PKESIDEiNTlAL ADUKluSS — SliCTIUN Ji. 57 



have hitherto given far more favourable resuhs than deposits in 

 the felsites and shales of the Waterberg system. In view of the 

 many disappointments that have attended the opening up of 

 our tin occurrences and the unenviable reputation that the 

 Bushveld deposits, Jn general, have earned for impersistence, it 

 is a pleasure to be able to record of one of them — the No. 13 

 pipe of the Zaaiplaats Company — that it has been foHowed for 

 a distance of 2,400 feet, measured along the dip, and at the 

 greatest depth hitherto attained— about 400 feet — is as productive 

 as it was near the surface. 



The most notable event in connection with die tin mining 

 industry in 191 / was the erection by the Zaaiplaats Company of 

 a tin smeltery. 



Hitherto all the cassiierite won in the Cnion has been 

 exported in the form of concentrate, containing from 65 to 70 

 per cent, of metallic tin. to the Malay States, where better ])rices 

 are obtainable for this material than in England. 



About a year ago the Zaai])laats Company, owing to the 

 increasing difficulty and cost of shipping their concentrate, decided 

 to smelt it (jn the spot, and have ex{)erienced no difficulty in 

 obtaining ingot tin containing 99-5 pev cent, of the metal, for 

 which there is a ready sale locally. 



Encouraged by the success of this ])ioneer smelting venture, 

 all the other large producers are erecting furnaces, and it appears 

 safe to |)redict that in future only metallic tin will be exported 

 from South Africa. 



ASBESTCS. 



The asbestos industry of South Africa has made remarkable 

 progress since 1913, and, as ] have jxDinted out elsewhere,* 

 appears to be capable of almost indefinite ex])ansion. Exports 

 are limited at the present time by the lack of shipping space, and 

 there will without doubt be a considerable increase in the output 

 after the war. Practically the entire production of the Union 

 is obtained from the deposits of (jriqualand West and the Lyden- 

 burg district of the Transvaal, which occur at almost the same 

 horizon as the Pretoria series, and are among the most extensive 

 occurrences of asbestos now being mined in any country. 



The Griqualand West fields yield blue or crocidolite asbestos, 

 and the Lydenburg fields a pale-coloured iron-amphibole asbestos. 



The output of the Lydenburg fields, which produce fibre up 

 to 10 inches in length, is already considerably in excess of that of 

 Griqualand West, notwithstanding the fact that their exploitation 

 only began two years ago. 



The bulk of the asbestos produced in South Africa is 

 exported. It is gratifying, however, to be able to record that the 

 local asbestos manufacturing industry is steadily expanding. 

 Three firms are now making asbestos-cement tiles and slabs for 

 roofing, ceilings, and partitions. Another concern is engaged in 



* C/. S.A. Jount. Industi'u's. Xoveniber, igi/. 



