206 NEW SOUTH WALES COALS. 
KEROSENE SHALE. 
The name “kerosene shale” is not at all appropriate. The mineral 
does not possess the properties of a shale, 2.¢., it has not the charac- 
teristic lamellar or platy structure of a shale. and specimens 
melting, and emits a luminous smoky flame. When heated in a 
tube it neither decrepitates nor fuses, but a mixture of gaseous 
and liquid hydro-carbons distils over. : 
In colour it varies from a brown-black, at times with a 
shade, to full black. The lustre varies from resinous to dull. The 
fracture is usually broad conchoidal, but the concavities are some 
times very deep in proportion to their breadth, and at times long 
exible concave-convex strips can be detached. When struck it 
emits a dull wooden sound. e powder is light brown to grey 5 
the streak shini It usually weathers to a light grey colour, 
and the ae mE the joints also are often coated with a white 
m. : : 
It is easily cut into shavings. Thin sections under the ee 
scope present a reticulated appearance. The network is blac 
and opaque, enclosing brown and amber-coloured translucent 
particles. ‘ the 
Prof. Silliman has proposed the name of Wollongongwe it ne 
mineral ; but this has not come into general use, neither is 104 
appropriate name, since the specimen sent to him was M! 
Wollongong, but from Hartley. All the Wollongong oil are 
which I have seen are of quite a different character ; eles 
true black carbonaceous shales with well marked lamination, ©. 
often contain fossil ferns, especially the fronds of the glossopter® 
No chemical examination has yet been made of any of ae 
Unless it be decided to give the mineral a new name, : 
suggest that it would be better to call it cannel coal = pa pr 
rather than kerosene shale, since the oil which it yiel ale, and 
bably not kerosene, and the substance itself 1s not a si cS 
moreover it is not very widely separated, either 1D phy or Be 
perties or in chemical composition, from either torbanite 
oals. 
