A further account of the geology of the Catamaran coal field

Geology is to the miner what the Intelligence Service is to the soldier. It gives the plan of the terrain upon which the operations are based. In a general conception, it provides a guide for developmental policy, and in a special aspect it provides the tactical plan upon which each problem must be attacked. But if geology is to be of practical use to the miner in opening up his own mine, it must supply its data in advance of operations. Its use is to tell the miner what his pick is going to strike. To do this, detailed knowledge of the whole stratigraphic province in which the field lies must be obtained. Physiography is too often regarded as an elementary branch of geology and of little practical importance. No greater mistake could be made. The physiography of a region, correctly interpreted, provides a key to earth movements, and the results of these in turn, when accurately plotted, indicate the whereabouts of any beds the miner desires to locate. Much has yet to be done before a complete geological map can be constructed. The difficulties of exploration cannot be imagined by anyone who has not attempted it, and even when all the surface data have been collected only boring operations can prove conclusions