term in gold-mining; a vein ofauriferous quartz. Called by the Californian miners a vein, orlode, or ledge. In Bendigo, the American usage remains, thewords reef, dyke, and vein being used assynonymous, though reef is the most common. (See quotation,1866.) In Ballarat, the word has two distinct meanings,viz. the vein, as above, and the bed-rock or true-bottom. (See quotations, 1869 and 1874.) OutsideAustralia, a reef means «a chain or range of rocks lyingat or near the surface of the water.» (`Webster.')
1858. T. McCombie, `History of New South Wales,' c. xiv.p. 213:
«A party . . . discovered gold in the quartz-reefs of the Pyrenees [Victoria].»
1860. W. Kelly, `Life in Victoria,' vol. ii. p. 148:
«If experience completely establishes the fact, at least, underexisting systems, that the best-paying reefs are those that arelargely intersected with fissures – – more inclined to come out inpebbles than in blocks – – or, if I might coin a designation,`rubble reefs,' as contradistinguished from `boulder reefs,'showing at the same time a certain degree of ignigenousdiscoloration . . . still, where there are evidences ofexcessive volcanic effect . . . the reef may be set down aspoor . . .»
1866. A. R. Selwyn, `Exhibition Essays,' Notes on thePhysical Geography, Geology, and Mineralogy of Victoria:
«Quartz occurs throughout the lower palaeozoic rocks in veins,`dykes' or `reefs,' from the thickness of a thread to 130feet.»
1869. R. Brough Smyth, `Goldfields Glossary,' p. 619:
«Reef. The term is applied to the tip-turned edges of thepalaeozoic rocks. The reef is composed of slate, sandstone,or mudstone. The bed-rock anywhere is usually called the reef.A quartz-vein; a lode.»
1874. Reginald A. F. Murray, `Progress Report, GeologicalSurvey, Victoria,' vol. i. p. 65 [Report on the MineralResources of Ballarat]:
«This formation is the `true bottom,' `bed rock' or `reef,'of the miners.»
1894. `The Argus,' March 28, p. 5, col. 5:
«In looking for reefs the experienced miner commences on thetop of the range and the spurs, for the reason thatstorm-waters have carried the soil into the gullies and leftthe bed-rock exposed.»
to work at a reef.
1890. Rolf Boldrewood, `Miner's Right,' c. iii. p. 30:
«The University graduate . . . was to be seen patientlysluicing, or reefing, as the case might be.»
[See also quartz-reefing.]