1.
AERIAL VIEW OF HAMERSLEY RANGE
3 ft

2.
ANOTHER ANGLE (2 SHOTS)
9 ft

3.
PLANE COMING IN TO LAND FROM AIR
11 ft

4.
TAXIING IN
14 ft

5.
VEHICLES LINED UP
15 ft

6.
JAPANESE LEAVES PLANE
18 ft

7.
MEETING JAPANESE
21 1/2 ft

8.
LS PLANE
23 1/2 ft

9.
LS AREA
26 ft

10.
TWO JAPANESE
28 ft

11.
CU IRON SAMPLES
30 ft

12.
GROUP WITH MAP, DR. CAMPANA WITH MAP
32 1/2 ft

13.
CU MAN WITH PENCIL AND PAPER, DR. MACLEOD
34 ft

14.
CRACKING ROCK FOR SAMPLES
36 ft

15.
CU - DO. -
38 ft

16.
JAPANESE BACKING AWAY
40 1/2 ft

17.
MS (2 SHOTS)
42 1/2 ft

18.
CU PICKING SAMPLES
46 1/2 ft

19.
LS GROUP LOOKS DOWN
49 ft



Initials VTS/S/MK/CLA/AMR



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: AMONG THE NEW DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN AUSTRALIA'S NORTH WEST IS A PLAN TO EXPLOIT IRON ORE DEPOSITS FOR SALE TO JAPAN.

IN THE HAMERSLEY RANGES AUSTRALIAN EXPERTS WHO HAVE ALREADY BEGUN SURVEY WORK ARE NOW BEING JOINED BY A TEAM OF JAPANESE STEEL MEN, WHO WANT TO GAUGE FOR THEMSELVES THE POTENTIAL OF THE DEPOSITS.

THEY SAID ON ARRIVAL THAT THEY WERE WILLING TO BUY UP TO THREE MILLION TONS OF ORE A YEAR. THIS WOULD REPRESENT A RETURN TO AUSTRALIA OF ABOUT EIGHTEEN MILLION AUSTRALIAN POUNDS ANNUALLY.

THE MAIN PROBLEM TO BE OVERSOME IS TRANSPORT TO THE COAST. THE JAPANESE SAY THE ORE WOULD BE MORE ECONOMIC THAN THAT FROM THEIR PRESENT SOURCES IN INDIA AND THE UNITED STATES, BUT ABOUT FORTY MILLION POUNDS WOULD HAVE TO BE SPENT FIRST DEVELOPING HANDLING FACILITIES ON THE SITE.

ABOUT SIX CONTRACTS FOR ORE ARE EXPECTED TO BE LET TO THE JAPANESE BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR - A BOOST FOR AUSTRALIA AND ITS NORTH.