934 Report on the Copper mines of Kumaon. [Nov. 



II. — Report on the Copper mines of Kumaon. By Capt. H. Drum- 

 mond, 3rd, B. L. C. 



Many of our readers will be aware, that Capt. Drummond of the 

 3rd Light Cavalry, brought with him to this country when he returned 

 about two years ago from furlough, a practical miner from Cornwall, 

 and that, upon his application, the sanction of Government was given 

 to the employment of this person, under Capt. Drummond's superin- 

 tendence, in the examination of the capabilities of the mines of copper 

 in Kumaon, with a view to the introduction eventually of a better 

 method of working them. These mines were reported upon at length 

 by Capt. Herbert ten years ago, hut as the observations of a prac- 

 tical workman upon their present condition, and upon the methods of 

 extracting the ore which are in use, cannot be without interest, the 

 Government has permitted the following report by Capt. Drummond 

 of his proceedings to be printed in these pages. 



Mines of copper in the eastern districts of Kumaon. 



Of the mines of copper situated in the eastern division of this pro- 

 vince only two are now worked, one at Eye in the pergunnah of Gun* 

 gowly, the other at Sheera in Barrabeesy, the rest, namely, Belar, 

 Shore, Goorung, and Chincacolee, have all fallen in, and been abandoned, 

 and are consequently inaccessible at the present moment. 



The mines of Rye and of Sheera have been worked nearly to the 

 extent available, that is to say, available so far as native mining (or 

 rather burrowing) can accomplish ; not that the resources of these mines 

 are by any means exhausted, but only that part, which being near the 

 surface, can be obtained without the aid of skill and capital. 



From the length of time that these mines have been worked, the 

 appearance of the ground about them could not be expected to be very 

 different from the condition in which it was found, but their poor state 

 at present is no argument, w 7 hy they should not become very profitable 

 when prosecuted to a greater depth. 



In other countries it seldom happens, I believe, that mines of copper 

 are found to be productive near the surface, and in Cornwall few of 

 them ever yield a return till a considerable depth underneath is 

 reached, as much as 30 or 40 fathoms. And the greater part of this 

 distance consists generally of little else than the mere ferruginous 

 substance, termed gossan, which covers the ore, whilst scarcely any of 

 the latter can be discerned. By analogy therefore the same may be 

 expected here, and this is so far confirmed by the native miners, as 

 well as by the present and former lessees of the mines, who assert 



