132 ORIGIN AND MODE OP OCCURRENCE OF GOLD-BEARING VEINS. 



saddle-reefs occurs in that line. It will be seen in this case the 

 reefs form saddles of quartz in the arch of an anticlinal, and 

 follow along the crown of the arch (in the same bedding plane 

 most probably) either horizontally or with a greater or less dip. 

 They occur one below the other, but each successive reef, as it is 

 met with in sinking, is found to be either to one side or other of 

 a vertical line passing through the one above it, their position 

 being dependent upon the direction of the line normal to the 

 anticlinal arches of the beds of the strata. The quartz is richest 

 in gold near where the legs join the arch or crown of the saddles, 

 and Fig. 13 gives an instance where a sadclle-reef is formed upon 

 two-cross planes of the strata, instead of an anticlinal arch. 



There are many other peculiar modes of occurrence of quartz 

 veins in this district and in other parts of the colony. The flat- 

 reefs of Pleasant Creek is another form under which quartz veins 

 exist in Victoria, and Fig. 15 gives a cross-section of one of these 

 Hat reefs in that locality. 



Many of the granites and other igneous rocks contain veins of 

 auriferous quartz. A reef in gneissic granite at Omeo occurs as 

 shewn in Figs. 16, 17, 18, and contains large quantities of very 

 auriferous pyrites and some galena ; both pyrites and gold 

 being sometimes found impregnating the walls of the lode to such 

 an extent as to pay the miners to crush a portion of the rock. 

 This lode is crossed in its course by igneous dykes of quartz 

 porphyry and diorite, and the quartz matrix of it seems to 

 contain a large percentage of galena and silver as it approaches 

 the dykes of quartz porphyry. 



Gold is found in the same district impregnating granite in the 

 form of small grains, and at Kamarooka it is found in thin plates 

 in the laminations of slate. It has also been obtained from 

 sandstone, and there is little doubt that all igneous rocks that 

 are impregnated with iron pyrites have a greater or less quantity 

 of gold in them, most particularly those of the diorite and granitic 

 classes. 



Gold Veins of Queensland. 



Queensland is the colony of Australasia in which, next to 

 Victoria, the working of auriferous veins has assumed the greatest 

 proportions. Its gold reefs are well known for their richness 

 and established payable character. Charters Towers, Gympie, 

 Kockhampton, Herberton, and other fields are sites of quartz 

 mining industry, and some of these places have peculiarities of 

 their own as regards the modes of occurrence of their auriferous 

 lodes and deposits. 



The gold veins of Charters Towers are principally in granite, 

 and one thing remarkable about them, mentioned by Mr. Jack, 

 F.G.S., &e.j the Government Geologist to the colony, is that they 



