68 NOTES ON THE MINERALS FOUND NEAR BRISTOL. 



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BY W. W. STODDART, F.C.S., F.G.S. 



WHEN searching our rocks, the geologist must have noticed 

 the many beautiful specimens of metallic ores that 

 abound in the neighbourhood of Bristol. They form one of the 

 many groups of natural objects that so highly favour the advantages 

 of our Society. The presence of so many metals is in a great 

 measure due to the variety of our geological formations, and the 

 larger proportion being of Palaeozoic age. Especially so is it with 

 the upper rocks of carboniferous limestone which are rich in Iron, 

 Lead, and Zinc. In the upper shales and triassic conglomerate, 

 we have immense stores of Haematite. Our limestones have been 

 worked since the days of the Romans for Lead or Zinc. 



In the Dolomite we have Lead, Copper, and Magnesium, 

 Manganese is often found in the limestone of the Carboniferous 

 and Liassic ages ; and a short time since, Mr. Pass and myself 

 obtained small quantities of Gold and Silver. 



Thinking, therefore, that a few notes descriptive of the 

 principal specimens, with localities, may be useful to some of our 

 members, I have offered these few memoranda. I have omitted 

 the very common rock-forming genera, as Calcium, Aluminium, 

 etc., as they are present everywhere, and anything like a des- 

 cription would occupy more space and time than the present 

 paper will allow. 



