Legacy product - no abstract available

Beach sand deposits along the Australian east coast (Gardner, 1951 a, b) have yielded a large part of the world supply of zircon and rutile since the year 1936. During 1953 the returns from the export of these minerals amounted to more than £2,000,000. In addition the black sands contain a small proportion of monazite, which is a source of cerium and of thorium, a fissionable element that may be used for the generation of atomic power. From a comparatively small beginning the mid-1930's the beach-sand industry grew rapidly during the war and early post-war years. Little was known of the distribution and reserves of the deposits; hence the Bureau of :Mineral Resources undertook a detailed investigation of the coastal area between Southport, Queensland, and Woody Head a little north of the mouth of the Clarence River, New South Wales. The primary object of the survey was to determine the reserves of monazite and therefore of thorium; the reserves of zircon, rutile, and ilmenite were also determined. In this report the source rocks of the sand and heavy minerals are considered in a brief outline of the physiography and general geology of the country between the coast and the main divide. The deposits are described and their origin and distribution discussed in connexion with late Pleistocene and recent changes, in sea level. The reserves and distribution of the heavy minerals arc broadly summarised, and more details of reserves and dimensions of deposits and overburden are given in descriptions of the individual areas.

Legacy product - no abstract available

Legacy product - no abstract available

Legacy product - no abstract available

Legacy product - no abstract available

Legacy product - no abstract available

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This report deals with geological and geophysical investigations of the George Creek Uranium Prospect, which is 80 miles by road south of Darwin, N.T. The rocks, sandstone and siltstone, which form part of the east limb of a large north-plunging syncline, belong to the George Creek Formation of Lower Proterozoic Age. The radioactive anomaly within the 3-times-background contour covers an area of 4 acres. Torbernite is found in weak shears, joints, and bedding-plane fractures at the surface. Torbernite and uranite have been intersected by diamond drill holes. The uranium mineral intersected is below ore grade. Two more diamond drill holes have been recommended; on to test for primary uranium mineral vertically below the most highly mineralised outcrop, the other to test for an extension of uranium mineral below alluvium south-west of the most highly mineralised outcrop.

This instrument has been designed in the Radiometric Laboratory of the Bureau of Mineral Resources, t o meet the needs of those uranium prospectors who wish to build Geiger counters. The circuit has been designed so that it can be adjusted with a minimum of test equipment. Indication of the count rate is provided by a ratemeter with three ranges; 0-200, 0-1,000 and 0-10,000 counts per minute. Earphones also provide an audible indication of the count rate. The following rate describes the operation of the circuit and the procedure to be adopted to adjust the voltage at various points in the circuit for correct operation. A schematic circuit diagram is also provided and several points concerned with the mechanical design of the instrument are mentioned.