COAL ANALYSES. 93 



passing locally into sandy haematite and haematitic conglomerate. 

 But it is probably seldom that the haematite becomes sufficiently 

 concentrated to make a workable ore. When the railway is finished 

 and coal easily obtainable, the Mikir iron-ore may be of use. The 

 local blacksmiths invariably make their spear-heads and daos from 

 bars of English iron, bought in the larger towns. 



Coal Analyses. 

 Of the eight coal-exposures seen in the Mikir hills, only two — 

 those on the Longloi hill and the Nambor river — are of sufficient 

 thickness to be taken into account from an economic point of view. 



Six thin bands, or series of bands, occur as already mentioned in 

 the shale-series, varying in thickness from \ to 1 8 inches. The coal 

 is similar throughout, of black colour, with dark-brown streak, 

 splintery fracture, a slightly woody sound when struck, and generally 

 frequent specks of red fossil resin scattered through it. The 

 general character of this coal, of younger tertiary age, is very similar 

 to that of the cretaceous coal of the Shillong plateau, as described 

 by Medlicott, a fact which deprives the coal of any value as general 

 evidence of the age of the beds in which it occurs. 



The 15 inch seam near the mouth of the Diphu gives the following 

 analysis : — 



Moisture ......... 7*10 



Volatile matter ........ 37*48 



Fixed carbon . ....... 40*38 



Ash , 15-04 



IOO'OO 



This coal is, by its composition, the best found in the Mikir Hills, 

 but its insignificant thickness, coupled with the fact that it is under 

 water half the year, deprives it of any value as a workable coal 

 seam. 



The Longloi seam consists of 12 feet of visible coal, with one 



parting of a few inches of shale, dipping io° to 



Longloi Coal. 2o° N.N. W. The coal is exactly similar in 



( 93 ) 



