Notes on Geology and Mineralogy of Affghanistan. 597 



8. Carbonate of iron, or brown spar. Found also in the 

 Bolan Pass with the last, but not in situ. It is massive, and 

 appears to have been imbedded in the yellow clay ironstone, 

 or to have formed a vein through it : the specimen formed a 

 flat tabular mass ; both were found lying near the vein of 

 coal. 



9. Sulphate of iron. It is termed " Kussees" and is 

 brought from the hills of the Kakur district. It consists of 

 three varieties; the red, yellow, and grey. The red sul- 

 phate is scarce, and is only used by chemists in search 

 of the philosopher's stone, after which both high and low 

 are to the full as mad as were Europeans in former days. 

 It sells at from 2 to 3 Co.'s Rs. per tolah. The yellow 

 sulphate is called Pistye, and is used for polishing and 

 watering blades of swords and other cutlery. It sells at \2 

 annas per seer ; this is the true sulphate of iron, and its 

 yellow colour is caused oxydation on exposure to the atmos- 

 phere or to light : the fresh crystals are pale green ; it is 

 probably produced by the decomposition of iron pyrites 

 which is so abundant in the trap-rocks of Affghanistan. 

 The grey sulphate is called Miskye, and is used by curriers 

 to blacken leather ; it sells at 6 annas per seer. There is 

 no duty charged upon these minerals as they are considered 

 as mere earths. The red variety I could not procure, and 

 know not therefore what it is; the grey variety I am inclined 

 to consider a sulphate of copper, but I could procure no 

 specimen of it. 



10. Iron sand. Scales of iron occur in the sands of the 

 river Indus, not far from Roree. 



Copper Ores. 



11. Copper pyrites. Appears to be very abundantly dis- 

 tributed over the country ; specimens of it were brought to 

 me in white quartz from the Kojeh Amram range, but prov- 

 ed exceedingly poor. A rich ore of this copper is said 

 to exist in the Shah-muksood range, and that it was first 



