THE NITROGEN PHOBLKM. 107 



of the researches indicated above, and it is stated that the 

 eoinpauy intend to erect immediately a phmt for the manu- 

 facture of 100 tons of 100 per cent, ammonia per day, with 

 provision for a rapid extension to 300 tons a day, equal to 

 150,000, rising- to 450,000, tons of sulphate per annum. With 

 the successful establishment of such a plant, England will in 

 future be free from the menace of being- dependent on other 

 countries for her nitrogen needs and requirements. 



In examining- the case for this country, it is necessary, in 

 the first place, to study the importation of nitrogen compounds, 

 which are shown in Table B for the last decade- 

 Inspection of this table shows at a glance the enormous 

 amount of sodium nitrate imported for the manufacture of 

 nitro explosives for mining- purposes, and of cyanides for the 

 extraction of gold. If we include also the imports of manu- 

 factured explosives, it will be seen that, compared with these 

 items, the rest are relatively insignificant, and the conclusion 

 mig'lit therefore be drawn that, outside the mining industry, 

 the nitrogen problem was a matter of no importance to this 

 country. Such an inference wouldj however, be unjustifiable 

 from the point of view of the expanding agricultural industries 

 of South Africa, which in a short time will demand large 

 supplies of nitrogenous fertilisers. The C{uestion therefore 

 naturally arises whetlier it will be possible to meet such a 

 demand and at the same time assist the explosives industries 

 by manufacturing" nitric acid within the country itself. 



The only two possible sources of any consequence at 

 present known are the coal deposits (including shales) and the 

 nitrogen of the atmosphere. With regard to the former, as 

 I have shown elsewhere,* according to the most reliable 

 estimates obtainable, namely, those of the Union Goveimment 

 Mining Engineer, the resources of South Africa are small in 

 extent, forming only four-fifths of 1 per cent, of the world's 

 coal reserves, as against 2h per cent, in Great Britain, and at 

 the same time it must be remembered that the quality of 

 much of this coal is as yet unknown. At present the greater 

 bulk of the coal mined is burnt completely to ash for the 

 purpose of raising- steam and the nitrogen is not recovered. 

 There is one plant at Mount Xgwibi, near Vryheid, in T^atal, 

 in which coal is burnt to destruction in Mond producers to 

 obtain its nitrogen, in the form of ammonium sulphate, the 

 by-products not being utilised. These works have been in 

 existence three years, and up to the end of last year produced 

 about 8,500 short tons, so tha^- tlie total production at the same 

 rate up to the present would be approximately 10,000 short 

 tons, or 9,080 metric tons. In addition, there are four coal gas 

 works, but the amount of nitrogen products recovered is, 

 practically speaking, too small to be taken into account. iVt 

 the present moment, therefore. South Africa is compelled to 

 import nitrogen for manufacturing- purposes, that required for 

 agriculture being, as far as can be judged, small in amount. 

 In war, the country would in this respect be entirely dependent 



*Cf. BuUcfln 28, Union Dept. of Industries. 



