132 



GEOLOGY MAITLAND-BRANXTON DISTRICT, 



Shaft 



o! Si 



Surface clayey sovl 



this old tunnel. These phenomena denote the presence of a small 

 amount of pyrites in the coal. 



(4.) Rothbury Creek. — Three-quarters of a mile further south, 

 the outcrop crosses the Rothbury Creek. Here Professor David 

 noted the outcrop of a coal-seam in the creek. f When I visited 

 the spot, the outcrop in the creek was under water, but a shaft 

 has been sunk for 39 feet, on the bank a few yards away, of 

 which the following is a section(Fig.9): — 



It will be noted 

 that the top bound- 

 ary of the seam is 

 horizontal, instead 

 of dipping parallel 

 to the bottom -edge. 

 This indicates that 

 the seam has been 

 eroded somewhat. 

 That this is so, is 

 further indicated by 

 the fact that, in the 

 creek, there is a solid 

 conglomerate dip 

 ping conformably 

 just above the seam; 

 while, in the shaft, 

 there is no trace of 

 the solid conglomer- 

 ate, but only surface- 

 sand and clayey soil. 

 The seam dips N.60 Q 

 W. at 45°, and has a 

 thickness of at least 

 21 feet, and as the 



&& 



BrwW bituminous coal 



Carbonaceous shale 

 Briqhr totj. miM.rt coal 



Coal * binds 



BasT* fif«cl»y 

 SandsTone. 



Fi, 9 Se 



TrueThickness of Seam abT2lfr 

 cTion of Seam on bank of Rothbury Ck 



surface has been somewhat eroded, the thickness is probably some, 

 what more. It is a bright, bituminous coal of good quality, and 



Op. Ht., p. 140. 



