2S8 MIDDLEMISS: GEOLOGY OF HAZARA AND BLACK MOUNTAIN. 



charge of coal mines, North-Western Railway, writes that as early as 1883 1 , it was 

 found that the carbonaceous shale of the Dore valley could be used for lime and brick 

 burning. Consequently a heading (Hewson's mine) was driven in the hill-side and 

 soft coal obtained in an irregular seam 130 feet from the surface; 6,000 maunds 

 were extracted and used as above described in Abbottabad after being made into 

 slop-moulded bricks. 



A second heading made in 1888 by the Public Works Department turned out 

 1,000 maunds after which water prevented further operations. 



Mr. Hewson, Head Clerk to the Deputy Commissioner of Hazara, applied 

 for rights to prospect for coal in certain parts of the road from Abbottabad to 

 Murree, and spent a good deal of time and money in the enterprise when on 

 furlough. 



Reports by Mr. Morris and by Mr. Jones, Assistant Engineers, Hazara sub- 

 division, were submitted giving maps of the known localities in the Dore R. and 

 describing generally the lie of the coal as regards the neighbouring formations. 



The former calculated that if worked systematically the coal could be raised 

 at a cost of Rs. 6 per ton, and that the carriage to Rawalpindi would be Rs. 17 per 

 ton, total Rs. 23. As Dandot and Bengal coal cost only Rs. 15 and Rs. 21 

 at the same place, it was concluded that the Dore coal could not compete with 

 either of the latter at Rawalpindi on the North-Western Railway ; but that if the 

 projected Kashmir railway were ever carried along the valley of the Dore to Dhum- 

 tour, the prospects of the coal would be promising. 



The chief difficulty in the way seems to be the variable quality of the coal. 

 The first two samples sent by Captain (now Major) 

 Abbott, R. E., District Engineer, to Calcutta for analysis, 

 gave the following percentages : — 



Quality of the coal. 



Moisture . 

 Volatile matter ex- ") 

 elusive of moisture,) 

 Fixed carbon 

 Ash . • . 



and the sample sent by Mr. Morris to the Director, Geological Survey, Calcutta, 

 gave the following analysis : — 



1st Specimen. 



2nd Specimen. 



17-78 

 32-12 



3i'35 

 18-75 



1 'go 



10-95 



65*40 

 2175 



IOOOO 



IOO'OO 







Moisture ..... 

 Volatile matter exclusive of moisture 

 Fixed carbon .... 

 Ash 



Per cent. 



0*32 



7'5o 



86-26 



3-02 



IOO'OO 



1 Memo, on the Hazara coal exploration in the neighbourhood of Abbottabad, 29th 

 June 1889. 



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