This is the second progress report of the coal drilling programme near Ashford in the Parishes of Macdonald and Myall, County of Arrawatta. The first report (Record 1949/106) covered the drilling of D.D.H's 1-5. Drilling was continued to test the coal measures lying between old Ashford Colliery and the Severn River. Five more holes were drilled through the coal seam, north of No. 2 D.D.H. An account of the drilling work is set down in this report, together with a description of local geology, and estimates of the coal reserves in the field.

The Corporate Archive consists of deposited copies of all internal publications and documents of the agency and its predecessors: the Bureau of Mineral Resources, Australian Geological Survey Organisation and those which have merged with it over the years, such as AUSLIG. These include unique material such as field notebooks and a small quantity of manuscripts. Unrestricted items in this collection are currently being digitised to improve access

The primary aim of the investigation was to determine the reserves and distribution of monazite in the deposits of heavy mineral sands along the East Coast. These deposits contain most of the known world reserves of zircon and rutile for which they are being exploited at various localities, mainly from North Stradbroke Island in Queensland to Ballina in New South Wales. Monazite forms little more than 0.5 per cent of the mixed concentrates, but can be recovered as a by-product from the separation of the other minerals. The monazite forms a source of supply of cerium and also of thorium. The thorium content of the monazite is determined on the basis of its radioactivity. This report gives an account of the field and laboratory work carried out. The results of the laboratory work, which included the separation and examination of minerals, the radiometric determination of quantities of monazite, and the investigation of the thoria content of monazite, are described in this report.

A visit of one month was paid by the writer to the North-West Basin and the Fitzroy area of the Desert Basin. It is largely due to the careful planning of the excursions by the Senior Geologists in charge that a coherent picture of the stratigraphical and tectonical conditions was obtained within the comparatively short time at disposal. This note contains a few remarks on the stratigraphy and tectonics of both areas in connection with oil prospects.

Legacy product - no abstract available

Seven samples were collected from the 16-mile Government bore, 16 miles west of Alice Springs, and forwarded for examination. This report gives a detailed description of these samples.

There are three areas so far discovered, each in a different state of development. They are: the East Finniss deposit, which has had a number of costeans and three shafts sunk on it by the present party; the Brown's mine deposit, which has an old shaft and many costeans sunk for copper around 1906; and the Mt. Fitch prospect which has two costeans and an 11 ft. shaft, all old and some distance from the present area of interest. This report deals only with an assessment of the present position and with recommendations for future work in the uranium prospects.

The island of Timor has attracted the attention of geologists for more than one hundred years. The first geological investigations were carried out on behalf of the Government of the Netherlands East Indies as early as 1829. This report has been compiled using information obtained during previous geological investigations, and the data supplied in existing geological reports, and comprises notes on the stratigraphy and structure of the island, with reference to oil prospects.

The Zeehan silver-lead-zinc field is in the West Coast Region of Tasmania. Following on the geophysical work carried out for Zeehan Explorations in 1947-1948, the Bureau was requested to carry out a survey on the Mariposa lease held by North Broken Hill Ltd. The purpose of the survey was to examine the Mariposa area for possible magnetic and gravity effects associated with the known mineralization and thence to determine the extent of this mineralization; and also to investigate the swamp covered limestone area for hidden mineralization. Further, it was considered that the results of the survey and behaviour of the instruments in the difficult terrain would serve as a guide to the usefulness of the magnetic and gravity methods in other similar prospecting areas in the Zeehan field. An account of the geophysical work and its results is given in this report.

The request for a geophysical survey was made by Renison Associated Tin Mines N.L. through the Director of the Tasmanian Mines Department. The purpose of the survey was to explore for additional ore-bodies within an area of interest, occupying approximately 9.5 square miles. The present work was confined to an area near the Renison Bell main lode and situated on the northern slope of the Renison Bell Hill. Its purpose was to test the magnetic and self-potential methods over known ore-bodies and to apply these methods in the search for further bodies in the immediate vicinity.