No.
6.—A quartz of very loose texture, somewhat resembling a breccia of a
reddish colour, due to iron. It is highly ferruginous with most
brilliant irridescent hues, due to the films of iron oxide. One or two
specks of gold are visible with a magnifying glass. It has a felspathic
external surface. It yields 10 dwt. to the ton. Depth 350 feet; above
sea-level 1,140 ft; locality, Sebastopol, Ballarat.
No.
7.—A dense flaky quartz, somewhat ferruginous with a considerable
quantity of metal, viz., argentiferous galena and auriferous pyrites.
Note the peculiar shade of pyrite differing from the brassy iron one.
This specimen was taken from a depth of 60 feet at 90 ft; above sea
level. Locality, St. Arnand.
[Galena
crystallizes in the cubic form with a perfect cleavage. Its color is a
lead grey with metallic lustre. Composition is sulphide of lead and a
little sulphide of silver. If the silver is in sufficient quantity to
be worth extracting it is termed argentiferous.]
No.
8.—A dirty white quartz, compact in texture, full of cavities with
crystalline quartz. A little mispickel occurs. No gold is visible to
the jnaked eye, but slight specks show with the aid of a magnifying
glass. Yield 6 oz. to ton. Depth 240 ft.; above sea-level 1080;
locality Ballarat.
No.
9.—A whitish looking quartz, somewhat glassy, with auriferous pyrites,
a few specks of mispickel occur. Gold is not visible. Yields 18 dwt. to
the ton and was taken from a depth of 1,200 feet and 300 ft. above
sea-level. Locality, Clunes.
No.
10.—A white quartz, stained reddish by iron. A little chlorite is
present. It has a curious mamimilated quartz surface on one side with
an iron casing below. There is a peculiar tinge of iron which is very
common in Ceylon quartz. Gold is distinctly visible. Depth 60 ft. at
2080 above sea-level. Locality, Daylesford.
No.
11.—Quartz of a milky white character with a slate-wall. Gold is
distinctly visible on this slaty-wall along with a little auriferous
pyrite. Depth 600 ft. at 1,200 ft. above sea-level. Locality, Blackwood.
No.
12.—Dirty white quartz with a beautiful mass of rock crystal, the
crystals being a double hexagonal pyramid. A little arseno-pyrite is
present, but gold is not distinctly visible. Depth 300 feet at 1,150
above sea-level. Locality, Ballarat.
Nos.
13 and 14.—Beautiful, white, milky quartz with auriferous pyrities,
blende and galena. Free gold is very distinctly visible in both
specimens along with the blende. (14 is a very rich specimen.) Depth
450 feet at 400 above sea-level.—Locality, Maldon.
[Blende or black jack crystallizes mostly in dodecahedrons; it is usually black or brown. Composition is sulphide of zinc]
No.
15.—A whitish quartz, much stained with iron, causing it to look
reddish. Gold is distinctly visible on the iron ore studded all over
its weathered face. Depth 80 feet at 1,400 above the sea-level.
Locality, Ballarat.
No.
16.—A bluish glassy quartz; very cavernous. Gold is distinctly visible
in the caverns and on other parts. Depth 900 feet at 60 below
sea-level. Locality, Stawell.
Chief points noticeable in collection:—
1. The great density of the quartz.
2. The compactness of the quartz except in 6 and 7 which show that compactness is not a necessary characteristic.
3. The general association with other metals.
4.
The colour of quartz is nil in determining gold. If need not
look warm, as has often been stated, for 11, 12 and 13, as far as
general appearance goes are cold and decidedly hungry, destitute of
caverns and destitute of other minerals. White is the prevalent color
in this collection, stained variously with iron.
5. The quartz being in crystalline condition is not a sign of its containing no gold. See No. 12.
