17^ GEOLOGY OF THE SON VALLEY, ETC. 



Chapter XI.— ECONOMIC GEOLOGY. 



(R. D. Oldham.) 



There is an almost complete absence of minerals of economic 



value in the region under description. The only 

 Iron. ... . . . 



mineral industry in actual operation is that of iron 



manufacture. This is manufactured from haematite or limonite in 

 several villages in Rewah territory, the iron being utilized locally in 

 the manufacture of axes and agricultural implements. The industry 

 is evidently much smaller than in former days when there must 

 have been a considerable export of iron to supply the needs of the 

 population in the Gangetic plains, and great heaps of iron slag are 

 commonly met with in the Son valley and in the northern part of the 

 transition area. The manufacture as carried on in Rewah State 

 presents no peculiarities worthy of notice. 



Copper was formerly worked at one place about i| miles north- 

 east of Cherka, the old mine being locally known as 

 11 Surak Khodawn." The old incline, by which the 

 mine was entered, is still open at the surface, descending at an angle 

 of about 15°. The rocks exposed are dark, mostly purple or violet 

 coloured micaceous slate, passing into black-coloured rock. They 

 stand vertical with a general strike to N. 35 E. Right in the centre 

 of the roof of the incline the beds are crushed and there is less 

 than a foot of very ferruginous stuff, apparently the gossan of the 

 lode, which, as well as the slates on either side, show occasional 

 green patches, due to copper staining. I was not able to enter 

 the incline owing to the overpowering stench produced by the dung 

 of the innumerable bats which use the tunnel as a refuge during the 

 day, and no special attempt to penetrate along it was made as barely 

 20 feet from the entrance, as measured along the surface, begins a 

 long hollow caused by the falling in of the old mine. This hollow 

 extends for a couple of hundred feet along the strike of the rock, 

 is about 15 feet deep, and three times that in width ; on either side 

 the rock stands up showing the bare vertical bedding planes, stained 

 ( 172 ) 



