4 
2 MINERALS OF TASMANIA. 
occur in the various Australasian colonies, may be of some interest, 
as illustrating in a forcible degree the mineral wealth of this 
island, notwithstanding its restricted area and the paucity of 
investigators in this special department of science. 
It will be found that in New South Wales about 185 species 
have been discovered (Liversidge, “ Minerals of New South 
Wales,” and “ Report of the Second Meeting of the Australasian 
Association for the Advancement of Science, 1890”); South 
Australia about 100 (“ Report of the Second Meeting of the 
Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science, 1890’) ; 
Queensland about 101 (loc. cit.); and New Zealand about 172 
(loc. cit.) 
The Report of the Association is not as yet completed, as it 
does not contain a census of those known to occur in either 
Victoria or Western Australia: the former may reasonably be 
expected to enumerate about 100 species. From a somewhat 
careful examination of the various catalogues that have been 
published, it may be fairly concluded that this island contains as 
many mineral forms as have been discovered throughout the whole 
of the mainland of Australia. Of the minerals that have been 
discovered here about 40 kinds have not been recorded as occurring 
in Australia. It will be found that the catalogue not only includes 
a large majority of the world’s economic minerals, such as 
representatives of the Gold, Silver, [ron, Nickel, Cobalt, Wolfram, 
Bismuth, Titanium, Lead, Copper, and Platinoid groups, but also 
many species of considerable scientific interest, one or two of 
which are apparently new chemical compounds. So far no 
members of the Selenium, Tellurium, or Uranium groups have 
been discovered, but there is apparently no reason why they should 
not exist ; their discovery may therefore be reasonably expected 
as the work of the prospector progresses. 
I have to thank my esteemed friends Messrs. James Smith and 
W. R. Bell—both well known names in mineral discovery—for 
much kindly help and valuable information regarding the 
occurrence of many of the minerals here enumerated, and to Mr. 
A. Morton I am under great obligation for assistance in many 
ways. 
1. APATITE (Phosphate of Calcium). 
Occurs of a clear greenish colour with dull lustre in limited 
quantity in lode gangue. Hampshire Hill Silver Mine; Mt. 
Bischoff; Maria Island. 
2. ARFVEDSONITE. 
‘“‘ A highly ferruginous variety of Amphibole or Black Horn- 
blende,” contains one per cent. of copper. ‘The copper which 
