118 The N.Z. Journal of Science and Technology. [Mar 
(patented by Musliet in 1856, less than a year after Bessemer’s basic patent 
of 7th December, 1856) manganese-mining would have been reduced to a 
very low ebb. For many years past manganese has been used more and 
more for the production of manganese steel. The uses of manganese salts, 
such as potassium permanganate, have also extended. Until the outbreak 
of war in 1914, however, the factors tending to cause a rise in market prices 
were completely counterbalanced by other factors, such as the discovery 
and mining of large deposits in Bussia, India, and Brazil, which tended to 
keep prices down. War conditions have caused a great increase in the 
demand for and the price of manganese-ores, but this increase is due not 
so much to the scarcity of manganese as to high freights. In 1891 the 
value of manganese-ore was determined mainly by its metal content, and 
in the London market was Is. 7d. to Is. 8d. per unit of metal, or £3 19s. 2d. 
to £4 3s. 4d. per ton of ore with 50 per cent, of metallic manganese. Since 
1900 prices have been low, and for some years prior to the war the 
average price of ordinary manganese-ore landed at British or European 
ports did not exceed Is. Id. per unit, and was at times well below that 
figure. Since 1915 prices have risen greatly, as is shown by the following 
quotations :— 
Hagen, Nevada, U.S., 14th May, 1918 : 3s. 8d. to 4s. 7d. per unit 
(per short ton) for 48-per-cent, ore, equivalent to 4s. 3d. to 5s. Id. 
per unit per long ton. 
New York, 15th May, 1918 : 5s. to 5s. 5d. per unit for metallurgical 
ore, 48-per-cent, grade, equivalent to 5s. 7d. to 6s. Id. per unit 
per long ton, or £13 19s. 2d. to £15 4s. 2d. per long ton of 
50-per-cent. ore. 
London, 1st June, 1918 : 3s. 6d. per unit, or £10 10s. per ton of 
60-per-cent. ore. 
Before the war the f.o.b. price of manganese-ore in India was 7d. per 
unit. Early in 1918 it had risen only to 8d. per unit, notwithstanding that 
the London price had risen from lid. per unit to 3s. per unit. 
New Zealand Production of Manganese. 
The tables published in the Mines Report for the year 1915 and many 
years previous show that the export of manganese-ore from New Zealand 
began in the year 1878, when 2,516 tons, valued at £10,416, was exported. 
Only 2,140 tons was exported the next year, but 1880 was slightly better 
than 1878, with an export of 2,611 tons, valued at £10,423. Since then the 
manganese export has fluctuated, but on the whole has steadily declined, 
until in 1911 exportation entirely ceased. The total export to that date, 
according to the Mines Report tables, was 19,364 tons, valued at £61,905. 
Probably there was a small production prior to 1878 which was not sepa¬ 
rately recorded in the Customs returns. J. A. Pond, in the paper previously 
mentioned, gives a table of exports covering seven years (Trans., vol. 21, 
1889, p. 358). He has, however, omitted the figures for 1883, and given the 
dates 1883 and 1884 instead of 1884 and 1885. 
On account of the high freights ruling at present, manganese-ore cannot 
well be profitably exported from New Zealand. Even when peace returns 
and freights fall, no prospect of successfully exporting the ore can be held 
out. India and other countries nearer Great Britain can produce large 
quantities of manganese-ore at a low rate ; consequently the price will soon 
fall when abundant shipping is available. New Zealand, however, contains 
