III.—GEOLOGY. 
Arr. XLVII.—Notes on the Mineralogy of New Zealand. 
By S. Henszn Cox, F.O.8., F.G.8., Assistant Geologist & Inspector of Mines. 
[Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 21st October, 1882.] 
Tux following paper, which is in continuation of the one published in 
last year's volume* of the “Transactions of the New Zealand Institute," 
will be devoted to the non-metallic minerals. 
Nox-Maranui0 Minerats.—Class I. 
WATER. 
Water, H.—As & simple mineral this substance needs no comment, but, 
as pointed out by Dr. Hector (Handbook of New Zealand for Melbourne 
Exhibition, 1880, p. 102), New, Zealand is singularly rich in springs of 
water that hold mineral salts in solution, and some of these are already 
noted for their valuable medicinal properties. 
Both hot and cold springs are found, the former being, with few excep- 
tions, confined to the districts of the North Island where volcanic forces 
have been active during the latest tertiary period, and are not yet altogether 
dormant. A few thermal springs are found to escape from the upper 
mesozoic rocks in localities where the source of heat can only be attributed 
to chemical decomposition of bituminous matters and sulphides ; and, in 
a few instances, warm waters spring from paleozoic rock-formations in the 
South Island. The cold mineral springs have a wider distribution, but 
have only, as yet, been examined from comparatively few localities. The 
mineral waters of New Zealand may be classified, from the analyses 
that have been made in the Colonial Laboratory, into the following 
groups :— 
Saline.— Containing chiefly chloride of sodium. 
Alkaline.—Containing carbonates and bicarbonates of soda and pot- 
Alkaline siliceous.— Waters containing much silicic acid, but changing 
rapidly on exposure to the atmosphere and becoming alkalin 
Hepatic or sulphurous.— Waters, the prominent character of which is the 
presence of sulphuretted hydrogen and sulphurous acid. 
Acidic.— Waters in which there is an excess of mineral acids, such as 
hydrochloric and sulphuric acid. 
* Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. xiv., p. 418. 
