1841.] On the Mineral resources, fyc. of Northern Afghanistan. 77 



Aeenuk is the mine of Seestungee, which I have also mentioned, and which is in a similar condition 

 with the former. In this mine there is a chamber, one side of which is covered with sulphate of 

 copper ; the chamber is about 18 feet in length, 12 in breadth, and 10 in height, — and the end of it is 

 blocked up with stones and rubbish. Some of the excavations here are so large, that they have more 

 the appearance of caverns than mining galleries. A short distance from this, on the road to Koh i 

 Aeenuk, I observed near the summit of a limestone rock several veins of spar carrying copper ore, 

 principally copper pyrites ; one of these is about 11 inches wide ; between this again and Aeenuk, there 

 is another spot where the green-stained indications of copper appear abundantly, showing, that the 

 metal exists there likewise. 



East of Aeenuk, in the mountains of Acoorookhail, I found a vein of solid copper pyrites about an 

 inch thick in hornblende gneiss ; at Essurtungee on each side of the torrent, I observed copper ore 

 in many places, though I was not fortunate enough in finding a regular vein, whole cliffs of the 

 rocks however are covered with the indications of copper. The richest specimens of red oxide of 

 copper and native copper in my possession, were brought to me by a native, and said to be from the 

 hills of Goorgee Mydan, not far from Acoorookhail. Of the locality, however, from whence they 

 were procured I am doubtful, as the native alluded to was indebted to another for the specimens. 

 I opened the ground in one place to the extent of several feet, and though a few indications of the 

 metal appeared, many circumstances rendered it evident, that they had not been procured from that 

 exact spot, and that a further search was necessary. 



At Derbund, in Tungee Khooshk, in a gneiss and mica slate formation, I observed abundant 

 green stains of copper. At Kila Ataye, there are several veins of quartzose spar carrying purple 

 ore, one of which I measured about a foot in breadth, the rock is mica slate, and contiguous to 

 limestone. In Cornwall the richest deposits I was told generally occur at the junction of the clay 

 slate with the granite ; and in this mineral tract, I believe the most productive will be found at the 

 point of contact of the limestones with other rocks. 



At Tezeen, I discovered small veins or strings of rich ore ramifying in different directions, and 

 forming a kind of net-work in a limestone rock. I saw no decided course of ore of any bulk, but 

 what there is of it, is very rich, being composed of the vitreous and red oxide varieties, and native 

 copper. The chief of Tezeen, I am told, found a mass of the latter close by his house on one occasion, 

 and so large, that a copper vessel was manufactured from it. This must have been brought down 

 by the mountain stream, and most probably from the quarter I have mentioned. 



In a ravine at Khoondurra, between Seestungee and Dobundee, I obtained some specimens of 

 copper ore in small quantity, but did not discover any vein, though a closer search may yet 

 suceeed from the indications of the metal in that quarter. 



At Dobundee, on entering the valley, I found at Shinkye, on the right bank of the rivulet, 

 specimens of red oxide and grey copper, but discovered no regular vein at the time. In a ravine 

 named Lahazour, about half a mile from Shinkye, I observed in a hornblende formation an outcrop 

 of grey, vitreous, and red oxide of copper accompanying a vein of spar principally calcareous. 

 Beyond this in another ravine named Zerazour, there is a thin vein of rich copper ore similar to the 

 preceding— formation still hornblende ; the strike of the stratification in this direction, is nearly 

 N. E. and S. W. dipping about 65 • to the N. W. 



In the ravine of Chinarkhail, I found a vein* of copper pyrites cropping out in small quantity, and 

 higher up at Chenar, less than a quarter of a mile from thence, I found a vein of grey copper, 

 about 7 inches wide, with a considerable proportion of iron ; this vein bends a good deal in conse- 

 quence of the twisting of the strata, the general direction of which is about N. E. and S. W. dipping 

 upwards of 60' to the N. W. The formations here are all hornblende. 



* When I use the term of vein it is to convey my meaning in more familiar language, at the 



same time the Cornish phrase lode, which signifies a course of ore, would, properly speaking, be 



more correct. All the lodes in this country are what would technically be termed beds of ore 



| conforming with the strata, and not veins, which are rents or fissures traversing the strata, and filled 



up with mineral substances. 



