188 the minerals of new south wales. 



Resinite. 

 Reported to occur on the Clarence River. 



Bog Butter. 

 A white, soft, somewhat unctuous substance, found between 

 Twofold Bay and Brogo. Mentioned by the Rev. W. B. Clarke. 



Mineral Wax. — Ozo-kerite. 



Cheni. comp. : Carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Of a brown-grey 

 colour. Breaks with a subconchoidal fracture. Coola. 



Bathvellite, or Torbanite. 

 Found at Mt. York and Macquarie Fields. 



Elaterite. — Elastic bitumen. 



Chem. comp. : Carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. At Reedy Creek 

 or Petrolia there is said to be a band of thin and very elastic sub- 

 stance like elaterite. 



Kerosene Shale. 



This mineral is found abundantly in the coal measures of New 

 South Wales, usually in the form of more or less lenticular 

 deposits. The name wollongongite was given to it by Dana, but 

 the term has never come into general use. 



In colour the mineral varies from brown, sometimes a greenish- 

 brown, to jet black. It usually weathers white, and as the surfaces 

 of the joints are also usually coated with a thin film of a white clay- 

 like substance, the mineral is sometimes termed " White Coal" 

 The fracture is usually large conchoidal. When struck it gives out 

 a woody sound. Can be cut by the knife into comparatively thin 

 shavings. Gives a black shining streak and a brown powder. 

 Thin sections, under the microscope, show an amber, brown, and 

 black reticulated structure. The brown portions are those which 

 transmit the light, and the black the opaque portions. Mr. E. T. 

 Newton, assistant naturalist to the Geological Survey of England, 

 has recently written a valuable and interesting paper upon the 

 microscopic structure of the so-called white coal and tasmanite of 

 Tasmania. (See Geol. Mag., Sept., 1875.) 



Chemical Composition. 

 Different samples vary very much in composition. From 

 analyses which I have made, the following results were obtained : — 



Greta, 



Moisture -48 



Volatile hydrocarbons ... 61*66 



Fixed carbon 25-13 



Ash (grey) 13-21 



100-00 



