FiNLAYSON, — Geology of the Beefton Gold-veins. 



85 



Art. XVI. — The Geology of the Reefton Gold-veins. 



By A. M. FiNLAYSON, M.Sc, A.O.S.M. 



Communicated by Dr. Marshall. 



[Read before the Otago Institute, lith July, I'JOS.] 



Introduction. 



The quartz-mining district of Keefton has many claims to distinction 

 among the mining camps of the Dominion. Although late in development, 

 the mines when opened up made rapid strides, and the goldfield has 

 survived alike the wild-cat period and the period of booms and crashes. 

 The Town of Reefton was the first in New Zealand to be lit with electric 

 light, by power from the Inangahua River, and, although none of the mines 

 compare with Waihi for magnitude of operations, the field offers good 

 opportunities for studying the cyanidation of low-grade ores. The veins 

 themselves are interesting from the point of view of structural features 

 rather than of genesis. 



I wish here to express my great indebtedness to Mr. A. Spencer, surveyor 

 for the Consolidated Company, for the great assistance he rendered me by 

 giving me access to the mines and to the mine-plans. 



General Description of the District. 



The district of which Reefton, a town of two thousand inhabitants, 

 is the commercial centre, occupies the valley of the lower Inangahua River, 



Geological Map of 



REEFTON GOLDFIELD 



(After Alex. McKay, 1882) 



Scate of Miles. 



O I ? 3 -^ S 



I" » x| Granite 

 V////^ Deuoman 



Aurijerous Slates 



l-~— ^ Tertiary coals. &c 

 I- ■■'I Recent 

 — Quarts Veins 



which emerges from the gorge, flows past Reefton, and runs north for about 

 twenty miles to join the Buller River where the old Township of Lyell is 



