Sulphur is a non-metallic element which occurs in the free form as native sulphur and in combination with metals as sulphides and sulphates. The principal sulphide minerals used, or usable, for their sulphur content are those of iron (pyrite, pyrrhotite and marcasite), copper and iron (chalcopyrite), lead (galena) and zinc (sphalerite and the iron-bearing varieties known as marmatite). The principal sulphate minerals are those of calcium (anhydrite and gypsum) and of potassium and aluminium (alunite). Sulphuric acid is made in large quantities from sulphide minerals; either by roasting pyrite concentrates specifically for that purpose, by roasting or smelting base-metal ores and concentrates, or, in smaller quantities, from sulphate minerals as a co-product of cement manufacture. Sulphur is used principally for making sulphuric acid (94% in 1949), which is one of the most important substances in modern chemical industry. Sulphuric acid is made in Australia and consumed almost entirely in the manufacture of chemical fertilizers (mainly superphosphate) for the agricultural and pastoral industries. In more industrialized countries, a considerable amount of sulphuric acid is used in heavy industries. Sulphur-bearing materials used to make sulphuric acid include- Brimstone-native sulphur (100% sulphur); pyrite or pyrite concentrates iron sulphide (50% sulphur); zinc concentrate zinc sulphide (32% sulphur); anhydrite calcium sulphate (23.6% sulphur). Australia has no deposits of native sulphur. It imports brimstone and also uses domestic pyrite concentrates and zinc concentrates. Fortunately, Australia has several large deposits of sulphide materials. The largest are at Mount Isa and Mount Morgan, in Queensland, Broken Hill and Captain's Flat in New South Wales, Mount Lye11 and Read-Rosebery in Tasmania, Nairne in South Australia, and Norseman in Western Australia.

Howards Springs are situated about 3.5 miles north-east of a point on the Stuart highway about 16 miles south of Darwin. They are seepage springs on a branch of the Howard River. Radioactive material was found in the area by Mr. L. Good, Box 273, Darwin, during October, and samples were sent to Rum Jungle for testing. A brief inspection of the area was made by the writer and Dr. N.H. Fisher on 7th November, 1952. It seems likely that the mineral causing radioactivity has been precipitated, probably by organic matter, from the spring water in the black clay layer, but the original source of the material is not at present clear.

The first airborne scintillometer surveys to be carried out by the Geophysical Section of the Bureau have now been completed. In this work the Shoran radar positioning system was also used for the first time. Detailed surveys were made over an area of about one thousand square miles surrounding the Rum Jungle granite and one of about twenty square miles in the Edith River district. In addition, flights were made over several other known granite masses in the northern part of the Northern Territory and along both sides of the railway line from Batchelor to Katherine. In addition to the Dakota aircraft, an Auster aircraft was chartered for some experimental low-level flights over areas of special interest selected on the basis of indications discovered during the survey by the Dakota. Instruments and methods used in the course of the surveys, results, and conclusions are discussed.

Information concerning the air-borne scintillometer anomalies has been compiled in this report. The following information is provided for each of the localities included in this report: access, topography, geology, radio-activity, probable cause of the anomaly, and future work recommended.

This report presents the observations collected by B. Walpole and A.A. Opik during a five days journey in June, 1952. They were accompanied by A.D.M. Bell, resident geologist, Alice Springs. In addition a substantial amount of information on the geology of the area, collected by B. Walpole on his previous visit and communicated to the present writer, has been used in this report. The sequence of the rocks as represented here was originally outlined by B. Walpole. From the amount of information now available, it will be possible to produce a more detailed map on the basis of air photographs, which B. Walpole intends to do. The upper Proterozoic age of these sediments and the presence of Collenia was first recognized in the Mt. Marumba by Haddon F. King on a recent visit. On H.T. Jensen's map (1915) the banks of the Wilton River are coloured as "Cambrian limestones and quartzite". On the map of the Commonwealth of Australia by E. David the same rocks are referred to upper Proterozoic and in the text (1950) as undifferentiated Cambrian and upper Proterozoic.

Thirty-nine samples of bore cores from Stockton No. 2 Diamond Drill Hole, at Collie, were submitted for micro-palaeontological examination. The results of the examination are described in this report.

A total of 16 rotary cored bores were sunk by the Bureau in Portions 14, 15, 16 and 17, Parish of Wallarah, Northumberland County, 5 miles south of Swansea. Approximately 1,100 ft. of "Test and Define" drilling proved a possible maximum of 960,000 tons of coal, or a minimum of 750,000 tons in the Wallarah Seam under an average overburden coal ratio 5:1. The overburden is mainly conglomerate. The geology of the area and mining are discussed in this report. The results of drilling are detailed in the accompanying plates, stratigraphic logs, and descriptive bore logs of the Swansea South area.

On 10th November, 1952 a brief visit was made to Channel Island with Mr. F. Vidgen, Director of Works, to investigate the possibilities of developing an underground water supply for the leprosarium. It appears unlikely that a good supply of underground water will be obtained on the island, and this is probably due to the fact that it offers too small a catchment area and the beds are not particularly favourable to allow for the accumulation of good supplies of underground water.

The seismic reflection survey was undertaken by the Bureau of Mineral Resources on top of gravity and magnetic surveys in the Gippsland Lakes district, Victoria. The aim of the seismic survey is to convience the favourable structure to the accumulation of oil being present on the overlying Tertiary rocks. Two north-south traverses and one running east-west and crossing the other two were surveyed.

This report records observations made during two brief visits to the area when reconnaissance was limited to the shores of Melville Harbour and to the immediate vicinity of Gove aerodrome. Pisolitic bauxite containing upwards of 50 per cent alumina was observed throughout a traverse of 5.5 miles easterly from the airstrip. This bauxite, which rests on tubular laterite, may exceed 5 feet in thickness. The bauxite and associated laterite near Gove are derived from sedimentary beds which overlie coarse garnetiferous granite. The geology of the area, characteristics and composition of the bauxite, and mineral rights, are discussed in this report.