i6i 



end, to 75 miles (120 km.) at the western. Its area is 

 estimated to be 10,250 square miles (26,568 sq. km.) or 

 about half that of the entire province. Of this area, 

 4,000 square miles (10,368 sq. km.), or about one third, 

 is occupied by intrusive granite. 



This series was given the name of Meguma series in 1904 

 by J. E. Woodman [6]. It has however, been known 

 so long and described so often under the name of Gold- 

 bearing series that it is thought better to retain that name. 



The sedimentary rocks consist essentially of a great 

 series of quartzites and slates apparently conformable 

 throughout, with practically no limestone nor conglomerate. 

 The series has been divided lithologically into two dis- 

 tinct, conformable formations, the lower known as the 

 quartzite or Golden ville formation, and the upper known 

 as the slate or Halifax formation. In King's county, 

 south of the Cornwallis Valley, the slates of the Halifax 

 formation are overlain, apparently conformably, by a few 

 thick beds of pinkish-white, massive quartzite and a series 

 of dark and fawn-coloured slates which are nowhere else 

 represented along the Atlantic, and to which is now given 

 the name of Gaspereau formation. But, until the confor- 

 ity of these two formations has been proved conclusively, 

 the Gaspereau formation can only be considered as a 

 probable part of the Goldbearing series. 



The total known thickness of the Goldbearing series, 

 exclusive of the Gaspereau formation, is estimated to be 

 35,460 feet (10,808 m.), or nearly seven miles and including 

 the probably conformable Gaspereau formation, 38,260 

 feet (11,662 m.) or nearly 7^ miles. 



Goldenville Formation. 



The Goldenville formation consists mostly of thick- 

 bedded compact, greenish and bluish grey quartzose 

 sandstone, or quartzite, generally feldspathic and micaceous, 

 often holding large cubes of iron pyrite and weathering 

 light rusty grey. Inter stratified with the quartzites are 

 numerous beds of argillaceous, siliceous and micaceous 

 slates of various shades of grey, sometimes arenaceous and 

 passing into quartzites, and occasionally calcareous or 

 pyritous. Towards the base, the slate beds become more 

 numerous and often attain a considerable thickness. 

 In the western end of the field at certain horizons, the slate 

 35063—n 



