1838.] Report on the Copper mines of Kumaon. 935 



that the quantity of ore increases considerably in the downward direc- 

 tion. In no instance have I yet learned of a mine having- been given 

 up on account of deficiency of copper ore : all concur in the belief 

 that there is no want of ore, but a great want of the means for extract- 

 ing it. 



Rye mine — Pergunah of Gungowlee, 



This mine is opened on the eastern side of a hill of moderate eleva- 

 tion. The rock formation is composed of dolomite and talc. The 

 dolomite* occurs compact, slaty and crystalline, and might frequently 

 be mistaken for common primary limestone, but its feeble effervescence 

 in acids readily distinguishes it as a magnesian carbonate of lime. The 

 talc occurs in beds, both indurated and slaty (the soapy killas of Corn- 

 wall) ; and it is in these beds that the ores of copper are found in nume- 

 rous strings, having every appearance of being leaders, as they are 

 called, to solid ore, and maintaining a distinct course, which I shall 

 accordingly denominate lode, agreeably to the term used in mining. 

 The strike, or direction, of the strata, is nearly W. N. W. and 

 E. S. E, dipping at an angle of about 45 g to the N. N. E. 



The present entrance is by an adit or passage, which serves as a 

 drain. The adit is driven on the course of one of these lodes, which 

 continues west about 10 fathoms, when it falls in with another lode, 

 that alters its direction to 15°, and afterwards to 30° north, inclining 

 nearly 50° to the east of north. At the time I penetrated to the working 

 part of the mine, it was then about 58 fathoms from the entrance. The 

 lode had been taken away from underneath, as deep as the miners could 

 manage to excavate, and its place filled up with rubbish. Above also 

 they had taken it away as high as it was found to be productive ; and, 

 when I saw them at work, they were then extending their operations in 

 the same westerly direction, the lode being about two feet wide, and 

 containing good yellow copper ore, but with a large proportion of its 

 talcous matrix, 20 per cent, only being metalliferous. 



The passage varies from two to four feet in height, and from two to 

 two and a half in width ; the superincumbent hard dolomitic rock not 

 allowing the labourers to make it higher, without having recourse to 

 blasting, with which they are totally unacquainted. A short distance 

 above the entrance is an old adit, which has been carried on the course 

 of the same lode, and is now kept open for the purpose of ventilation. 



* Dolomite is not a rock producing copper in England, but it is known in other 

 countries to contain ores of this metal and of iron. The rich mines of Cuba are said' 

 to be in it. 



6 B 



