Tiwai Point, Bluff, Invercargill City, Southland Region, New Zealandi
| Regional Level Types | |
|---|---|
| Tiwai Point | Point |
| Bluff | - not defined - |
| Invercargill City | City |
| Southland Region | Region |
| New Zealand | Country |
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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
46° 35' 14'' South , 168° 22' 44'' East
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Locality type:
Köppen climate type:
Nearest Settlements:
| Place | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Bluff | 1,938 (2011) | 3.8km |
| Invercargill | 47,287 (2011) | 20.9km |
| Woodlands | 285 (2011) | 27.8km |
| Wallacetown | 638 (2011) | 29.2km |
| Riverton | 1,651 (2011) | 38.3km |
Tiwai Point is only 500 metres east of the Bluff town site, however it is separated by the North Channel of the Bluff Harbour, and access is from the eastern side of the harbour.
The location is the site of an aluminium smelter, owned by Rio Tinto and the Sumitono Group as the New Zealand Aluminium Smelters Ltd. Bauxite ore is mined in Australia, and processed into aluminia, a very fine white powder, which is then exported to the smelter in New Zealand to make rolls of aluminium.
The smelter is a significant employer for Invercargill, and contributes around 10% to the Southland regional economy.
Auton states corundum has been collected at the smelting works as small blue tabular crystals grown on furnace bricks, translucent, and well terminated, and larger grey crystals, tabular, variably terminated.
The information provides more questions than answers. In theory alumina oxide can be converted to artificial corundum from intense heating, the blue colour from trace iron and titanium. The smelter works are not accessible to the public. The source is likely early 1970's, shortly after the smelter opened. Auton provides no other details.
List of minerals for each chemical element
References
Sort by
Year (asc) Year (desc) Author (A-Z) Author (Z-A)Auton, G.A. Bluff Area, from the Otago Rock and Minerals Club website.
External Links
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminium_oxide
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiwai_Point_Aluminium_Smelter
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiwai_Point_Aluminium_Smelter
Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
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