Chemistry's role in understanding New Zealand's geology

As befitted a young country, much of the early chemical analytical work in New Zealand was concerned with characterising economic mineral deposits, notably silver and gold assays, coal and mineral oils. Together with much else in the country’s early science, James Hector was the first Director of the Colonial Museum and Laboratory, with William Skey as the first analyst (Nathan, 2008). Skey’s work included analysing rocks and minerals for geologists; as Hughson & Ellis (1981, p.18) noted: