236 . Hooper — Occurrence of Melanterite in Baluchistan, [No. 4, 



The occurrence of Melanterite in Baluchistan. — By David Hooper, P.C.S. 

 [Received 27th May, 1903. Eead 3rd Jane, 1903.] 



During the last cold weather, Mr. R. Hughes-Buller, O.S., Superin- 

 tendent, Imperial Gazetteer, Baluchistan, forwarded several samples of 

 economic products to the Indian Museum for identification. Among 

 these were two specimens of minerals called Khaghal and Pulmdk which 

 were employed in the Brahui method of dyeing in conjunction with 

 pomegranate husk in producing black or deep green colours. 



A special interest attaches to the production of Khaghal, otherwise 

 known as Zagh, on account of a note drawn up by Mirza Sher Mahomed, 

 describing one of the mines in the Jalawan district. It appears that 

 the collection of Khaghal is a regular industry in two or three localities 

 in Baluchistan. One of the mines is about forty miles from Nargana, 

 and at Tango, about a mile distant, is another mine, situated at the foot 

 of the hill and on the bank of a river. The entrance to the mine is an 

 opening about a yard wide leading into a gallery of unknown length. 

 The Zagh has been collected from these mines for several years, and al- 

 though large quantities of mineral have been taken away, only a small 

 area of about two yards has been worked. It is always mixed with a 

 slate-like stone. The narrow gallery forming the mine is called " Ragh," 

 a vein of the hill. The inhabitants say that after a rainfall pure white 

 Zagh " bursts out " in the mine which in the dry weather is dug out 

 together with, the decomposed slate. The mine has a disagreeable 

 corrosive smell "like iron rust," and this causes the workmen to vomit 

 in the course of half an hour. Further samples were sent by Mr. 

 Hughes-Buller, one from Ladon Pass, said to be of superior quality, 

 and another from Bhapar which was very inferior. It has also been 

 discovered at Ohotok on the Kil river, Mula Pass, and at two places at 

 Khuzdar. 



The mine at Chotok is in a gorge, at a distance of six miles west of 

 Janh. Here a cave is formed in the hill with a pool of warm water, 

 noted for its mineral properties, and overhead is a rock from which 

 water drops from innumerable stalactites of fantastic shape. The 

 length of the pool is 150 yards, through which guides conduct visitors 

 after they have undressed. At about ten yards from the entrance of the 

 gorge is a large cave on the bed of which the mineral incrustation known 



