134 THE MINERALS OF TASMANIA. 



233. Pectolite (Metasilicate of Sodium and Ccdcinm). 



This substance occurs in fibrous radiating bunches of 

 a pure white, with a silky subvitreous lustre ; Upper Emu 

 River. It is also found sparingly, of a light-green colour, 

 in the tinguaite of Mt. Mary, Port Cygnet. 



234. Pelionite (A Variety of Cannel Coed). 



A bituminous substance, bearing a close resemblance 

 to the cannel coal of Scotland. From its physical appear- 

 ance it has been termed " pitch coal " (" Catalogue of the 

 Minerals of Tasmania," 1896). 



Locality: Barn Bluff, near Mt. Pelion. 



235. Penninite (Basic Silicate of Magnesium^ Aluminium, 



and Iron). 



This is a member of the chlorite group. It occurs in 

 dark, olive-green masses and pseudo-rhombohedral crys- 

 tals, many of the latter being |-inch in diameter. It 

 appears to be closely associated with granular quartz. 

 Tharsis Copper Mine, Mt. Lyell. 



Very fine implanted crystals, which are often as much 

 as 2 to 3 inches across, are fairly abundant at Hampshire, 

 near the old silver mine. They are of the characteristic 

 dark-green, almost black, colour, and often have granular 

 quartz attached. 



23o. Pentlandite (Sulyhide of Iron and Nickel). 



This is one of the principal ores of nickel, as it' is exten- 

 sively mined at Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. The crystal- 

 lisation is isometric, but the crystals are extremely rare. 

 It has a bronze-yellow colour, with metallic lustre. Appar- 

 ently in fair quantity with metalliferous pyrites and 

 pyrrhotite near Leslie Junction, Dundas ; near Mt. Agnew 

 in small quantity. 



Variety — Heazlewoodite. 



A distinct variety of Ni ore occurring in the Heazle- 

 wood district. It differs from pentlandite and its con- 

 gener beyrichite in several important particulars, which 

 may justify naming it as a variety. 



It is distinctly of a metallic light-yellow-bronze colour, 

 streak bright, light bronze. Mean specific gravity of 

 several samples tested, 4'61 ; hardness, 5. It occurs in 

 rather narrow bands in the characteristic serpentine rock 

 of the Heazlewood. It' is mined in fair-sized lumps, which 



