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quartz veins are very common in the slate. They are rarely more than 
J-in. wide, and turquoise veins are associated with them, but in every case 
the turquoise is of newer date. It may intersect the quartz but the reverse 
never happens. 
The sides and roof of the tunnel are encrusted with green and blue 
coloured sulphates, &c., formed by the decomposition of iron pyrites 
containing a little copper. These incrustations which have been formed 
by the weathering of freshly exposed surfaces of country rock where 
unaltered and impregnated with pyrites, are very significant and probablv 
indicate the manner in which the turquoise has been formed. 
Here the work of searching for turquoise has been carried on more 
extensively than at the other sites, and very good stone has been found 
according to report, but as no work was proceeding, and none of the good 
stone was visible, there was no opportunity of verifying the statements. 
Surface streaks of turquoise are common in this lease, and there is still 
unworked abundance of ground showing such indications. 
No. 4 locality is in the same direction-! as the last, but 2§ miles from 
No. i, and is 1,600 feet above sea-level. The Lease (No. 1,671) is known 
as “ Mount Avis” Lease. Very little work has been done here bevond 
breaking off a few feet of the surface rock in which stains of turquoise 
were common. A tunnel in the lowest portion of the outcropping turquoise- 
bearing slate was commenced. The rock is not much altered at this spot, 
and no turquoise appears to have been met with at this site, although in the 
same beds higher up it was plentifully present, but in thin veins and of 
greenish colour. The strike of the beds is N. 37 deg. W. and the dip 
vertical. The rock carrying the turquoise veins is a black slate weathering 
to grey at the surface. The beds are much crushed, creased, and faulted. 
No. 5 locality is in the same line of strike from No. 1 workings, and 
3 miles distant in a straight line. The country rock is black slate weathering 
to grey near the surface. Greenish-coloured turquoise cropped out at the 
surface here and thin seams of it traverse the slate. An excavation 
50 ft. x 20 ft. and 10 ft. deep at the deepest part has been made here, and 
lower down a tunnel has been driven about 60 feet in ;u;nder where turquoise 
shows freely in the surface stone. No turquoise veins are showing in the 
sides of the tunnel. The slate is black and contains pyrites. Sulphates, &c., 
the result of decomposition of the iron pyrites have formed an incrustation 
on the sides and roof of the tunnel. This “crust” is stained blue and 
green. 
Nos. 3, 4, and 5 localities have been worked by Mr. C. Meyer, and 
from the extent of the workings a considerable output of turquoise may be 
inferred, but with what pecuniary results is unknown. 
No. 6 locality is on Mr. J. Graham’s farm, near Sheepstation Creek, 
and at this spot a small creek exposed a vein of blue turquoise in the 
slate forming its bed. Very little has been done here, although the surface 
indications are favorable. A trouble that would soon have to be met at 
this site is water, for the bank of rock is but a few feet above creek 
level. The height above sea-level is 1,200 feet. The usual greyish slate 
occurs at the surface, and the unaltered black slate has not been reached. 
No. 7 locality is about 15 chains north-westerly from No. 6. At 
this site, known as the Masson Company’s workings, a shaft has been 
sunk over 20 feet deep, and a deep narrow cutting has been brought in 
