REVIEWS. 



The GrEOLOGY AND MiNERAL RESOURCES OF THE SeRB-CrOAT- 



Slovene State. By D. A. Wray. pp. 107, with i plates and 

 10 figures. Published by the Department of Overseas Trade. 

 H.M. Stationery Office, 1921. Price 35. 6d. 



T^HIS publication was originally a confidential report by the 

 -*- Geologist attached to the British Economic Mission to Serbia in 

 1919 ; it has now been made available for general circulation. It 

 is obvious that Mr. Wray undertook no light task, which he has 

 carried out in an admirable manner, and the Eeport should be of 

 the greatest use to those interested in the mineral resources of this 

 new state. Part ii contains a summary of the physiography and 

 geology of this highly complicated and very variable area, where a 

 large number of formations are represented and the structures are 

 most complex, the dominant tectonic feature being the Dinaric series 

 of folded chains. Jugoslavia now includes most of the well-known 

 Karst country, where limestone scenery reaches perhaps its highest 

 development and its most unfavourable economic possibilities, but 

 the state has also got possession of much fertile country in Croatia, 

 Slavonia, and the Banat. In reading this report some of the new 

 forms of place-names are rather puzzling and it was some time before 

 the reviewer was able to recognize Laibach in its modern disguise of 

 Ljubljana. 



A very full account is given of the coal resources, which are almost 

 entirely Mesozoic brown coals or Tertiary lignites. Of these the total 

 reserves available are very large and coal-mining should ha.ve an 

 important future. There are also promising deposits of iron ore, 

 especially in Bosnia, as well as most other metals in some quantity ; 

 on the whole, Jugoslavia must be desciibed as a well-mineralized 

 region, though development is much hindered at present by poor 

 transport facilities in the mountainous regions, where most of the 

 ore-deposits naturally lie. Bauxite and magnesite also exist and 

 there are possibilities of oil in Croatia, where some has already in 

 fact been proved. It is important to note that the famous mercury 

 mines of Idria have been taken over by Italy since this report was 

 written. Under improved economic conditions the mining industry 

 of Jugoslavia should be a source of prosperity to the state. 



The Xarroo Dolerites of South Africa : A Study in 

 Hypabyssal In.jection. By A. L. du Toit. Trans. Geol. 

 Soc. S. Africa, vol. xxiii, 1920, pp. 1-42. 

 TN this important paper Dr. du Toit discusses with much 

 -^ originality and insight some of the phenomena presented 

 by the intrusion of the Karroo dolerites. It is to be feared, as 

 remarked by the author, that few European petrologists 

 recognize the extraordinary character of this tremendous phase 

 of igneous activity, undoubtedly one of the most wonderful 



