56 HUGHES. — KARANPUEA COAL-FIELDS. 



sections which are exposed. I think, however^ that in reviewing" the 

 evidence afforded by the Barakar group in the larger field^ it has been 

 quite proved that there is a thickness of between 30 and 40 feet of 

 coaly matter at about 300 feet or so above the top of the Talchirs. This 

 is the most important band of coal and the one which is the main 

 stay of the field, and if we make it the basis of our calculation, we 

 shall arrive at a very reliable minimum estimate regarding the capability 

 of the coal-field. 



The most constant subordinate band is about 1 feet thick, and 

 occurs about 2 to 300 feet below the top of the group. 



In the Raniganj series, there appears to be an available thickness ' 

 of 6 feet. 



If we take 35 feet of coal, making deductions for partings, and grant 

 its extension over an area .of only 350 square miles out of the 470, in- 

 cluded by the field, we have 8,750,000,000 tons of coal. 



In the south Karanpura basin, there appears from the evidence 

 of the natural sections to be a greater abundance of coal than in the 

 larger field. If we examine the two sections of the Jainagar river, we 

 find, [vide p. 42) that there are eight seams, with a total thickness of 63 

 feet J whilst on p. 44 there are sixteen seams with a thickness of 159' 3". 

 The discrepancy between the two sections is probably due rather to 

 the broken nature of the exposure of the one as compared to the other 

 than that there is such a rapid diminution in the thickness of the coal 

 within such a short distance as that which separates them. I think it 

 therefore safe to assume a thickness of 70 feet. Subtracting 20 feet 

 for parting, and estimating this for an area of say only 15 square miles, 

 we have 75,000,000 tons of coal. 



These two valuations are very far below the actual amount that 

 these fields contain, but even at the moderate computation which I have 

 made, it is palpable that the Karanpura valley can meet the probable 

 industrial requirements of Upper Bengal for years and years to come. 



( 340 ) 



