C—3.

No. 2880. Quartz forwarded by Dr. Chappie from Nelson District. It was clear, semi-trans-parent quartz, coloured red, with micaceous haamatite; showed coarse gold freely, and assayed 10 oz. 1 dwt. 15 gr. gold per ton. No. 2889. A similar sample taken from a different place in the reef. This showed no free gold, but assayed 1 oz. 5 dwt. 5 gr. gold per ton. No. 2901. Four samples forwarded by Dr. Chappie from the same locality. The stone was similar in appearance to No. 2880, but none of the four samples were of any value. No. 1 was marked " fair sample of reef" ; No. 2, another reef, probably poor ; No. 3, loose rubble and mullock on foot-wall; No. 4, quartz lying near smithy. No. 2928. Two samples from the same locality. No. 1, main reef, 1 ft. solid quartz; No. 2, sugary quartz, 2 ft. hanging-wall of No. 1 reef. These contained only traces of gold per ton. The later tests thus failed to at all approach the promising results of the first sample, which showed gold so freely imbedded in the solid particles of quartz. No. 2900. A sample of alluvial gold forwarded by Mr. T. James to ascertain loss on melting and value per ounce. The sample lost 0-82 per cent, on melting with borax, and this was increased to 1-29 per cent, during the cupellation of the bullion-assay. The amount of dirt and black sand present with the gold causes a variable loss, but in the present case the loss on melting 100 oz. should be from f oz. to 1 oz. The gold and silver in the unmelted sample were as follows : Gold, 0-9328 ; silver, 0-0543 : value, £3 19s. 2d. per ounce (unmelted). While in the melted sample the amounts were: Gold, 0-9405; silver, 0-0549 : value, £3 19s. 9fd. per ounce (melted). The values are calculated on a mint value of £3 17s. 9-Jd. per ounce standard gold, and no allowances are made for value of silver, or charges for melting, shipping, insurance, &c. No. 2912 was interesting on account of the scheelite in the concentrates, along with a good amount of gold. No. 2913 was a large block of chrome-iron ore containing magnesia. No. 2869, forwarded by Mr. Whinray, Gisborne, was described as quartz, and an assay for gold was required. The sample was pure white, but slightly softer than quartz ; it gelatinised in acid, and an analysis proved it to be a feldspar. It contained no bullion.

14

lescripi ;ion. local ■y!em Ler. iesu' .ssay. 2829 2836 (1-3) 2837 (1) White quartz Brown quartz Flaky quartz Wairau River Napier Hon. Mr. Mills .. Mr. H. Macdonald Messrs. Johnstone and Co. 8 dwt. 19 gr. gold per ton. Small traces of gold per ton. 2oz. and 8gr. gold and 9oz. 16dwt. 15gr. silver per ton. No gold present. 2837 (2) 2837 (3) 2839 2844 Crushed sample Slate Quartz and magnetite White quartz Masterton Hawke's Bay Stewart Island Baton River Mr. T. J. Donnelly Mr. W. Thomson Mr. Robertson Mr. Joseph Taylor See body of report. 5 dwt. 1 gr. gold and 1 dwt. 6 gr. silver per ton. Traces of gold per ton. 2847 2848 (1) 2848 (-2) 2848 (3) 2851 2857 2863 (1-5) 2864 (1-4) 2867 (1-3) Quartz stringers in brown country-rock White surface quartz Rusty quartz Arm-chair Creek Mr. A. F. Hadfield Mines Department Minute traces of gold per ton. Quartz and schist .. j Siliceous rock Various Quartz Calcite veins in coun-try-rock Hard sandstone i Silicate White quartz Banded quartz Cement sand Serpentinous rock .. Brassy pyrites Dark pyrites Oxide of iron Brown quartz Brecciated quartz .. Aniseed Creek Queen Charlotte Sound Golden Bay Wangapeka.. Marlborough Mangapai Mr. H. F. Logan Mr. T. H. Baird.. Mr. M. Webster Mr. F. F. MacLeod Mr. N. Jackson No gold or tellurium. No gold present. See body of report. Traces of gold par ton in all three. No gold present. 2868 2869 2871 2872 2874 (1) 2874 (2,3) 2874 (4) 2874 (5) 2876 2878 (1) 2878 (2) Gisborne Top Valley Mr. J. Shore Mr. J. Whinray Mr. K. MacLeod Mr. F. Iredale Mr. H. J. Hayns Mr. Woodman 8 dwt. 9 gr. gold per ton. Slight traces of gold. 8 dwt. gold per ton. No gold present. Trace of gold per ton. Westport D'Urville Island South Africa Marlborough Mr. Rees Mr. K. MacLeod 6 dwt. 7 gr. gold per ton. 10 dwt. 2 gr. gold and 2 oz. silver per ton. 4 dwt. 9gr. gold per ton. See body of report. 2878 (3) 2879 2883 (1-3) 2930 2880 2889 2901 (1-4) 2928 (1,2) 2881 2888 (a) 2888 (b) 2900 2902 2903 2908 2912 (1) 2912 (2) 2913 White quartz Quartz Mangonui Mr. R. M. Houston, M.K.R. Red-coloured quartz Nelson Dr. Chappie Various Quartz White quartz Clean tailings Top Valley .. Marlborough Mr. John Main Mr. C. D. Morpeth 3 dwt. 3gr. gold per ton. 2 dwt. 12 gr. gold per ton. 5 dwt. 7gr. gold per ton. See body of report. No trace of gold. Small trace of gold per ton. 5 dwt. 7 gr. gold per ton. loz. 7 dwt. 17 gr. gold per ton. 4 dwt. 10gr. gold per ton.* 43'99 per cent, chromic oxide, 3-01 per oent. magnesia, and no gold. 2 oz. 2 dwt. 20 gr. gold and 2 dwt. 12 gr. silver per ton. 3 dwt. 18 gr. gold per ton. 2 dwt. 12 gr. gold per ton. 1 dwt. 21 gr. gold per ton. 1 dwt. 18 gr. gold per ton. Trace only of gold per ton. No gold found. Alluvial gold Shell limestone Iron-pyrites Quartz Concentrates Rappahannock Creek Dannevirke.. Methven Top Valley Macrae's Mr. Thomas James Mr. J. J. Barnes Mr. J. Hobbs .. Mr. D. Campbell Messrs. Donaldson Chrome-iron ore D'Urville Island Mr. R. Woodman 2915 White quartz Timm's Creek Mr. A. Muir 2916 (1) 2916 (2) 2917 2927 (1) 2927 (2) 2929 Massive iron-pyrites Slate Flaky quartz Bluish quartz Brown quartz Various samples of quartz Tailings Maharahara Ohau River.. Alexandra South Gisborne Pelorus Sound Mr. Ed. Foley .. Survey Department Mr. E. C. Stewart Mr. J. Whinray Mr. F. B. Fariuar 2931 Top Valley .. Mr. T. W. Young 1 dwt. 12 gr. gold per ton. 6rat is contain scheelite.