This report provides a summary of the current production and output of the ochre deposits, and an assessment of the ochre reserves and mining costs.

A geological examination of the Renison Bell Tin Field was made in company with Mr. H.G.W. Keid, Field Geologist, Tasmanian department of Mines, during January and February, 1942. Workings, lode outcrops and the principal topographical features were mapped by plane table on a scale of 100 feet to an inch, and all accessible underground workings were plotted on a scale of 40 feet to an inch. Surface exposures were poor, owing to dense growth of bracken and other scrub and were largely confined to the vicinity of present or previous workings, tramlines, tracks, roads and railway lines. The history and production, geology, and economic geology of the field are outlined. The individual lodes are described in some detail. Methods of mineral exploration are discussed.

The investigation was carried out on July 6th and 7th in company with Mr. S.B. Dickinson, of the South Australian Mines Department, and Mr. Kevin Smith, of Broken Hill Pty. Ltd., whose services were made available by courtesy of the Company. Mr. Smith had worked on the Teetulpa goldfield in 1913 and the visit was the result of his recalling that he had seen quartz crystals in some of the workings at that time.

The Everton molybdenite-bearing area was examined by N.H. Fisher and H.B. Owen on June 16th-19th and June 23rd, and again by N.H. Fisher on August 17th. All accessible underground workings and the surface in the immediate vicinity of the mines were mapped. The history, general geology, and economic geology of the area are described in this report. A resume of the ore reserves is given, together with recommendations for the future production of molybdenite at Everton.

For trade purposes four types of asbetos may be recognised - Amphibole, Blue Asbestos, White Asbestos, and Amosite. This report contains notes on the possibility of substituting these types of locally produced asbestos for imported chrysotile.

The principal deposit is situated in Portion 47, Parish of Kempfield, County of Georgiana, four miles west-northwest of Trunkey in a direct line and about seven miles by road, which is mostly fairly rough and hilly. The Sugarloaf deposit is 1.5 miles south of the main workings and other lesser occurrences are known in the area. The main deposits and the Sugarloaf area were examined on April 27th, 1943, in the company of Mr. F. Canavan of this Branch, and Mr. Henry, who works the main quarry on behalf of W.T. Harris. The accompanying plan, Plate 1, is the result of a compass, clinometer and tape survey. Plate 2, is a geological plan of the locality taken from a map prepared by H.G. Raggatt to accompany a report to the New South Wales Mines Department on the Trunkey-Tuena Goldfield.

The Wymah mine was visited with Dr. Fisher on Wednesday 25th July. Dr. Fisher has recently visited the mine with Dr. Owen and will be presenting notes embodying his observations, hence this report will be very brief and will refer only to features having a bearing on ore reserves.

The mine was examined on Monday, June 21st, and the surface and underground workings were mapped by tape, compass and clinometer. An account of the examination and its findings is given in this report. The general geology of the district, economic geology, and calculated ores reserves are described.

The collection of rocks from the Ok Ti River, Western Papua, was made by Mr. L. Austen in 1922 and is housed in the Commonwealth Palaeontological Collection. It consists of shelly and foraminiferal limestones of Miocene age. The present examination of the collection is being undertaken at the request of the Australasian Petroleum Company, Melbourne.

A report showing, in so far as figures are available, the salient features of the mineral industry just prior to the outbreak of the Second World War.