This report describes the results of the micro-examination of seven samples taken from Fossil Beach, Mornington.

This collection of fossils from the Portland area consists chiefly from mollusca, but where a small portion of sediment was attached to the fossils, it was removed and washed down for micro-examination. The number given to each sample refers to the registered number in the Victorian Geological Survey Collection. The results of the examination are recorded in this report.

This report is written chiefly to present estimates of reserves of bauxite proved to date in Gippsland. Consequently, discussions of the geological aspects of the investigation, though essential to an understanding of the subject, are kept to a minimum. The existence of bauxite in the neighbourhood of Boolarra and Thorpdale, County Buln Buln, South Gippsland has been known for some years and bauxite from Nahoo, Allot. 8 Ph. Narracan South, has been used for chemical purposes for over 20 years. Eleven additional discoveries were made from time to time up to April, 1942, when an extensive prospecting programme was undertaken. In the short time that has elapsed since then a further twelve deposits have been discovered, making a total of twenty-four deposits in the adjoining parishes of Moe, Allambee East, Narracan South, Mirboo and Budgeree in the county of Buln Buln. Several of these deposits have been systematically tested by shaft sinking and boring. This exploration is still in progress.

A visit of inspection to the Lakes Entrance Shaft, with the object of making a collection of fossils from the sediments already excavated, was made on the 17th and 18th of December. The list of fossils recognised is fairly comprehensive but for the reasons stated it consists chiefly of small forms obtained by washing down the sandy marls. The approximate depths at which the various palaeontological horizons were encountered in the shaft are given below, the sequence and lithology of the beds being identical with that proved in all bores in the vicinity.

This collection of fossils was made by Mr. H.J. Cook, Supervisor of the Lakes Entrance project during December, 1942. It consists chiefly of broken specimens of molluscan shells, the most important being a fragment of large Mitra, Fulgoraria ancilloides (Tate) and an almost complete specimen of Cypraea consobrina (McCoy). The importance of the discovery of the latter species is discussed in the report on my recent visit to the shaft, but the presence of the former (which had previously only been recorded from the Balcombian and has a length of 110 millimetres) in the present collection, again indicates that valuable information has been lost through inadequate sampling of a rich shelly zone in the Kalimnan stage.

Results of a micro-faunal examination of samples from bores Nos. 188, 195, 208, and 213, parish of Maryvale, Victoria.

This report deals with the results obtained in tests with the electrical resistivity method on the brown coalfields at Morwell and Traralgon, Victoria, in an attempt to develop a rapid method of determining the presence of the coal and its depth below the surface. These tests were carried out in the latter part of 1943 by the Geophysical Section of the Mineral Resources Survey at the request of the Victorian Electricity Commission. Thirty-four resistivity-electrode separation tests were made over a wide variety of geological sections in the parishes of Maryvale, Hazelwood and Loy Yang. These tests were preceded by a number of tests by specific resistivity made on various types of overburden and on coal exposed in the open cuts at Yallourn. This report discusses the results of these tests although verbal information concerning them has already been made available to the Commission's officers. It will be shown that under certain conditions, the predictions of the depth to coal are reliable within fairly narrow limits while under other conditions the predictions are misleading. It is proposed in the first instance to outline the method and apparatus used in these tests. In addition, it is considered advisable to outline the methods of interpretation employed in order that the conclusions reached will by fully appreciated. In addition to discussing the resistivity results, the report deals briefly with the possibility of using gravity methods on the same prospecting problem. Calculations have been made of gravity anomalies to be expected from certain coal sections and it is shown that under favourable conditions this might prove of value in determining the presence and position of the coal.

This report is written as a result of observations made at Mansfield during an examination of the phosphate deposits in company with members of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Rural Industries on the 20th March.

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