Chrome Ore.

This ore, which is a mixture of chromic iron and alumina, is chiefly associated with magnesian rock, resembling olivine in composition, named Dunite by Dr. Hochstetter. It occurs in veins often 12ft. in thickness, and sometimes contains as much as 80 per cent. of chrome ore. This ore has been largely exported from Nelson, and is used for the manufacture of salts of chromic acid, possessing the properties of brilliant dyes. The pure ore contains 50 per cent. of the chrome oxide, and is worth £11 to £20 per ton, according to the state of the market. The exports of this ore since 1853 amount to 5,306 tons, valued at £37,367, but since 1866 no shipments have been made.