Notes on a small collection of opalized shells, bone fragment and specimen of precious opal from White Cliffs.

Bauxite deposits on Rosedale, Meadowbank and Riccarton Estates at Campbell Town were tested by shaft-sinking and boring during November and December 1946. Earlier than this the Tasmanian Mines Department had sunk a number of shafts on the deposits, mainly at widely spaced intervals. The work undertaken chiefly consisted of testing between the shafts sunk by the Mines Department so that the interval between the points tested was reduced to 200 feet or less. A few of the old shafts were cleaned out and resampled. The results of the tests at each estate are discussed in this report.

Approximately fifteen shafts were sunk near the eastern end of the Portion to depths of about 30 feet or more. The shafts were sunk from positions along the boundaries of a right-angled triangle with the east-west zero line for base, the 200E meridian for perpendicular, and the hypotenuse formed by the diagonal from 00/600W to 800N/200E. Two or three shafts have been sunk outside the triangle and none near the centre. This work has served to test thoroughly an area of not less than 400,000 square feet, equivalent to about 25,000 tons per vertical foot. The results of the work to date are discussed in this report.

Shortly after I took up the appointment of Mineral Economist, the high quality of the mica from the Harts Range came to my notice. Accordingly, I paid a visit to Harts Range between the 22nd September and 4th October. In judging the possibilities of developing the mica deposits of the Harts Range, the difficulty is the almost complete lack of reliable detailed mining data in the past - production data for the later war years only are available. However, by comparing the degree of areal concentration of the pegmatites, the type of deposits and the quality and sizes of the mica so far produced with those in India, a reasonable picture can be obtained of comparative possibilities. The method of approach throughout this report, therefore, will be comparison of the Harts Range with India mica. This report gives an account of the present state of the Australian mica industry, including descriptions of current trade terms, the grading and classification of mica, and the Harts Range Mica Belt deposits. Suggestions and recommendations for the development of the industry are discussed.

Results of a micropalaeontological examination of samples taken from between the depths of 1450 and 1800 feet.

Results of a micropalaeontological examination of samples from a depth of 2 feet down to 1185 feet.

The Cow Flat Area was visited on the 12th March, 1947, with the object of ascertaining possible dolomite reserves. This information was required in connection with the application by Metropolitan Lime and Cement Company Ltd., owners of a dolomite quarry at Wall's Siding, near Mudgee, for financial assistance from the Commonwealth Government. It was desired to ascertain whether, in the event of the latter company ceasing production, the Cow Flat deposit could provide sufficient dolomite to supply New South Wales requirements. The situation, production, geology, origin and reserves of the dolomite deposits are discussed in this report. The report should be considered supplementary to Report No. 1946/005 and the Report on Limestone and Dolomite Deposits at Cow Flat and Wall's Siding (1947/090).

Results of a micropalaeontological examination of samples taken from the depth of 3 feet down to 534 feet.

The known bauxite deposits near the township of Ouse are No. 1 on Glen Dhu Estate, Nos. 2, 3,4 and 5 on Gladfield Estate, and Nos. 6, 7, 8, and 9 on Leintwardine Estate, Nos. 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 on Lachlan Vale Estate and No. 15 on Lawrenny Estate. Examination of all the occurrences and testing of the more promising by shaft sinking and boring was conducted. The results of this work are discussed in the report.

Results of a micropalaeontological examination of rock samples taken from various sites in the vicinities of the Desert and Bonaparte Gulf Basins.