16 WALKER : GEOLOGY OF KALAHANDI STATE, 



large quantities of diopside, scapolite sphene and a colorless pyroxene 

 with a very small angle of extinction. These rocks may be regarded 

 as para-schists formed by the metamorphism of sediments. 



The graphite (specimen I5'229) which forms specks, spots and 

 blotches on all four walls of the pit, appears to follow in a general way 

 the banding or foliation of the country rock as shewn by the clay. 

 The most promising exposure of graphite in this pit is in the north- 

 western corner where it forms a band from 12 to 20 inches wide, 

 follows the dip of the country rock and increases in width with depth. 

 In this corner I had a pit sunk three feet and at the expense of the 

 hire of three coolies for one day recovered four maunds of graphite of 

 fair quality. 



The graphite is crypto-crystalline and fairly free from gritty grains 

 of other minerals. It is easily distinguished from the Densurgi 

 graphite to be described later by the presence of pale sky-blue blades, 

 resembling kyanite in color but differing from it in being quite soft 

 as if derived from some mineral by decomposition. 



At the bottom of :the pit the band was composed of graphite of 

 fair quality, of thicker dimensions and more sharply defined than a 

 few feet above. Though it would not pay to mine this band alone, 

 it is not improbable that by driving a tunnel at right angles to the 

 strike of the rock other bands may be found. 



The Densurgi Graphite Deposit. 



The second outcrop of graphite visited is a natural outcrop about 

 half a mile north of Densurgi village (E. Long. 83 31'; N. Lat. 20 

 11'). The country rock is a medium-grained biotite gneiss with 

 some accessory garnet. At the place in question the country is much 

 cut up by nalas, and in two of these the graphite has become exposed 

 by the removal of the easily denuded decomposed biotite gneiss. 

 The general strike of the gneiss as distinguished by the phenocrysts 

 of the gneiss is north-west, but a north-easterly foliation is very well 



