CHAPTER IX. 



WESTERN AUSTRALIA. 



In this State coal is found of three different periods. 



1. The Irwin RiA-er basin belongs to the Carboniferous 

 period. The Carboniferous rocks occupy an area of about 200 

 square miles, but so far no workable coal seam has been dis- 

 covered; however, the bottom of the series has not been 

 reached by bore holes. The mean proximate analysis of six 

 samples of Irwin River coal gave : 



Moisture. Volatile Hydrocarbons. Fixed Carbon. Sulphur. 

 19.59 22.64 57.76 0.19 



2. The Collie Coal-field. The age of this coal has not 

 been definitely decided. The balance of palseontological 

 evidence is in favour of it belonging to the Carboniferous 

 period, but from the general physical aspect of the field it will 

 probably prove to belong to the Mesozoic era. Dr. R. L. 

 Jackf is inclined to believe they will turn put to be of 

 Cretaceous age, newer than the coal-fields of Ipswich and 

 Burruni, in Queensland. "The entire absence of igneous 

 dykes penetrating the coal-field argues the probability that it 

 was deposited after the cessation of volcanic activity, and 

 therefore at a somewhat late epoch." All the coal produced 

 in Western Australia comes from the Collie coal-field. 



3. Lignites and brown coal of Tertiary and Post-tertiary 

 eras are found at Coolgardie and on the south coast. These 

 are of very poor quality. 



The total output of coal from Western Australia that is 

 from the Collie coalfield to the end of 1909 amounted to 

 1,377,452 tons, valued at 708,725. The output for the year 

 ending 1909 was 214,302 tons, valued at 90,965. The Collie 

 coal-field lies south of Perth and east of Bunbury; the coal- 

 measures rest directly on granites, schists and other crystal- 

 line rocks. The coal-field is mostly bounded by faults, but 

 the measures themselves are very little disturbed, so far as 

 known, but for the "Wallsend fault," which has an estimated 

 throw of 270 feet. 



tReport of the Royal Commission on the Collie Coal-field 

 Perth, W.A., 1905, p. 7. 



