24 



Case 48. payable deposit of cinnabar a matter of cons^iderable importance 



to Australia. A small average percentage of mercury m an ore 



is sufficient to pay, provided the conditions for ■norking are 



reasonably favourable. 



The cochineal-red colour of cinnabar is very characteristic ; as also is 

 its great density. A very simple test is to put a few grains of the 

 mineral into a glass tube closed at one end, and heat it Lefoi'e the 

 blow-pipe. If cinnabar be present, a shining black band will form 

 round the inside of the tube, just above the substance. It is a 

 common error to mistake brownish-red iron ores for cinnabar; but 

 they are not so weighty, and would not give the black ring when 

 heated in the tube. 



Cuclgegong Hiver. — The alluvial drifts occupying an old valley 

 of the Cudoegoug contain cinnabar along with gold and gem 

 sand. 1045 is a representative sample of the cinnabar obtained 

 by panning the wash-dirt. Coarse pebbles (7310) are sometimes 

 found. Some of the fragments in 9120 are crystalline, but these 

 may have resulted from the breaking-up of the larger pebbles. 

 Specimens of the drift are exhibited. Of the^e, 1047 shows 

 fragments of cinnabar of considerable size: 9120, pannings 

 consisting of zircon and cinnabar, with free gold. The original 

 source of the cinnabar has not yet been discovered. 



Bingera District. — Small quantities of cinnabar have been 

 found at Spring Creek, Bingera, in a serpentinous rock intruding 

 limestones and claystones. 1019 and 6719 represent the rock in 

 which the cinnabar occurs, 2642 and 2643 the mineral itself. 

 771G was obtained from a drift, overlain by basalt, at Black 

 Camp Creek. Cinnabar is also shown from Crow Mountain 

 (8976). 



Corindi. — 9458^ in quartz. 



Tulgilbar. — AtTulgilbar Eun, on the Clarence Eiver, cinnabar 

 has been found in lode deposits. The first discovery was made 

 some years ago at Horseshoe Bend (1043, 5910). The scene 

 of the present workings is several miles from this first find, 

 oeveral shafts have been sunk, and, in addition to low-grade ore, 

 Lunches of rich stuff have been met with. Prospecting is being 

 carried on. The ore occurs in a siliceous veinstuff associated 



