198 
The N.Z. Journal of Science and Technology. 
[May 
DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS. 
Graphite in New Zealand. 
By P. G. Morgan, Director, New Zealand Geological Survey. 
Graphite is widely distributed throughout New Zealand. It occurs dis¬ 
seminated or in deposits of various sizes in the marbles, gneisses, and 
schists of western Otago, in the mica-schists of Central Otago, in the grey- 
wackes and argillites of western Canterbury and the adjoining part of 
Westland, and in the schists, argillites, and marbles of Nelson and Marl¬ 
borough. In the North Island, graphite is found in the greywackcs and 
argillites of the Rimutaka and Tararua Ranges, in the volcanic rocks of 
Mount Egmont and the Hauraki Goldfield, and in the Mesozoic (?) rocks of 
North Auckland. Still other occurrences will be mentioned on a later page. 
The Otago and Nelson rocks mentioned above are of Palaeozoic age ; 
the greywackes and argillites of western Canterbury, eastern Westland, and 
Wellington are probably all of early Mesozoic age ; and the volcanic rocks 
are of Tertiary or, in the case of Mount Egmont, of post-Tertiary age. 
The following list gives nearly all the localities from which graphite 
has been recorded: Cuttle Cove (Preservation Inlet), Dusky Sound, 
Jackson’s Bay, Few’s or Twelve-mile Creek (Lake Wakatipu), Carrick 
Range, Hawksburn, Clyde district, Orari Gorge, Mount Potts, Malvern 
Hills, Arthur’s Pass Tunnel, Otira, Paparoa Range, Reefton district, Wai- 
mangaroa, Wangapeka district, Upper Takaka district, Gouland Downs, 
Golden Ridge, Motupipi, Pariwhakaoho Stream, Collingwood, Pakawau, 
Wakamarama Range, north-west Nelson in general (graphitic schists and 
slates), Avondale (Marlborough), Picton, Petone Road (near Wellington), 
Mangaroa Hill ; valleys of Akatarawa, Waiohine, Ruamahanga, Waingawa, 
Waikanae, and Otaki Rivers ; Rimutaka Mountains in general; several 
localities on or near the lower slopes of Mount Egmont; several localities 
in the Hauraki Goldfield ; Mangawhare (North Auckland) ; Rangiahua 
(North Auckland). 
The chief sources of information are :— 
(1.) Cox, S. H., “ Notes on the Mineralogy of New Zealand,” Trans. 
N.Z. Inst., vol. 15, 1883, pp. 360-410. Graphite occurrences are mentioned 
on pp. 363-65. Further references will be abbreviated to “ Cox.” 
(2.) Annual Reports of the Colonial Museum and Laboratory (Nos. 1-27), 
the Colonial Laboratory (Nos. 28-40), and the Dominion Laboratory 
(Nos. 40-50). These form a continuous series from No. 1 (1867) to No. 50 
(1917), and hereafter the title will be abbreviated to “ Lab.” Mr. W. Skey 
was Colonial Analyst from 1865 until his death in 1900, when he was 
succeeded by Dr. J. S. Maclaurin. 
(3.) Transactions of the New Zealand Institute, vol. 1 (1869) to vol. 49 
(1917). In references, titles of papers will not be quoted, and the abbrevia¬ 
tion Trans, will be employed for the title of the volume. 
(4.) Reports of Geological Explorations, Nos. 1 to 22, New Zealand 
Geological Survey, issued under the direction of Sir James Hector from 
1867 to 1894. Abbreviation used : Rep. Geol. Explor. Titles of individual 
reports not quoted. 
(5.) Bulletins (New Series) of the Geological Survey of New Zealand, 
No. 1 (1906) to No. 20 (1917). Abbreviated to “ Bull.” Titles not quoted. 
