extensively
| worked as an ore Of alumina. The value Of
aluminium in the industrial arts is very
great and rapidly increasing. In appear
| anee it resembles silver, and is very mallea-
Bile and ductile, approaching iron in tenac-
| ity, and capable of high polish. 1t does
| not OXidiZe, and is one of the lightest of met
| ais. 1t does not become tarnished like
silver, but retains its luster under almost
every circumstance. Cheaper methods Of
production have enormously increased the
demand for the metal within the last few
years. In 1886 aluminium cost 50 los.
per lb.. and the production in the United
States of America did not exceed 5000 lbs.
In 1897 the metal could be obtained for
Is. 412d. per b., and the same country
produced q 1000, 900 lbs. from bauxiie ore.
The process now in vogue is an electro
/ lytic one, and the largest item in the cost of
production is power-steam, water, or
| otherwise. The ores from which alumni
mum is obtained are abundant in the noun
| famous country south of Sydney, also in
| the northern districts, and elsewhere, but
| up to the present, Notwithstanding the
| richness and immensity OF the deposits,
have remained unutilised. Samples of
| ore from WiDgello, in the northern portion
|
South Wales Mines Department, and found
! to contain considerable percentage of
alumina. 1t has since been ascertained
| that variouSly tinted bauxite ores occur in
enormous quantities in the district. In
| the southern country have been found iron
| ores containing a considerable quantity
of alumina, and which in some respects
| resemble the ferruginous bauxites of Win
CELLO, passing by insensible gradations
| INTO basalt.
| The bauxite deposits of Germany are
said to result from the alteration of baSalt.
| The American bauXite ores shown at the
Chicago International Exhibition reseme
| bed somewhat the laterite ores found in
| the New South Wales tin-mining country,
in one part Of which the laterite formation
has superficial area of IL square miles,
| 577 acres, and thickness from few feet
| to 40 feet. The beds consist at the surface
| of a red, dusty soil, passing downward
| into red, yellow, or gray tufts and compact
| pisolitc ironstone, which in their turn
| graduate into rotten, spongy basalt. The
ore, in Ignorance of its real character and
value, has been largely used for road
making purposes.
| Three samples of ore, on being analysed,
were found to contain, 5S.31, 1928, 80. .82
per cent. of alumina. The first sample is
equal to any in the world, being richer
| than the bauXite ores of France, Austria,
Ireland, and the United States, which at
present constitute the leading sources OF
supply. Bauxite ore forms the source
| from which all the aluminium of commerce
| is produced, and in view of the increasing
demand for what is regarded as one Of the
| great metals of the future, especially in
| connection with naval architecture, the
discovery of practically inexhaustible beds
of bauxite in New South Wales may be
regarded as an event of the highest indus
| trial Importance.