Mines and Mineral Statistics. 
231 
This is a section of the senm of coal worked at the Greta Coal 
and Shale Company’s Colliery adjoining the Great Northern Eail- 
way situated 32 miles by rail from the Newcastle Harbour (see Q 
on plan No. 1), where it is 2G feet in thickness. The Company 
hold 2,130 acres of land, and where this seam of coal was first 
opened out, and where they are now working it from a shaft 108 
feet in depth, there is 1 foot 2 inches of very rich petroleum oil 
cannel coal, between coal, near the top of the seam, but it has 
proved to be only of a limited area. It is a splint coal, of excellent 
quality, suitable for steam, hoiisehold, smelting, gas, and other ])ur- 
poses, specific gravity about 1'25, and from its hard splinty nature 
it is a coal that bears transhipment and carriage well, as it does 
not readily break and form itself into slack. The Company are ex- 
tending their operations hy sinking a second shaft nearly half a 
mile on the deep of their No. 1 shaft where they lately Avon the 
coal 17 i feet in thickness at a depth of 450 feet, and found the 
lusual paleozoic fossil fauna o\mr the coal in the rocks sunk through, 
Avhich fossils are similar to those so often referred to hy the llcv. 
AV. B. Clarke, M.A., T.G.S. &c., &c., myself and others, as being 
found between our upper and middle, and middle and lower 
measures. The coal has a strong rock roof and fioor, and dips at 
the rate of about 1 in 0 to the west. Alfred Aundiii, Esq., is the 
Manager, and James Elctcher, Esq., the Colliery ATewer. 
Edwd. Campbell, Esq’s., Coal Mine, at Kix’s Creek, Singleton. 
This seam of coal lias not been opened out in a sufficient number 
of places to euahle me to give an accurate average section of it ; 
where opened it is nboAit IG feet in thickness Avith a great number 
of bands, and the portion A\mrkcd has generally been about 4 
feet. It is a splint and bituminous coal, suitabie for houseliuld, 
steam, smelting, gas, and blacksmitli purposes, and is sold in the 
neighbourhood of Singleton. The quantity of coal sold in 1874 
Avas 180 tons, valued at £126, and tAVo men and one boy Avere 
employed. 
