330 Economic Geology of Assam. [No. 4! 



Notes on the Iron Ore Statistics and Economic Geology of Upper 

 Assam. — By Lt.-Col. S. I\ Hannay, communicated by the Go- 

 vernment of Bengal. 



Sir, — Having on a late visit to Seebsagur obtained through the 

 kindness of Capt. Holroyd, Collector, a few notes on the iron ore 

 statistics of Assam in the olden time, as well as up to the present 

 date, I have put them together in the hope that they may be found 

 interesting, and perhaps draw attention to the vast extent of our 

 iron ore resources in the shape of clay iron ores, I presume of the 

 same description as those found and worked in Europe. Many of 

 these beds lie stratified with the coal, and others, if not in a position 

 conformable with veins of workable coal, are near enough to admit 

 of the coal being made available for smelting purposes. 



I note particularly the localities of Teeroogong and Hattighur, 

 within one march of Seebsagur, where coal abounds in the SufFry and 

 Teeroo valley, besides inexhaustable tracts of timber. Abundance 

 of lime also is now to be procured in the Naga hills, as well as in 

 the Morung district near Grolahghat, of a description suitable to 

 be employed as a flux, of the importance of which in the smelting of 

 iron ore the Assamese are entirely ignorant. 



My own researches in regard to iron ores, have been altogether, 

 I may say, on the South side of the valley ; lately, however, the 

 remains of iron scoriae were found at the gorge of the Dergmoo 

 river on the North bank, where there is iron ore in abundance. 



I have not sent a great variety of samples of ore, as this is 

 not the season for collecting them ; I need hardly say, however, 

 that I shall be most happy to attend to this at a future period, 

 should there be any wish for further information as to the quality j 

 of the iron ores in comparison with those of other parts of India. | 



The following is a list of the samples now sent : — 



No. 1. Sample of pig iron from Teeroogong hill ore. 



2. Ditto of ore, ditto ditto. 



3. Sample ojf pig iron from Bosa Doyung ore. 



4. Ditto of ore extracted from the plastic clay. 



