74 TEST OEE. 



pieces with about 50 per cent, of small indistinct crystals of a 

 pink and dark ruby colour, with a few small wbite crystals. 

 The whole mixture being pretty heavy, has certainly at first sight 

 all the appearance of good tin ore. EA^en on closer inspection, 

 when the darker portion just referred to might have been recog- 

 nized as an iron compound, the ruby-coloured portion might 

 readily pass muster for tin ore unless . chemically examined. I 

 confess my surprise when, on further examination, I found the 

 whole sample to \i& free from tin. It was found to consist — 1. 

 Black portion, about 50 per cent, of the sample, having a specific 

 gravity of 4<"47, was found to be titaniferous iron. 2. Euby- 

 coloured and dark red pieces, about 50 per cent, of sample, with 

 a specific gravity of 4!"57, found to be zircons or hyacinths, show- 

 ing the characteristic property mentioned in Professor Thompson's 

 excellent " Gruide to Mineral Explorers," of becoming completely 

 and lastingly colourless when exposed to heat with the blowpipe. 

 I produce here a piece so treated. 3. Besides these zircons were 

 found a few small topazes and garnets, and also a small sapphire. 

 The specific gravity of the mixed sample, as received, was 4'55. 

 I produce part of the original sample, as well as the titaniferous 

 iron and zircons picked out from a portion of it. 



As already mentioned, there was positively no tin in the 

 sample, and it forcibly illustrates the necessity of the precaution, 

 in dealing with tin ore, to have it carefully assayed. 



