On the Ornamental Stones of the Colony. 79 



Art. XIII. — On the Ornamental Stones of the Colony. By 

 Mr. J. C. Newbery. 



[Read 30th July, 1868.] 



The colony is indebted to the Eev. Dr. Bieasdale, 

 for his valuable papers read from time to time on the 

 occurrence of precious stones in the colony — real gem stones, 

 and we all know with what splendid success his researches 

 in this direction have been rewarded. The object of this 

 paper is to draw attention to a larger class of stones of less 

 value, yet well adapted in many cases for jewellers' pur- 

 poses ; pedestals, for statuettes ; small vases ; inlaying as in 

 table-tops ; and building and architectural purposes. There 

 are no doubt many omissions from the list which is given, but 

 this paper must be looked on as little more than an introduc- 

 tion to the subject. 



The first stone, or rather species, that claims our attention 

 is quartz, with its chalcedonic varieties, which will include 

 rock crystal, cairngorm, amethyst, smoky quartz ; and, 

 amongst the true chalcedonic varieties, agate, common 

 chalcedony, cornelian, onyx, jasper, &c. 



The principal locality of occurrence for the first four kinds 

 of quartz is the Beech worth district. Pebbles of considerable 

 size and great beauty, as regards colour and transparency, 

 occur there in auriferous drifts of numerous gullies and 

 creeks. Amethysts of sufficient size or value for cutting are 

 far rarer than the three other kinds ; although, as specimens 

 for mineral collections or as small ornaments, such as the 

 heads of breast-pins, &c, the pretty, perfect crystals, double 

 hexagonal pyramids with prism, occurring in the drift and 

 in the narrow veins traversing the granite rock bottom at 

 Eldorado and Sebastopol deserve mention. The other 

 localities where these varieties of stones are found are the 

 Upper Yarra goldfields, Bendigo, White Hills, Bradford 

 Lead (Maldon), and a few other places. There is scarcely a 

 doubt that the Bradford Lead, Maldon, is worthy of atten- 

 tion, and that a search in the heaps of pebble drift taken 

 from hundreds of shafts sunk along the extent of the lead 

 would be well rewarded. For the chalcedonic varieties 

 Beech worth is also the principal place of occurrence, as was 

 well exemplified by the fine collection of onyxes, cornelians, 

 and agates of diversified and beautiful patterns shown at 

 the late Intercolonial Exhibition. Common chalcedony in 



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