632 ON THE NICKEL-IRON ALLOT AWARUITE OF NEW ZEALAND. 



Figs. 7, 8, 9 are drawn from sections cut at nearly right angles to each other 

 from a specimen of the Peridotite described as the first variety from 

 the Olivine Range. Magnified 20 diams. 



Pig. 7 represents portion of a large Enstatite grain, broken up more or less 

 parallel to the chief cleavage, and converted in this direction for more 

 than half its original bulk into Serpentine. The remaining columnar 

 Enstatite portions polarize in light yellow to orange, and extinguish 

 between crossed Nicols parallel to their longitudinal extent. They are 

 much broken transversely in various directions. The Serpentine 

 between is more or less densely charged with a fine, dark dust, with 

 occasional larger dark particles, probably Magnetite. Under a high 

 power (700) the dust is seen to be arranged streak-like, parallel to the 

 columnar Enstatite portions. 



Fig. 8. The large grain of Enstatite in the upper part of the figure is for the 

 greater part closely fibrous (well seen between crossed Nicols) and 

 densely filled with fine, dark dust. Portions polarize like the Serpen- 

 tine in fig. 7. Small veins and a larger patch of colourless transparent 

 Serpentine are seen in it near the upper left-hand margin. The Olivine 

 below the Enstatite is much fissured, and in parts more or less densely 

 filled with fine, dark dust. Near the left-hand margin it is traversed 

 by a large vein of clear colourless transparent Serpentine ; and small 

 patches and interrupted veins of such Serpentine are shown in the 

 centre and close to the right- and left-ha.nd edges of the figure. The 

 large vein shows between crossed Mcols a dark, fine-granular layer in 

 the centre, and transversely fibrous layers on each side. 



Fig. 9. In this the Olivine is much fractured, and in parts densely filled with 

 dark dust, and traversed by strong serpen tinous cracks,which in ordinary 

 light and between crossed Nicols are nearly opaque. The Enstatite 

 grains — one shown at the vipper edge, one in the centre, and a large 

 one in the lower part of the figure— are closely fibrous, and traversed 

 by irregular veins of dusky Serpentine. In the central grain oblong 

 patches of dusky Serpentine appear also in the line of the fibres. 



Discussion. 



The Peesident noted the interest attaching to the gradual deve- 

 lopment of our knowledge of native iron of terrestrial origin. 



Prof. JuDD was glad to have the present opportunity of removing 

 a misconception that had arisen concerning this mineral. In bringing 

 the matter before the Society on a previous occasion he dwelt upon 

 the facts of special geological interest, and Mr. Skey's name was not 

 mentioned in the few lines placed on record in the ' Proceedings.' 

 No attempt, however, had been made by Prof. Ulrich to claim the 

 discovery of this mineral, though he appeared to have been the first 

 to record its peculiar occurrence in the ultrabasic rocks. In the 

 South Island were the well-known chromite-bearing olivine rocks of 

 the Dun Mountain, but the rock now described was in a distant part 

 of the same island. An interesting series of serpentines derived 

 from peridotites had been sent over by the Author, and these speci- 

 mens contained the " Awaruite." A number of garnets and chlorites, 

 with chrysotile, talc, and magnetite, had been found in the Red Hill. 

 He was not aware that any *' Awaruite " had been discovered in the 

 peridotite ; but this was probably due to the softer nature of the 

 serpentine, where it could be more easily detected. He had recently 

 heard that one of the serpentines of Norway had yielded a similar 

 alloy. 



