MINERALS IN ANTARCTICA.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIII, Issue 118, 17 May 1909, Page 6

MINERALS IN ANTARCTICA.

DOES RADIUM EXIST THERE?

PROFESSOR* DAVID'S STATE-

Last week a number, of cases con-! tainina geological specimens secured, durinltlie1 recent trip to Antarctica were conveyed from the Nimrod to the Sydney University, where the contents will be carefully gammed and analysed by Mr Mawson, the •minpralo^ist of the expedition. When questioned as to whether any Important geological discoveries^ had been made in the'course of the expedftio^ Professor Davidjaid it was as yet premature to speak. It was true that they had a specimen of a green mineral occurring in green, finis on igneous rock which Mr Mawson thought might be-vanadium, because it turned orange yellow after long exposure to the weather-that being die of the'qualities of vanadium minerals. At the satne^time it S possible that it might be some mineral new to science, or veven it might be a known mineral but ditterent from vanadium, because there^are one or two minerals 'which, like vanadium, tend to yellow on exposure to the weather. As yet no tests have been made to determine whether the mineral is radio-active or "Is th& discovery of any commercial value?'?;■ asked- the reporter. _ "Even if it should prove to be vanadium,"- said Professor David, "there is no evidence to show that it occurs in any qxiiintity in the Antarctic regions. The; spot where Mr Mawson first discovered i\ is, on r .a large moraine on the coast or victoria Land, where it occurred as a thin film on joint faces igneous rock. Bat these films, as far as could be seen, though numerous, are comparatively thin. It cannot therefore be stated at present that there is any distinct commercial value m the discovery, though scientifically it would be very interesting if subsequent analyses showed that-it is true, vanadium compound." „• '•'Of what thickness are.the films I ■- '-'They are, little more than ' the thickness of ndtepayer, .but they • are; sufficient to catch the eye with their green tint." '* , • i When asked as to the geological formation of the district mentioned, the professor said : "The, general geological structure of these immense coast ranges of the Antarctic and the character of the rock's of which they are composed*,render it.probable that minerals of the rarer earths will be found there. Of course, vanadium is one of these minerals. But I would discourage at present any.hopes of a commercial value attaching to' s the discovery. It is entirely premature for. the belief that the mineral found necessarily belongs to any deposit of commercial value. This immense coast range of Victoria Land rises almost sheer from the sea to a height of from 8000 ft to 12,000 ft, is formed -chiefly of granite and gneiss, together with slate schist and limestone. The steep slopes of this range are almost bare of snow and ice for several months in the year, and during a period of three to four weeks, commencing a f 6AV days ' before Christmas, there is usually a thaw, the ■effect of which is to soften the sands and the gravel reposing on the sides of these mountain ranges. Soon after the thaw has set in, torrents of water rush down the rocky gullies in these ranges, and thus it would be possible for these few weeks in the year to prospect the sands and gravels for minerals of economic value by means of washing in. a prospecting dish.. It was hoped that our northern party, which went to the south magnetic pole, would have found time for this after their return from the high plateau on which the magnetic pole is situated, but, owing to the journey proving much more difficult and arduous, and consequently being more prolonged than was anticipated, we did not reach the coast range again until after the period of thaw was quite over, and all the sands and gravels were frozen again, so as to be as hard as a rock." Professor David added that :as far as gold was concerned they had,some quartz :,sdiich looked "rather promising," but nothing could be said until some actual analyses had been made.