10 BURMA, ITS PEOPLE ASD PRODUCTIOXS. 



IlUDOSMINE. 



An alloy of tlio metals osmiuiii and iridium, only known as occurring ia 

 Burma from tlio above analysis. 



Silver. 



Jlcfallic silver is only known to occur in I'urnia as an alloy of gold, the 

 gold dust of Tavoy containing aljout 9 per cent, of silver, and that of Shwegyun 

 about 8, according to an analysis by Dr. Oldluun. 



Carbon. Graphite. 



Col. Bogle forwarded specimens of grapbite of fair qnnlity from the Tonassorim 

 Provinces, and Dr. IMason records having seen "fine specimens from the Kanneo 

 Valley, twenty miles north-east of Toung-ngoo, where the Karens report the sub- 

 stance abundant." 



Group II. SULPHIDES, ARSENIDES, etc. 



Stibnite. Sulphide of Antimony. 



This metal seems not uncommon in some parts of Martaban and Amherst. 

 "It is reported as being often met with in the mountains that bound the valley of 

 the Thoungyeen. Mr. O'Kiley found it at the sources of the Attaran, and large 

 quantities of the ore have been dug up within seven or eight miles of JIaulmain." 

 This mineral is often confounded with the next, the term 'surma' being applied 

 to both, and both being used in powder as a ' collyrium.' 



Galena. Sulphide of Lead. 



This ore of lead is common in Burma, and is invariably argentiferous. The 

 mean of three samples from Martaban gave over six ounces of silver to the ton, 

 another sample nineteen ounces, one from Tavoy sixteen ounces, one from Toung-ngno 

 twenty ounces, and the mean of thi'ee sami)les from Bhamo over seventy-eight 

 ounces, — which shows the variability of the result from small specimens, and the 

 necessity of taking a large number of samples for averaging the value of the ores 

 of any locality it is proposed to work. The ore would seem generally' to occur 

 in limest(me. It is not however much worked in Burma, most of the metal 

 used in Ujiper Burma being brought from the Shan states. 



O'Eileyite (Waldie, J.A.S.B. Proc. 1870, p. 279). 



This mineral, which seems an arsenide of iron and copper, was obtained from 

 some spot in the Yoonzalin River by Mr. O'Riley, and may be considered as an 

 ore of arsenic containing some thirty-eiglit per cent, of that metal, and about the 

 Bamo amount of iron. It was also estimated to contain over thirty ounces of silver 

 to the ton, but nothing is known of its mode of occurrence. 



Pyrite. BisDLniiDE OP Iron. Iron Pyrites. Marcasite. 



This universally distributed mineral is common in Burma, but is nowhere 

 plentiful or put to anj' use. Some of the Tenasserim coals have it, whilst others 

 are free from its objectionable presence. 



Chaloopyrite. Sulphide of Copper and Iron. Copper Pyrites. 



This ore appears to have been obtained by Mr. O'Riley in the Attaran, and 

 Major Bogle forwarded from the Tenasserim Provinces to Dr. Oldham, "a specimen 

 of finely crystalline coj)per pyrites, imbedded in quartz, part of a vein which 

 if of any size would be a. valuable source of this ore. The ore is good, coidd be 

 very easily dressed, and might yield even with inferior management twelve to 

 fifteen i)er cent, of metal." The locality does not however, unfortunately, appear 

 to be known. 



