Document 3NayOyjgK1kLQ8gpOOQO4YDxn

1+ 3c2uo t *<=>o{ 9 th February 42 <i -ar Six, Further to our telephone conversation of the 5th ;.;stant and referring to your letter of the sane date Be?. 31,13194), 1 have to say that we conteaplate producing at the rate of 1000*2000 tons spinning fibre -,z 000 tons short length fibre per annua. The output i& difficult to fix at this stage and will be governed largely w the quantity of shorts (asbestos-cesent grade) th*t can fee absorbed In established industries as long length fibre predominates In the W.l. deposit and, should the dcafladtrt^ren larger quantities &aa 8000 tons per -nnun of long fibre could be produced wvth a shorts production of 3000 -tone. In order to produce a high grade and well prepared product in accordance with the demands of the trade and of established manufacturing plants and processes, certain essential stages are necessary in the asbestos mill and an appredefile variation in the output of the sill -ould not mean any appreciable variation in the initial -Mpital i&vestaent required in the nilling plant. While **e set a tentative output of aajr 1000 tons long end 2300 tons abort fibre per annua, tbe success of the mill Is not dependent on these quantities being at once absorbed 'nl> on tee other hand, larger quantities could be produced -1inoat extensive alterations to our equipment. The chief it*s of cut of production will be tbe mining art the output **5 this stag* can, of course, be readily varied according to the deaand. wv-003900 triuf* r; cc^iv^* -2 m It is not anticipated in the first piice that Australia's industry will be able to absorb all the long fibre and the surplus will be available for export. L. 3. Hancock Asbestos Co* hare informed us that they have enquiries for 180 tens crude (long fibre) per annum from Johns-Manvi lie. New York, and for 1200 toss per anwrp (of which two thirds to be crudes).from Asbestos Ltd., Mew York* Such enquiries are of interest at present, however, chiefly in assisting to establish the economic basis of the proposed industry, asd the chief products as fsr as war-time industry in Australis is concerned ares - (1) Spinning fibre for the manufacture of yarn, cord, cloth and packings. (2) Millboard. . (3) Pips and boiler coverings. <4) Asbestos-ceaent sheet*. Za addition to established uses, we anticipste finding an outlet for a considerable quantity of long fibre for the lagging of all heated surfaces in the ship building Industry. Blue fibre is well suited for this purpoet. With regard to the attitude of Australian manu facturers of asbestos cement, we have been in close touch vith Asbestos Products Ltd. in Sydney and have been informed that they are very satisfied with asbestos cement containing 39% of blue fibre end on the 15/10/42, Mr. KacOlarmld, manager of that Company, wrote as per copy / of letter attached herewith. The matter was referred to South African producers by cable on the 9/7/42 as to their experience with blue asbesUe and on 31/7/42, they replied as follows! - "Your twentyseventh first question if colour finished article immaterial up to hundred lbs. capeblue grades may be used to each hundred lbs. shingle fibre which may even be partially replaced by paper stock capebh generally hering greater tensile strength than shine, fibre or up to thirty lbs. Transvamlbiue Grade 3 to each hundred lbs. ebrysotile which most be at least shingle quality. Second question no but generally blue far less suitable moulding purposes than chryaotile compliments". This opinion states that good quality blue can be mixed with chryaotile 100 parts* 100 parts and that up to > K-- w*** ' '`/i 68 10% of lower grade of blue may be so used. Blue fibre Is suited particularly for fiat -'.sets end Super-6 corrugated aid not for moulding purposea but the *-*o ''ormet itess constitute the major j^es. The attitude of Asbestos Products Ltd. to the use of blue fibre has been consistently favourable within the above mentioned limitations. We have not beta In direct touch with the ot&er companies concerned but understand that their attitude is less sympathetic because their established practice la baaed on the use of thrysettle only, and possibly because well Billed Australian blue has not bees -vailable. We have, however, conducted a considerable (mount of investigation and carried out numerous trials in our ovn test laboratory and have satisfied ourselves that satisfactory sheets can he made from blue fibre. We are very satisfied with these results and, *s we consider that any opposition to the use of blue fibre is more a matter of opposition to change of procedure in which satisfactory factory methods have been established, it is now proposed that should there be any reluctance on the part of existing manufacturers to absorb supplies of blue once we have placed a high grade and well prepared fibre on tbe market* to arrange for supplies of asoestos-cement ^netts to be manufactured to our specification end to ur account wad ridk* V Siould the further step of additional manufacturing plant be required for this purpose* we have plans already completed for the installation of manufacturing plant for making flat sheets from blue fibre but it is not our 1 intention to proceed with this at present unless requested to do so by the Directorate of Waterisis Supply. We have been informed by the latter Department that many enquiries already exist for blue fibre and thst business in the past has been hanpered by loadequate production and by Inefficient milling methods which have fswlitd In an imperfectly prepared fibre being placed on the market. 6ur proposed plant and methoda will overcome both these faults which have hindered the use of blue asbestos in the past., and we feel confident that if we accept the financial responsibility of proving its suitability for the purposes mentioned herein* r<? will be atie to overcome any opposition to its use that say exist with some manufacturers at present* ... : > \ < i 1 1 . .; As far ss spinning is concerned, erocidolite definitely b used for thi* work and* if. exiStihgS^xT ,,r** unwilling to change ovdr from 1sported .gh^yjoUJ * i .4 m f* yt -4- i;c *ccspt whatever responsibility or instal whatever plant is r.eeess&ry to ensure the utilisation of -I*;? fibre. Ssnersliy speaking, we have satisfied ourselves tret blue fibre 2 an be used for the purposes mentioned ..id that there is no sound reason why the almost uiliaitea supplies of blue fibre in Western Australia hoild sot be developed and used to replace a correspondng quantity of isported chrysotile. He have* i-oreover, considered these proposals -a coaJ*inctiv with the production of chrysettle fibre :y fnstcanien Asbestos Proprietary ltd* which has no* been - mistered in Tasaania, and it is hoped that the permissible percentage of blue fibre will help to make up for any deficiency in quantity that nay be procurable from toe ; caller Tataanian field and so go a long way towards establishing a future all-Australian industry. Tours faithfully. pro Acting General Manager. - *1 C*f .w. .., i-v w-- eop**w ____A