126 
The N.Z. Journal of Science and Technology. 
[Mar. 
Potash from Alunite .—At Bullahdelah, in New South Wales, Australia 
possesses what has been described as the biggest deposit of alunite in the 
world, from which shipments have been made to England for many years. 
Alunite is a mineral from which soluble potassium salts are easily obtained. 
If merely ignited the mineral is an efficient potash fertilizer. The author, 
after reviewing many of the possible sources of potash, comes to the con¬ 
clusion that Australia need never fear a potash famine. There being plenty 
of potash available, it only requires the necessary incentive to stimulate 
production. The sources which present the most promising possibilities 
seem to be the recovery from wool-scouring and the development of the 
alunite deposits. The author possibly intended the bulletin to be suggestive 
merely, as some of the statements made seem to the reviewer to rest on 
somewhat slender experimental data. 
It is significant that inquiry from New Zealand as to the possibility of 
New Zealand getting supplies of alunite from Australia have been met 
with very discouraging replies. 
Wool-wax .—Part II of the bulletin relates to the recovery of that portion 
of the wool-grease which is unsaponifiable under the conditions employed 
at the Australian wool-scouring works for washing the wool, in which 
carbonate of soda is used. This wool-wax is hence found floating on the 
surface of the wash-water in the scouring-bowls. The author skims this 
off, and without delay filters it hot through a sieve, washes it three times 
with hot water, but not more than four times, and kneads the cold cake 
of wax with cold water, which can be done in a butter-working machine. 
The wax is now nearly white, and to remove the last traces of smell and 
colour wood-charcoal and finally animal-charcoal is used. After filtering 
through a suitable filter the production is ready for market as “ adeps 
lanae,” and the author’s analysis shows that it agrees with the B.P. tests. 
The author estimates that 1J per cent, of the weight of the greasy wool 
scoured in South Australia (3,500 tons) can be recovered by skimming, and 
the adeps lanae would now be worth £500 per ton. 
B. C. A. 
Cream of Tartar Manufacture in South Australia, by W. A. Hargreaves, 
Bulletin of the Department of Chemktrv, South Australia, No. 3, 112 pp., 
1916. 
This bulletin is the third of a series dealing with industrial chemical 
problems, and discusses the possibilities of the cream-of-tartar industry in 
South Australia. 
The average wine-production of the State for five years from 1911 was 
about 3,000,000 gallons per annum, and the total possible production of 
cream of tartar from 64 to 126 tons, the quantity easily available being 
somewhere between 14 and 26 tons per annum. 
South Australia during 1913 imported 190 tons of cream of tartar and 
65 tons of tartaric acid, so that although she has the largest wine-production 
of the Australian States she could not supply even her own needs. 
The various processes for preparing cream of tartar from argols, lees, 
and from the husks are briefly dealt with, and reference: given. It is stated 
that one manufacturer is already making cream of tartar, and another is 
prepared to do so, provided he is assured of a constant supply of lees from 
the winemakers. B. L. A. 
