1916] INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH IN CANADA 147 
in minerals in Canada, but some of them will require special treatment. 
New processes will have to be devised for treating the ores. For example, 
I might cite the case of zinc and phosphorus. We have in Western Alberta 
and in British Columbia large deposits of zinc ores and of phosphate- 
bearing minerals. It is true, we do not know as yet how to treat them 
economically, but methods can and will be devised if we set our hearts 
on it. There is no reason why we should be dependent on other 
countries such as Germany for our supply of such vital commodities. 
Norway and Sweden have shown us what can be done by the application 
of electricity to the solution of such problems and with our extensive 
waterfalls we have at hand the means of producing electrical energy 
at the lowest possible cost. Efforts should be made to conserve it for 
our own use and research should be directed particularly to the develop- 
ment of its applications in the treatment of ores. 
While dealing with the question of metals and minerals it might not 
be out of place to refer here to a movement which has been recently 
inaugurated by The Iron and Steel Institute, The Institute of Metals, 
The Institution of Mining Engineers, and The Institution of Mining 
and Metallurgy of Great Britain for the formation of a central Depart- 
ment of Mines and Metals in Great Britain to protect and advance 
the economic interests of British mining and metallurgical industries 
and to stimulate the development of the mineral resources of the Empire. 
As is well known there are well organised Departments of Mines in 
Canada and in some of the other Dominions but up to the present time 
there has been no Department of Mines in the centre of the Empire. 
In the plans which are being formulated it is proposed that the duties 
of the projected Department of Mines and Metals when established 
should include: 
1. The making of arrangements for expediting the completion of 
mineral surveys of the United Kingdom and of the Crown Colonies and 
other British Possessions. 
2. The systematic collection and co-ordination of information bearing 
on the occurrence, uses and economic value of minerals. Some of this 
information should be promptly and widely disseminated in summarised 
form to those interested in the industries, through the medium of the 
existing publications of the Institutions directly concerned. 
3. The co-ordination and dissemination of information on mining 
laws, development of mineral areas, output, processes of extraction, 
plant, capital employed, markets, etc., etc. 
4. The stocktaking in a general sense of the mineral resources of 
the Empire and the review from time to time of the position of each 
mineral or metal to ensure that the mineral wealth of the Empire is 
being developed and exploited with due regard to imperial interests. 
