66 
Creek joins it, and continues on the south side of Dolodrook Creek for about 
a mile. The total length of the serpentine country is about 3 miles, the 
greatest width is about 25 chains. The narrowest part is near the Graptolite 
Bluff where it is only about 2 chains across. 
J 
The serpentine has resulted from alteration of an augitic intrusive rock, 
some portions of which are still unaltered. Dark-green is the prevailing 
colour, but it is mottled with light-grey in places; red serpentines were 
not observed. As only a hurried visit was paid, there was no opportunity 
for ascertaining where the best qualities were to be found. This stone 
could be sawn into slabs for mantel-shelves, &c., and for internal decora¬ 
tions, and it would be easily worked and should take a high polish. Until 
a road for wheeled traffic is constructed the stone cannot be utilized. The 
actual distance is about 40 miles from Heyfield Railway Station. If the 
transport charges could be reduced to a moderate sum the working of this 
serpentine into useful and ornamental objects should develop into an 
industry. 
Chrome Iron Ore. 
A quarter of a mile east of the junction of Thiele's Creek with Dolo¬ 
drook Creek, chrome iron ore crops out at the surface and masses of 
several hundredweight have been uncovered, although the little work done 
does not exceed 2 feet in depth anywhere. Pieces of this ore and finer 
particles in the serpentine occur over an area of about 50 acres. Much of 
the surface is covered with soil, and there is therefore a possibility of this 
ore being found in workable quantities, but prospecting work is essential, 
and this has not yet been done. Chrome ore is an essential for the manu¬ 
facture of armour plates, and other varieties of hard steel and is the 
source of the chrome salts extensively used in dyeing and tanning and for 
pigments. It is also used as a refractory lining for furnaces and for 
manufacturing bricks for the same purpose. The demand is fairly 
constant. The price in 1906, varied from ^£3 14s. to £4 2s. per ton for 
50 per cent, chrome ore. The work of prospecting could be now carried 
out to determine whether the ore is in workable quantities, but until a road 
is made it could not be profitably mined. 
Magnetic iron ore occurs a little further to the east disseminated through, 
the serpentine, but apparently only in small quantities. 
Corundum. 
A very interesting occurrence of corundum is associated with the serpen¬ 
tine, a few chains west of where Garvey’s east boundary line crosses the ser¬ 
pentine. The most eastern block of corundum weighed about 3 cwt. It 
lies half embedded in the soil. Ten chains north-west a small block exposed 
at the surface was found; 4 chains north of the small block another small 
piece was found and five chains still further north the largest block, weighing 
about 5 cwt., was found deeply bedded in the soil. No corundum has been 
found actually in situ and embedded in serpentine rock, but it should be 
found by carefully! searching. It looks as though all the loose blocks 
found may have originated near the southern margin of the serpentine 
on the slope and they may have rolled down from there. The colour of 
the corundum is purplish and it is associated with a green mineral. Although 
so hard the surfaces of these blocks are covered by lichens. In 1906, 
I 3^4° tons of corundum and emery ore and rock were used in the United 
States, valued at ^95,730 or just under Uy per ton. Good qualities of 
massive corundum are worth considerably more than the average price. 
