100 
its course for alluvial gold, and for a short distance the plant has been laid 
down and a long water-race cut with the object of working the alluvial 
deposits along the creek by hydraulic means, but the work has not proved 
a success. About half-a-mile south-east from Meurant’s is the Excelsior 
reef. The slaty country strikes N. 20 deg. W., dip 55 deg. E. A tunnel 
has been driven in along the course of a dioritic dyke which strikes north¬ 
west and dips 75 deg. N.E. On the south-west side of the tunnel the rock 
is altered Ordovician. On the north-west side diorite prevails. The 
quartz at the junction is from 3 to 12 inches thick and this is said to 
have yielded a few dwts. of gold per ton at the further end. The tunnel 
is about 1,700 feet above sea-level. On the top of the hill a large quantity 
of quartz was mined. The reef was ift. 6in. thick and in a shaft sunk 
75 feet it is said to have been 9 inches thick. Some good returns of gold 
are reported from this reef and it deserves further prospecting. The dyke 
can be traced for a considerable distance southward. The country is of 
favourable character for gold. Bullocky iCreek runs into Thougla Creek 
from the east side and is about 2 miles higher up than Meurant’s. Gold has 
been worked up Thougla Creek to Bullocky Creek and up Bullockv Creek 
for 3 miles. Fisher’s Creek runs into- Thougla Creek at the Excelsior reef 
and was auriferous. Jingalarie Creek runs in from the same side just 
below Meurant’s and was also worked for alluvial gold. The gold here is. 
worth £(3 6s. per oz. 
About 9 miles up Thougla Creek from Meurant’s is Mt. Onslow, where 
a quartz reef is stated to- have yielded 2,000 oz. of gold. Alluvial gold 
was worked below it. 
At the head of Corryong Creek, the tract of country in which the Dark 
River and Gibbo- Creek have their sources, the country is reported as 
auriferous. 
Copper Indications at Corryong. 
Corryong is situate on a plain about 1,100 feet above sea-level. The- 
country rock is granitic. About 20 chains E. 35 deg. S. from the post 
office, and 100 feet higher up on the slope of the hill indications of copper 
have been found, and three shallow shafts have been sunk. The furthest 
from the town is 14 feet deep. The country rock is granite of normal 
type but decomposed. A dvke of hard bluish line grained rock (? diorite), 
decomposed near the surface, cuts through the granite. Its strike is east 
and west, dip 75 deg. N. There are no signs of copper ore in the unaltered 
dyke, but in the softer parts, and apparently following the joints, blue and 
green carbonates occur in small quantities associated >with calc-spar. 
Sulphide of copper shows at the bottom of the hole. About 95 feet N. 
15 deg. E. from the first hole is a second one 15 feet deep; a fracture in 
the rock runs about north-east with granite on one side and grano-diorite (?) 
on the other; blue and green carbonates of copper in small quantity occur 
here also; 60 feet N. 10 deg. W. from this hole is the third shallow 
shaft 12 feet deep with grano-diorite (?) and granite in contact. Here similar 
blue and green copper ores occur in small amounts. Further up the hill 
another opening has been made and at this site the hard dark-bluish dyke 
rock is exposed, and it also- carries blue and green stains of carbonate of 
copper. No true lode has yet been disclosed, but the work done shows that 
copper ores exist and possibly lodes of valuable copper ore may be dis¬ 
covered in the district. Useful prospecting work has been done. 
[Report sent in i 8 .j.O/.~\ 
