Page:The Boy Travellers in Australasia.djvu/239

Rh years before that date, it having been found at Coromandel by a Mr. Ring, who reported his discovery to the authorities at Auckland. Since 1861 it has been found in many places, and is now an important industry of the country. Some of the mines are wholly alluvial, or placer, diggings, others are wholly quartz-mines, which are called reefs in New Zealand and Australia, and others are combinations of alluvial and quartz mining.



"For the enlightenment of some of my younger readers I will here explain that alluvial, or placer, mines are those where the gold is found in the earth or soil and is separated from it by washing. Quartz-mines are those where the gold is in the ledges of the mountains and requires to be removed by tunnelling or blasting, or both. The rock containing