100 
EDWARD S. SIMPSON, B.E., F.C.S. : 
Several minerals, of which vanadium is an essential 
constituent, aie known in Western Australia, viz. : — 
Roscoelite (vanadium mica) and an undescribed chrome- 
vanadium mica are moderately plentiful in the gold ores 
at Kalgoorlie and account for the relatively high proportions 
of vanadium shown in analyses of these ores. An analysis 
has been published of this mineral, vide infra. 
Puclierite (vanadate of bismuth) in small crystals is 
found in the concentrates from a gold mine at Niagara.* 
(North Coolgardie). Analysis below. 
Vanadinite (chlorovanadate of lead) has been detected 
in small yellow crystalline crusts in fractures and vughs in 
auriferous quartz from Burbanks, Coolgardie, Menzies, 
Pinyalling, and elsewhere. 
Vanadium minerals, W.A. 
Pucherite 
Rose elite 
Niagara. 
Kalgoorlie. 
Si() 2 
8l 
43-65 
v 2 0 , 
— 
27.II 
v 2 0 5 
25.31 
— 
P 2 0 3 
trace 
— 
alo 3 
— 
9-95 
Fe 2 0, 
36 
not det. 
Bi 2 0 3 
73-77 
— 
CaO 
i -43 
MgO 
— 
i- 5 i 
Alkalis 
not det. 
100.25 
83-65 
Tantalum and Niobium— Owing to their wide and 
comparatively plentiful distribution in this State, these 
two closely-related metals are of special interest to us. 
Like many other rare metals, they are invariably found 
in association in offshoots from masses of intrusive 
granite or syenite. Metallic tantalum has recently been 
recorded in traces from Siberia, but the only important 
sources of the metals are the compounds of tantalic and 
niobic acid with iron, manganese and lime. 
Quite recently the practical utilisation of tantalum in 
metallic filaments for electric lights and its experimental ap- 
plication in other directions, either in the pure state or as 
an alloy of steel, have led to a careful search for tuis metal 
throughout the world. So far no use has been found for 
niobium. 
* E. Griffiths, “ Note on Pucherite from West Australia.” Jour. 
Roy. Soc. N.S.W., Vol. XLII, 2 s i - 
t Pearse, Bull. Colorado Sci. Soc. No. 8, 1897. 
