Ten days were spent in examination of the property, from July 8th to 18th. All accessible underground workings were mapped in detail on a scale of 30 feet to 1 inch and the surface in the immediate vicinity of the mine on the scale of 100 feet to 1 inch. Mr. J.W. Whiting of the New South Wales Geological Survey provided competent assistance during the surface and part of the underground mapping. Mr W.P. Green of Zinc Corporation Limited and his assistants did everything possible to facilitate the examination of the workings. Plans which have been prepared to accompany this report comprise: Surface plan, Plate 1, plans of all levels and of intermediate stopes, Plates 2-8, east-west cross-sections through the lode at 50 feet intervals, Plates 9 to 13, a longitudinal projection of the lode showing the distribution of mineralisation, and a longitudinal section outlining the amount of stoping which has been done, Plates 14 & 15.

The Dundurrabin copper prospect is 3.5 miles northwest of Dundurrabin sawmill and settlement, and 5 miles from Lyringham, which is connected by road to Grafton, Armidale and Dorrigo. The mine is favourably situated with regard to supplies of water and timber. Development consists of an adit to the lode with a cross-cut through it (Plate I), connected to a shaft from the surface on the south wall of the lode. The shaft has been sunk 30 feet below the adit with another cross-cut at that level through the formation. A few pits and costeans have been put down along the strike. Geology, prospects, and recommendations for further work are discussed.

A point has been reached in the prospecting of this field where it is necessary to review results and consider future actions. The bore on site A has been completed and Mr. Knight has concluded his preliminary geological survey of the area. The information now available modifies some of our earlier views. The following statement summarises the position.

Car traverses were made in several directions over an area of 30 miles square with Coorabin as a centre, with the object of delimiting, if possible, the margins of the coal basin. The results of the geological survey are summarised herein.

The Wallaroo-Moonta copper field offers a challenge to modern geological and geophysical ore-finding methods. After the production of some 338,066 tons of copper valued at over 20 million pounds, large scale mining ceased in 1923. In spite of the present urgent need for copper, investigators have agreed that no good purpose can be served by re-opening the old mines and that any further substantial production from the field depends upon the discovery of new ore-bodies. Since the ore-bearing rocks are almost completely covered by superficial deposits, it is not unreasonable to suppose that there are still undiscovered ore-bodies in the field. Nevertheless some 30,000 feet of diamond drilling have been carried out in the past and the results, generally speaking, have been very poor. This is not surprising, perhaps, when the local nature of ore occurrences and the vast extent of barren country rock is contemplated. It appears that there is a clear task for geological and geophysical methods to select sites where diamond drilling will have the maximum chance of intersecting ore. The masking of the surface geology immediately suggests the application of geophysical methods and in 1929 some work was carried out at Moonta by the Imperial Geophysical experimental Survey. After a limited amount of work this Survey was forced to the conclusion that the field presented greater difficulties to electrical prospecting, owing principally to the screening effect of the saline overburden. Since 1929, however, geophysical technique has progressed considerably, and more is known concerning the physical conditions of the field. In view of the possible prize at stake it was therefore decided early this year to re-open and carry out further geophysical surveys. The work was carried out in close co-operation with the South Australian Mines Department, which had previously made extensive investigations of the structural geology, and had recommended the use of the geophysical methods.

It was recently suggested by Mr. N. White, Superintendent of Minerals Production, N.S.W., that a geophysical survey be made of the Commonwealth Deep Lead near Glen Innes as part of a campaign to prospect for stanniferous wash beneath the basalt cover. In company with Mr. N. White and Mr. E. Dow, an inspection was made of the area on the 7th and 8th October, in order to determine in the first place whether the problem offers scope for geophysical methods. A geophysical survey, if carried out, would commence in the vicinity of what is known as the Commonwealth Mine and the inspection was made primarily of that area. At present there is no activity at the Commonwealth Mine, which is actually the site where some alluvial deposits were first dredged for tinstone in 1909 by the Commonwealth Tin Dredging Company, N.L., on PML 25, Ph. Wellington, Co. Gough.

The overburden (or non-scheelite bearing rocks overlying the ore-bearing rocks) at the mine of the King Scheelite N.L. at Grassy include: 1) A layer of windblown sand ranging in thickness up to 30 feet; 2) An irregular layer of non-mineralised rocks occurring in the north-western part of the present workings; 3) Non-mineralised rocks conformably overlying the lode in the southern part of the workings; 4) Overburden dumped on the southern side of the open cut. The problem of the dumping of the overburden is involved in that of the selection of a suitable site for the treatment plant. Under the proposed scheme to increase production a new site will have to be found for the treatment plant that is to be erected.

Mount Kitchin lies about thirty miles west from Chillagoe in Northern Queensland and is 13 miles by bush-track south-west from the now deserted town site of Arbouin on Cardross copper field. Six claims embrace the mica deposits at Mount Kitchin, but only three of these could be examined, on the 8th October, 1942, in the short time at disposal. The brief examination of these three claims, namely, "Wonder", "Anniversary" and "Southern Cross" confirms the remarks of Mr C.C. Morton in his report dated 1/5/42 to the Chief Geologist, Brisbane, and it appears that the "Southern Cross" and "Anniversary" claims contain the only deposits which may become producers in the future. When compared with the mica deposits of Central Australia the pegmatite bodies at Mount Kitchin are very small.

Two days, November, 10th and 11th, were spent in the Hillgrove area and brief examinations were made of the North Cosmopolitan, Garibaldi, Metz Black Lode, and Damifino Mines, as well as the surface of Eleanora, Freshold, Baker's Creek and other formerly worked lodes. The Black Lode on the Metz side is being worked for antimony, and J. Usher's scheelite mine is in continuous production. Development is proceeding on the North Cosmopolitan and Garibaldi antimony mines, and a little gouging is being done in the Swamp Creek and Baker's Creek gorges.

An overview of the types, occurrence, supply and production of asbestos in Australia, 1942.