170 Proo.-rdtngH of the Asiatic Society. [June, 



An attempt was made to separate the light-coloured part from the 

 dark grey, and a portion of the light-coloured thus obtained free from 

 dark, — also a portion of the dark-coloured but mixed with some of 

 the light-coloured. The light-coloured part had the highest specific 

 gravity, and contained most metallic iron. It also contained all, or 

 almost all, the cobalt along with nickel, while the dark part contained 

 only, or almost only, nickel. The insoluble part of the dark-coloured 

 portion contained about two-thirds of the chrome iron, the light- 

 coloured about one-third. In other respects they were nearly alike, 

 both containing about the same proportion of Sulphur and other con- 

 stituents. Particulars will be given in the Journal. 



VI. — On the Ancient Copper Miners of Singhbhum ; 

 by V. Ball, Esq., B. A., Geological Survey of India. 



The existence of copper ores and ancient copper mines in the 

 district of Singhbhum was first prominently brought to notice by Colonel 

 Haughton, who published an account of the mineral resources of 

 Singhbhum in the Journal of this Society for the year 1854. The result 

 of this communication was, that some Calcutta merchants deputed Dr. 

 Emil Stohr to examine the ground, and a Company was formed in 

 1857 to work the ore. It is no part of the design of the present 

 paper to discuss, or further allude to, the brief and unfortunate history 

 of this Company, or of that which, raised on its ruins, met with a 

 similar fate. 



During the past season I have been engaged in an examination of 

 the portion of country in which the copper-ores occur. Commencing 

 to examine the copper-bearing rocks at the foot of the Chota-Nagpore 

 plateau and proceeding thence eastwards, I found that at nearly 

 every point where traces of ore occurred there are ancient excava- 

 tions. These increasing in size, and being found in every conceivable 

 situation, at the tops of hills, in valleys, in the thickest jungles, 

 and even in the middle of cultivation where the rocks are obscured 

 by superficial deposits. My curiosity was aroused as to who the 

 ancient miners could have been, who have left such imperishable 

 evidence of their skill. 



Before proceeding to detail the enquiries which I set on foot, and 

 the conclusions arrived at, it will be necessary to allude to what, so far 





