economic resources : limestone. 125 



Section 3. — Limestones. 



Little remains to be added to what has been said of the limestones 

 when describing the crystalline rocks. So far as quantity and quality 

 go, the limestones on the west of the Aurunga field are eminently 

 suitable for use as a flux for the iron ores. I fully expect that they 

 will be found traceable from the position I have indicated north-eastwards 

 in the direction of the village of Echak. This would bring them into 

 nearer proximity with the iron ores of the outlier {vide map) . 



The other calcareous deposits alluded to in the course of the 

 preceding pages will probably not prove to be of economic value. But 

 the crystalline limestone near Sattarwah may contain better portions 

 than that from which the sample was taken. 



Section 4. — Lead and Copper. 



The only lead ore I have seen from this part of the country 

 consisted of weathered fragments of galena, which were picked up 

 on the surface not far from Bankhap three miles north of Balumath. 

 When passing that way I did not know of the occurrence, and had 

 no subsequent opportunity of visiting the locality. I received the 

 samples from the Sub-Inspector of Police at Balumath. At Hesatu, 

 about 14 miles to the north-east of Bankhap and within the limits of 

 the Hazaribagh district, galena was many years ago reported to occur. 

 I visited the locality, but found that a series of excavations had been 

 made which had destroyed all trace of the outcrop, so that there was no 

 opportunity of forming any opinion as to its character. 



Some traces of copper were found by Mr. Forbes in a well sunk in 

 the station of Daltonganj. A notice of the fact will be found in Mr. 

 Forbes^ Settlement Report. A few traces of the copper carbonates were 

 to be seen in the heaps of stone near the well at the time of my visit. 



( 125 ) 



