94 . On tlie Occurrence of the Diamond near lludgee. 



Even allowing no greater per centages of pyrites tlian I saw 

 in large masses of granite at Major's Creek, — tlie ricli deposits 

 of alluvial gold found in the Araliien valley are not more than 

 might be expected to accumulate, from the denudation of the 

 rock, in the wearing out of this large basin. In the Araluen 

 alluvial claims, small j)atches of granite traversed by detached 

 leads of gold-bearing quartz occur, and this accounts for the 

 few particles of coarser gold found mixed with the fine granite 

 gold obtained from the alluvial claims. At Major's Creek, 

 small quartz veins, generally yielding pyritous gold, are also 

 found traversing the granite rocks, having the same general 

 bearing as the granite bands above described. 



Abt. y. — On the Occurrence of the Diamond near Mudgee. By 

 Mr. Norman Taylor {of the late Victorian Geological Survey), 

 and JProfessor Alexander M. Thomson, D. Sc. 



(Read before the Society 7tli December, 1870.) 

 Last summer the writers of this paper spent a few weeks in 

 company at the diamond washings on the Cudgegong, near 

 Mudgee, and were occupied in collecting the leading facts 

 relative to the occurrence of the diamond in that locality. 

 Having agreed to publish their results jointly, they now beg to 

 lay before the Society the following brief remarks. 



Though the subject is one which has engaged their attention, 

 both in the field and out of it, it is upon Mr. Norman Taylor 

 that the main part of the geological work out of doors has 

 devolved. Such might be gatliered from the previous references 

 which have appeared, comprising four articles by Mr. Taylor, in 

 the Sydney Morning Herald, also the remarks of our Vice- 

 President in his inaugural address of this year. 



The chief circumstance that led to the discovery was the gold 

 rusb of Two-mile Flat, on the Cudgegong E.iver (nineteen miles 

 N.W. of Mudgee), in June, 1867. The diamonds were at first 

 overlooked, but gems of such unusual brilliancy did not altogether 

 escape the notice of the diggers. Still, little attention was paid 

 to the matter until the Australian Diamond Mines Company of 

 Melbourne commenced active operations in July, 1869. The 

 search was then taken up briskly by several independent parties 

 of diggers. 



