June 25, 1936

Interesting interview with mining engineer Milton Sutherland, who has spent three years mostly in the field throughout the islands. He says new mining developments in some base metals are being contracted by Japanese at ridiculously low prices; that they are exploring all over the Philippines and are trying to skim all the best in metals; attempting for example to take out the 60% iron ore at rock-bottom prices; that the new Capiz Copper Co. has agreed to sell 50,000 tons to Japan at an absurdly low price; that the Philippine Iron Mines get from Japan not much more than half the United States price. Sutherland says there is no coking coal in the Philippines, and two tonnes of coke are required for one ton of pig iron. (Could we start heavy industries in the Philippines?) He states there is a new English plant in China, near coking coal, which might be useful. Believes it possible that there will be a great future for chromite, for which new uses are constantly being discovered; he added that use of chrome with steel requires only 75% of the present weight of steel. Interesting (superficial) discussion of gold mining districts–Camarines, Abra etc.