Document jZmzyONJRwNyZR7vrOm4Ng4p

ASBESTOS PRODUCTION IN SOUTHERN RHODESIA Tills is tin' second installment of the article liy VV. 10. Sinclair. M.I.M..M. i Consulting Minins Knfiineerl. The first installment apiicarcd in our Ansnst 1 fir.:> issue. It was very many years later, however, before the industry was operating smoothly. Mining and handcobbing of the asbestos ore created a number of initial problems and these were to he followed by even greater difne.ult.ies in the matter of meelianieally treating the ore to reeover satisfactory grades of asbestos. Despite the example of Canadian milling practice, it look nearly ten years of experimenting before an rilicieut plant was evolv ed to produce elassilied grades which won* acceptable to the manufacturers. The reason for the initial difficulties experienced is accounted for hv the greater ipiality of long fibres in the ore and the fact that the Uhodesian asbestos is mure Iemler 1 ban most others. During these early years several large, mines were opened lip and Turner & Newall Ltd. assumed control of the Rhodesian & (General Asbestos Corporation, Ltd., fol lowed by oilier strong combines, all of which gradually put (he. industry on a more stable basis. 'file steady and ever-increasing output has naturally been encouraged by the persistant demand and better prices; indeed in the last few years the consistently up ward trend in price values 1ms given an added impetus to the intensive development of the mineral. Many large and important new mining Companies have entered the field, and in some eases their efforts are already contribut ing to I he growing out pul. .Some of the older mines in the Masliaha and Sliabatii areas are mining by umlergimund methods, because the ore-lmdies lend to dip at a flat angle, which limits the depth at which they can he worked economically by openeast methods. In many other cases, methods of exploita tion most fa vom bly suit oil to geological and topographical conditions are usually adopted. This often consists of quarrying or benching hillside deposits or hv open-cut. Paf/e N "ASBESTOS!'' -- September 1953 PRODUCED in 1 lie western extension of I lie Sliabnni formation, in the lVIin'rwe area, the main producers consist of tin* Yauttnard and the (limnnha Timdm Mini's. There are oilier smaller proposil inns. The next poind prodm-in;; area is that at Kilalnisi near Kulawayo. The jiri11eijj;it |irodneers here are The Croft- (African Asbestos), Wynnes (Dominion llase Metals) and tin* Norma Mines, besides a few smaller con cerns. About six other companies are operatin'; in the Diilawavo district on the (twanda and Shaiiirani serpen tine bodies, but, these as ye! arc only small producers. The main mine in the Ijoniapamdi area is the lSIliel .Mine which lias been in existence for some time. Millin'; operations at all these mines vary consider ably despite the application of the penrrnl basic idea of mill design. Originally, millin'; procedure followed Canadian practice, where I he lirst milled asbestos was J'affe III Ptl&DUC.I SUKSTnfi'' -- Scptcm Ill recent years newly <I< I<>| c] mines Iniill. mills which have been li 11 rrici 11 y assembled l.o meo.l, Lhe urgent, need i'nr asbestos. In some id' these little regard was given to the elassiliea I ion and standard grading of l.lie libre. Shipments from these mills was frowned upon by manu facturers. with the result that today more attention is bein'; paid In ellieieitt milling processes to produce good elean (ihre suitably graded for export. The excellent quality of the Rhodesian ehrysofile is so well known llinl its repots I ion is sufficient assurance of a regular and steady demand, especially for good (piality spinning and shingle grades. .Most of the spinning (ihre posses high tensile slrenglh. albeit, it is soft and silky in texture. The potential reserve of the Rhodesian fields is un known. hill to .judge by the interest being shown by many large mining companies established in South Africa, it would appear to be assured. The General Asbestos Cor poration under the technical control of the Anglo-Ranr] Mining &. Kinanee Corpiu, have opened up the Eilt.ong Extension and Sliabani Kloof Mines in the Vukwe Hills south of Sliabani. Also Hie African & European Invest ment Corpora I ion whose Company Rhodesia Mouteleo Asbestos have opened up mines in the "slip" serpentine formal ion (Rillong Mine). Another interesting feature is the fact that the American Kconomie Cooperation Ad ministration is linaneing the operation of three of the Mines of the Associated Asbestos group. One of I he big foreign newcomers in the Rhodesian V field is (lie lohns-Mauville Company who, in association 1 with llrilish Metals ('orpora lion, A ngol-I I iiron ian. Southern .Minerals and other interests, have formed Rhodesian Asbestos to develop and exploit asbestos orebodies in the Masluiba area. Pnpr s'I! K8T08" -- Heplcmbc