Victoria.—Platinum occurs in the Walhalla Copper Mine, where it is associated in a hornblende-diorite lode-formation with copper pyrites, gold and silver. The ore is stated to contain from 2 to 7 dwt. platinum per ton. In the Thompson River Copper Mine platinum is found in a hornblendic rock rich in chalcopyrite.
Tasmania.—Iridosmine has been produced from the Bald Hill district near Waratah, in the north-western part of the state, since 1900, the metal being obtained from placer deposits in Nineteen Mile Creek and its tributaries, Linger-and-Die, McGinty’s and Barren Creeks, and from Savage River. It has been located in situ in the rocks of Bald Hill, principally in serpentine, but also with chalcedony and opaline silica in lode-formations. In the former case, it is associated with magnetite, pyrite, pyrrhotite, nickel and gold. The iridosmine in the placer deposits is sometimes coated with iron oxide, and is also at times found enclosed in chromite. The following analysis in percentages, made at the Imperial Institute, is typical: osmium, 57·09; iridium, 33·80; platinum, 0·37; ruthenium, 8·19; palladium, 0·21; gold, 0·04; iron, 0·30; copper, trace.
Other localities in Tasmania at which osmiridium has been located are Heazlewood River, Whyte River, Castray River, Huskisson River, Wilson River and Boyes River; also the Badger gold diggings, west of Savage River, and the Salisbury goldfield near Beaconsfield.
The following table gives the recent annual output of osmiridium in Tasmania:
| Year. | oz. (troy). | Value in £. |
|---|---|---|
| 1910 | 120 | 530 |
| 1911 | 272·9 | 1,188 |
| 1912 | 778·8 | 5,742 |
| 1913 | 1,261·6 | 12,016 |
| 1914 | 1,018·8 | 10,076 |
| 1915 | 247 | 1,581 |
| 1916 | 222·2 | 1,899 |
| 1917 | 332·1 | 4,898 |
| 1918 | 1,607 | |
| 1919 | 1,669·7 | 39,614 |
South Australia.—In the north-east part of the State traces of platinum have been recognized by analysis as occurring in the outcrop of a lode near Boolcoomatta. Further information on this occurrence is not available.
Papua.—Osmiridium, associated with small amounts of gold only, is known to occur as alluvial in the neighbourhoods of various serpentine areas; in the Lakekamu district, in flaky form; in the Yodda Valley, in appearance similar to native bismuth; and in other places in shot-like granules[[44]].
New Zealand
Platinum is only obtained commercially in New Zealand from the Orepuki district of Southland, where it is produced by the Round Hill Gold Mining Company as a by-product in the washing of auriferous gravels. According to information recently supplied by the Mines Department, the annual output of crude platinum for the last ten years has averaged 30 oz., but in view of the recent falling-off of the gold production in this locality, the prospects of any increase in the output of platinum seem small.
In South Island the presence of platinum has been reported on the Thames River in quartz lodes, in a region of serpentine and diorite, and in a pyritic lode near the Taramakau River in the district of Westland, in close proximity to sheets of altered magnesian eruptive rocks[[4]] p. 557. The platinum in the latter case occurs in association with silver, in the proportions of about 7 parts of the latter to 1 of the former, together with pyrite and limonite. Samples taken from the lode have been stated to have an average content of 3 dwt. 8 gr. platinum per ton[[45]].