98 FOOTE : GEOLOGY OF MADURA. AND TINNEVELLY DISTRICTS. 



town on whicli stands the Gandhamana Parwattam Mantapa, from which 

 an extensive view is obtained, and a very good idea o£ the extent of up- 

 raised coral reef. Some small islets, apparently part of the Adam's bridge 

 shoal, were seen to eastward. 



CHAPTER XI. 



ECONOMIC GEOLOGY. 



The enumeration of the economic mineral products met with in the 

 Madura and Tinnevelly districts may unfortunately be comprised within 

 a few pages; in other -words, both districts are poor invaluable minerals. 



The metallic minerals are represented by iron ore 

 Irou the ouly metal. 



only, and that not of the highest class. Abun- 

 dance of an earthy form of haematite is to be found in the lateritic rocks 

 in the northern parts of our area, and there are traces of a considerable 

 smelting industry having been carried on at no remote period at Ayangudi 

 in the southern part of Pudu Kottai State (seepage 46). The ore treated 

 is clayey red or brown hsamatite of fair quality, of which an endless supply 

 could be obtained in any of the lateritic tracts north of the Vaigai. I 

 Old smelting industry ^^"^^^ ^^^ ^ut nothing about the smelting industry 

 at Ayangudi. ^^ Ayangudi, which seemed to have been entirely 



forgotten by the people now living. The country is too bare of forest 

 now to support even the small native smelting works, but it is well known 

 that at the time of the conclusion of the Poligar war in 1803, this region 

 was covered with very extensive jungles through which our armies had 

 to cut roads with great labour, e.g., at the siege of Kalajar Kovil. 



No signs of any iron smelting industry on a large scale, even for 

 native smelters, were seen any where further south, nor did my enquiries 

 obtain me any information of such having existed elsewhere. 



The other economic minerals used have been building stones and 



limestones for making cements and mortars. Of 

 Building stones. ' , , . . 



the former there is no lack in most of the gneissic 

 regions, and for coarse work a supply is obtainable in many of the north- 

 ( 98 ) 



