78 HONEYMAX— ON GEOLOGY OF GAY's IIIVEK GOLD I^IELD. 



(?) and oxide of iron and gold. The pieces of slate imbedded 

 in tliis conglomerate are often large and angular ; the quartzite 

 and quartz sometimes occur in boulders ; the mica is grey and 

 glistening ; the oxide of iron gives to the mass a rusty hue, 

 which is now and then varied by the lustre of the precious 

 metal. 



In illustration of the cementing process to which I have al- 

 ready referred, I may observe that a modern example may be seen 

 at Sydney Mines, Cape Breton. In 1861, when examining the 

 section of carboniferous rocks on the shore, my attention was 

 attracted to a conglomerate on the beach, at the mouth of a level 

 belonging to one of the mines. The water flowing from this 

 level is highly ferruginous ; it flows into the gravel which is 

 also washed by the sea, and a cementation of the gravel and 

 sand is the result, and the conglomerate referred to is being- 

 formed. I would now direct attention to the position of the 

 gold. It is found in the argillite, according to Mr. Gay's state- 

 ment, and in the drift, and it is found in the conglomerate, as 

 the specimens before us strikingly indicate. AYhen it occurs in 

 the argillite it is embedded in debris inserted in former openings 

 of the strata in the line of strike, or at right angles to it; the 

 <debris in the latter being generally the more productive. 

 Auriferous quartz leads have not yet been found in the slate, 

 although there can be little doubt that the gold has been derived 

 from such a source. 



The gold found here is generally connected with the con- 

 glomerate. This conglomerate is said to be in some places 

 about thirty feet in thickness, but while it is considered that 

 gold may be found throughout the mass, it is found occurring 

 chiefly at the bottom of the conglomerate, or where it rests on 

 the argillite. This is easily accounted for : when the original 

 gravel was washed by the sea, the superior density of the gold 

 would cause it to settle at and towards the bottom. In speci- 

 men 1, the gold appears on the edges of the argillite upon which 

 the conglomerate has rested. In 2, 3, it is on the smooth side 

 of the conglomerate, which was originally in contact with the 

 argillite ; and in 4, it was also near the argillite. I was informed 

 that irold is also found in the drift. This is not at all unlikely, 



