26 HAYDEN AND HATCH: GOLD-FIELDS OF WAINAD, 



average assay value per ton. The average width was obtained by 

 dividing the sum of the widths by the number of samples. To illus- 

 trate clearly the distribution of the gold-contents of the veins under 

 description, plans of the workings have been prepared (from compass 

 surveys by Lalla Kishen Singh of this Department) on which the 

 assay results of the samples are entered, each in the place where the 

 sample was taken, together with the width of the vein sampled (see 

 the assay plans which accompany this Report). 



The Alpha Mine, formerly the property of the Indian Gold 

 Mines Company, is situated on the edge of the ghdt above the Car- 

 coor valley, about i| miles south of the town of Devala. The vein 

 opened by this mine can be traced at various points along the sur- 

 face, being variously known as "Wright's lode ," the "Skull Reef" 

 and the "Prince of Wales' Reef". Its strike is approximately 

 north-north-east and south-south-west and its dip to the east : 

 while the strike of the country*rock is east-north-east and west- 

 south-west. The vein consists of a hard, white quartz, only occa- 

 sionally being stained by the decomposition of iron-pyrites. The 

 immediate walls consist generally of a silvery, talcose material and 

 the country-rock (biotite gneiss) is usually decomposed to a soft 

 clayey mass, necessitating careful timbering in drives and stopes to 

 prevent dangerous falls of rock. 



The workings on the portion of the lode, comprising the Alpha 

 Mine, consist of a number of cross-cut tunnels or " adits " driven into 

 the face of the ghat and intersecting the lode at different levels. 

 From the points of intersection, drives were extended along the 

 course of the vein both north and south of the adit cross-cut. Of 

 these tunnels, six were opened for my inspection, namely, Nos. 2, 3, 

 6, 7, 8, and 9. Another tunnel, No. 11, still lower down the ghit, 

 was attempted, but the flow of water constantly bringing down 

 fresh supplies of debris from the soft and treacherous roof caused 

 difficulties which ultimately proved insurmountable, and after clear- 

 ing 150 feet of the adit, the work had to be abandoned. 

 I 26 ) 



