MINERALS IN THE SOUNDS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LI, Issue 72, 24 February 1931, Page 6

MINERALS IN THE SOUNDS.

EXPERT’S INVESTIGATION

DUNEDIN, Feb. 23. The facts upon which it was recently reported that rich gold reefs had been found at Preservation Inlet are stated in communication which Mr Robert A. Keble has prepared and published. Mr Keble is palaeontologist to the National Museum of Melbourne, and as such was a member of the party that visited Preservation Inlet.

The purpose of the expedition was to investigate the age of the slates as far as may be determined by graptolites, fossils that are commonly used in • Victoria to zone the auriferous beds. Slates of the same age as those that contained the gold-bearin'* reefs at Bendigo were found, but apart from the importance of this discovery it by no means follows that similar rich reefs to those at Bendigo exist at Preservation Inlet. In beds of the same age many factors other than age are involved, and no investigation or the lodes such fis would be necessary to reach conclusions as to their economic value was made bv the party. J

Dr. W. N. Benson, Professor of Geology and Mineralogy on the staff of the Otago University, was another member 9 t the party, and he said tins morning that Mr Keble’s statement embodied all the facts necessary fe°ct PU 16 1 1C right on the subIt T^ y . be + added T t ! lat SOW was found at Pieservation Inlet forty or fiftv but not such Quantity as to pay the prospectors. J