53 



basic dykes outcrop with a strike east and west. Further 

 intrusive dykes were seen on the next range, 2 miles distant 

 from the most westerly outcrops that were noted. Similar 

 intrusions were observed crossing the old Blinman road in 

 several places, in one case giving a width of 60 yards. The 

 sedimentary rocks met with in this cross-country journey to 

 Blinman were some prominent outcrops of quartzite, flaggy 

 sediments, and small dolomitic limestones. 



III. Blinman and Neighbourhood. 



The Blinman township, according to official figures, is 

 situated 2,020 ft. above sea level and 1,555 ft. above the Para- 

 chilna plain. The mine is in disturbed country, and the 

 copper ores occur mostly in a dolomitic limestone near its junc- 

 tion with flaggy slates. These features can be well seen in the 

 open cut where the limestone makes the foot wall and the slates 

 the hanging wall. The dip varies from 65° to 75°. The cap- 

 tain in charge stated that the shaft cut the limestone at a 

 depth of 50 fathoms and passed diagonally through it to the 

 70-fathom level. The ore in the upper part is in the form of 

 copper carbonates and black oxide, which intersect the lime- 

 stone by reticulation of large and small veins. The average 

 width of the payable cupriferous zone is 14 ft. The ore 

 sometimes lies in flat shoots, the thickest part of the shoot 

 being from 1 to 2 in. The ore body seems to be limited by 

 a cross-fault with an east and west strike on the southern 

 side of the mine. From the nature of the ore distribution 

 the whole of the mineralized country is worked as stock- 

 works and smelted. As the. ore is carried in limestone, ores 

 of a siliceous nature are bought, when possible, for fluxing 

 purposes, and sandy shales are also quarried and used for a 

 similar purpose. [Since -my visit the mine has been, unfor- 

 tunately, closed.] 



The hills on the eastern side of the Blinman Mine consist 

 of shaly flags and crushed dolomitic rock. One hill, just 

 east of the mine, exhibits a small syncline on its summit, best 

 seen from the southern side: dip N. 65° E, at 75°, and S. 

 20" E. at 60°. Half a mile to the northward of the mine is 

 an igneous dyke, 18 yards wide, with a strike 20° S. of W. 

 On the north side of the dyke there are strong flaggy quartzites 

 that make a prominent hill and carry a thick band of lamellar 

 hematite. A similar quartzite follows around the western 

 side of the mine, and at a distance of one-eighth of a mile 

 from the mine, in the same direction, there are strong beds 

 of dolomitic limestone, much crushed, in association with 

 igneous intrusions, of which there are three circular bosses 

 C? chimneys), forming, by position, a triangle, about 100 



