430 Transactions. — Geology. 



Massive varieties. — The massive varieties are more widely distributed 

 and assume a greater economic importance since tliey are found as the 

 principal constituents of lodes in various parts of the colony. Perhaps the 

 most important of these is the ore from Stoney Creek, Waipori. It consists 

 of a massive crystalline variety of Stibnite occurring in a lode 2^ feet thick, 

 which has been traced for a distance of 200 feet, and is reported to be met 

 with as outcrops for a much greater distance. The pure ore is mixed with 

 about 30 per cent, of gangue in the lode (Rowe, Geol. Rep. 1879-80, p. 155). 



A massive sub -crystalline variety from Endeavour Inlet, Queen Charlotte 

 Sound, consists of a mixture of nearly pure Stibnite with quartz; and a 

 series of analyses have given 69-4 per cent. ; 86-36 per cent ; 58-25 per cent. ; 

 51-12 per cent ; 44-28 per cent. ; 19-01 per cent. ; and 17-20 per cent, of 

 Antimony, and they contain from 3 to 8 dwts. of gold per ton. 



This ore was found scattered as large blocks through a surface deposit, 

 and a reef was also found which carried Stibnite on its back, but passed 

 afterwards into a poor auriferous quartz, and it is probable that the real 

 source of the ore has not yet been found. 



A very interesting occurrence of auriferous Stibnite has been discovered 

 at Langdon's, near Greymouth. The first specimen of this ore was for- 

 warded from Hokitika by Mr. MoRae, and yielded 84ozs. 9 dwts. 19grs. of 

 gold and 36 ozs. 4 dwts. 5 grs. of silver per ton. The large quantity of gold 

 found in this specimen gave an air of probability to the supposition that 

 telluride of gold was present ; but when an examination for Tellurium was 

 made none was found, and a large proportion of free gold was shown to 

 exist. 



Dr. Hector subsequently examined this reef, and in the Geological 

 Reports, 1878-79, p. 19, he says: — "Following up the same creek, at an 

 altitude of 400 feet above Langdon's reef, the lode from which the auriferous 

 Stibnite is derived has been discovered, having a thickness of 9 feet, and 

 dipping at 60° to the south-west. It is cased in a hard, blue, cherty slate, 

 and has a banded structure, consisting of five distinct bands — 



No. 1, next the foot-wall, is quartz containing Stibnite, dispersed in 

 irregular masses . . 



No. 2, compact Stibnite 



No. 3, Stibnite, including quartz in the form of nodules 



No. 4, fine-grained mixture of quartz and Stibnite . . 



No. 5, breccia of slate 



Ft. 



in 



2 







2 







3 











4 



1 



8 



9 0' 



The following returns were obtained by assay of these samples :- 

 No. 1.' — Quartz and Stibnite. 

 a contains 2 ozs. 10 dwts. 7 grs. gold per ton. 

 b „ 2 „ „ 6 „ „ 



