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Geology of the Provinces of Canterbury and Westland, New Zealand : a report comprising the results of official explorations

Copper

Copper.

A specimen of carbonate of copper was found by me in 1863 in post-pliocene alluvium in the Stour Creek, a tributary of the Ashburton. In vain I searched the Mount Somers range on the left bank of that creek, there being not the least appearance of any metalliferous lodes. The specimen may have been derived from the morainic accumulations brought down the valley from the central chain, although I was not successful in searching for similar ores amongst the moraines covering the glaciers at the head of the Rakaia and other Alpine rivers. Except iron pyrites no other ores were ever observed in the sandstones and slates of the Mount Torlesse, and the semi-metamorphic rocks of the Waihao formation, making up the accumulations on the eastern glaciers. The Melaphyre zone has also been repeatedly examined for similar purposes, but in vain. The green colouration of those rocks has often been mistaken for copper, but in all instances it has been shown to be the result of the presence of delessite or green earth, both hydrous silicates. The green rock on both banks of the Selwyn (Upper Gorge) mistaken for copper, consists simply of diabasic ash with some iron pyrites.