64 HAYDEN : AURIFEROUS LOCALITIES IN NORTH COIMBATORE. 



the reef as was accessible : this was in a few cases only part of 

 the whole width : but those taken from the new trench along the 

 reef were taken from the whole width of the ore-body, and 

 represent as nearly as possible an accurate average of the lode at 

 each point. So far as we can judge from the small amount of 

 reef that has been made accessible, it will be seen that the gold- 

 contents of the lode are small. It is, however, supposed that the 

 natives worked originally for gold, as no signs can be found of 

 furnaces or of slag, traces of which would probably be still visible 

 had they smelted copper. 



In addition to the above assays for gold, an estimation was 

 made of the amount of copper in the samples from the newly opened 

 portion of the reef. The results of this show that the ore near the 

 surface contains about three per cent, of copper. As much of the 

 copper, however, has been leached out of the lode near the surface by 

 the action of percolating water, it is probable that richer ore will be 

 found at some depth below ground. The lode would therefore in all 

 probability be worth exploiting for copper, and I should recommend 

 that more extensive prospecting be undertaken with this view. 

 Between Hadabanatta and Ra'mapuram and about one mile east of 

 _ „ . . the village of Dinhalli are some very small old 



Small workings near ° J 



Dinhalli. workings. These are on a small outcrop of 



white, barren-looking quartz and are of no importance. 



Numerous bands of blue quartz with felspar and iron pyrites are 

 t , found in the charnockite series. Although 



Blue quartz of char- " 



nockite series. these resemble quartz reefs, they are in reality 



acid segregation veins in the charnockite ; samples taken from one 

 of these veins near Dinhalli were assayed but yielded only traces of 



gold. 



4. Kavudahalli. 



The Kavudahalli workings were examined during the season of 

 . . . . , , i8qt;-q6 by Mr. Middlemiss, and the iollowing 



Previously visited by ■'^ * J 



Mr. Middlemiss. observations made by me during the past 

 season agree entirely with those recorded by him. 

 ( 64 ) 



