10 Mineral Resources. 



Government on profitable terms, but they have not yet suc- 

 ceeded in bringing any of the coal to market. 



There is every reason to hope that many more good and 

 profitably workable seams will eventually be found in some of 

 the extensive, but as yet unexplored, districts in which the 

 coal- bearing rocks are known to exist in Victoria. 



PEECIOUS -STONES. 



Topazes, zircons, and sapphires occur occasionally in the 

 beds of streams, but not in sufficient quantity to be of economic 

 value. 



CHINA CLAY. 



China clay occurs in large quantity and of good quality at 

 Western Port and in many other localities in the colony, and 

 some rude pottery is made in several manufactories on a 

 usefully extensive scale, but as there are not here the same 

 facilities as in Cornwall from continually flowing streams for 

 lixiviating the clay, with little help from manual labor and 

 machinery, it is unlikely that the finer sorts of porcelain will 

 be attempted in this country with profit ; but the coarser and 

 more homely wares, the carriage of which from Europe is 

 disproportionately expensive, may be manufactured from the 

 native material occurring in Victoria in sufficient quantity 

 to supply the colonial demand. 



SALT. 



Salt in almost any quantity can be procured at a small cost 

 from many of the shallow lakes -situated about forty miles 

 west of Geelong. Very little has yet been sent to market, 

 but it is in common use among the settlers in the districts in 

 which it occurs. It is inferior in quality to the imported 

 Liverpool salt, and worth about £1 10s. to £2 per ton less in 

 the market. Hitherto it has only been collected during the 

 summer months, when the lakes are partially dried up. No 

 attempts have been ever made to improve it by refining. 



Salt is also found in the desert, towards the junctions of the 

 Darling and of the Murrumbidgee with the Murray ; where 

 also it is in use among the neighboring settlers. 



