(^ 



THE 



'^C> 



iyid "^ 



G E L a [ G A L M A G A Z 1 N Ee^" 



NEW SERIES. DECADE VI. VOL. V. 



No. X.— OCTOBER, 1918. 



The Impekial Mineral Resotjkces Bureau. 



IT will be remembered tbat as a result of tbe deliberations of the 

 Imperial War Conference last year a Special Committee, under 

 the chairmanship of Sir James Stevenson, was appointed by 

 Dr. Addison, then Minister of Munitions, to prepare a scheme for 

 the establishment, in London, of an Imperial Mineral Resources 

 Bureau. The proposal that the Committee was asked to examine 

 was, that a Bureau should be formed to collect information from 

 Government Departments and other sources in regard to the mineral 

 resources and metal requirements of the Empire, and that it should 

 advise what action, if any, mioht appear desirable to enable such 

 resources to be developed and made available. 



The Committee reported at the end of July, 1917, and recommended 

 the formation of a Bureau with the following duties: — 



1. To collect, co-ordinate, and disseminate information in regard 

 to the resources, production, treatment, consumption, and require- 

 ments of every mineral and metal of economic value. 



2. To ascertain the scope of the existing agencies, with a view 

 ultimately to avoid any unnecessary overlapping tliat may prevail. 



3. To devise means whereby the existing agencies may, if 

 necessary, be improved and assisted in the accomplishment of their 

 respective tasks. 



4. To supplement those agencies, if necessary, in order to obtain 

 any information not now collected which may be required for the 

 Bureau. 



5. To advise on the development of the mineral resources of the 

 Empire, or of particular parts of it, in order that such resources may 

 be made available for Imperial defence or industry. 



After the consideration of the report the Government instructed 

 the Minister of Reconstruction, in consultation with the Secretaries 

 of State for the Colonies and India, to give effect to the findings of 

 the Committee. As these provided that the administration of the 

 Bureau was to be controlled by a governing body representing the 

 various parts of tbe Empire as well as the mineral and metal 

 industries, detailed proposals were submitted to the Dominion and 

 Indian Governments, who nominated their representatives; while 

 the remaining members of the governing body were nominated by 

 the Minister of Reconstruction in consultation with the Institution 

 of Mining and Metallurgy, the Institute of Metals, the Iron and 

 Steel Institute, and the Institute of Mining Engineers. This con- 

 stitution was ratified by the Imperial War Conference which met in 

 London this year. 



The Bureau Avill be incorporated by Royal Charter, and the 

 governing body, which will be under the presidency of the Lord 



DECADE VI. — VOL. V. — NO. X. 28 



