125 
The No. i, or western lode, consists of a brecciated mass of agglomerate 
penetrated by quartz veins, or rather the fragments of agglomerate are 
bound together by the quartz veins. As far as opened up, copper pyrites, 
zinc blende, galena and iron pyrites occur disseminated through the lode; 
in places the galena is in pieces exceeding a pound in weight. The lode 
has been proved for a width of 18 feet from the eastern wall, which dips 
E., but the western wall has not yet been cut. The top of the lode is 
covered with alluvial wash, and its course up the hill to the southward 
cannot be seen for a little distance; further up the hill, however, it appears 
to have been located by trenching. The strike of the lode is about S. 
25 deg. E., and the dip is to the E. At this point, where the lode crosses 
D ane’s Creek, and on the S. side of the creek, an open-cut is being made, 
and the overburden of alluvial pebbles and boulders is being removed, so 
as to follow the lode further southward. No. 2 lode is 8 chains further 
up Dane’s Creek. Its strike is about S. 15 deg. E., and thickness about 
6 feet. Quartz and black slate form a brecciated lode material, with 
copper pyrites, iron pyrites, zinc blende, and galena disseminated through 
It. 
A cut has been put in along the lode for about 40 feet in length, and 
the same characters continue. The level should be run into the hill for 
50 feet; then a winze should be sunk for 20 or 30 feet on the lode, and 
a cross-cut made at the bottom across the lode. This would give some idea 
of what the lode is like when unaltered, and would afford the means of 
taking average samples. The present aspect of the lode is sufficient to 
justify this work being done. 
Some years ago an attempt was made to test these lodes, but onlv in a 
perfunctory manner. There is a great tract of the agglomerate, which 
forms the country-rock, and if a profitable lode were located, search for 
others would be stimulated. Three chains higher up Dane’s Creek than 
the No. 2 lode there is a gossan outcrop in slate on the southern side of 
the creek. This has not been opened up to a sufficient depth to show its 
nature. The agglomerate and slate meet close by, but their relations are 
obscure. About 900 feet higher, on the top of the crest between Dane’s 
Creek and Larsen’s Creek, there are outcrops of lode-like material that 
would be worth breaking into. The Mitta Mitta River lies about f mile 
to the west of the lodes. Present operations should be continued, and 
^100 or ,£200 would be well spent in testing the lodes. 
[Report sent in 22nd March, / go6 .] 
AURIFEROUS QUARTZ REEFS, LOWER DARK RIVER, 
COUNTY OF BENAMBRA. 
By E. J. Dunn , F.G.S., Director , Geological Survey. 
The Struck Oil Reef. 
For 3 miles up the Dark River from its junction with the Mitta Mitta, 
the rock is agglomerate, then a belt of slate appears. At 5J miles up the 
Dark River, close to< its northern bank, is the Struck Oil reef. 
A tunnel has been driven in on the line of the reef from the spur on 
the side of the river, but apparentlv little work has been done here. The 
general bearing of the reef is about N.E., and the country-rocks are 
favorable-looking slates and sandstones. About 3 chains from the mouth 
of the adit a fault has disturbed the reef. Two chains further N.E. 
