This tray is a sandy reminder that resources from the North Island’s wild west coast have long been in demand. Recent publicity surrounding sand mining plans should stir memories of the mining operation at Waipipi, in south Taranaki, which began in 1971 in response to increased Japanese demand for titanomagnetite.
According to the New Zealand Minerals Industry Association the operation shut down in 1987, having produced about 15.7 million tons of titanomagnetite concentrate. This eye-catching tray, where swirls of black sand are captured in resin, is thought to have been produced as a souvenir marking the beginnings of production at Waipipi.
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