282 Lead Ores in the Cuddapah District. [No. 8, new series. 



face, their eastern side sloping with the inclination of the beds of 

 rocks to the N. E. To the west of this ridge the features of the 

 country are entirely changed ; isolated hills rugged on all sides, or 

 pyramids with their sloping sides covered with rounded boulder- 

 like blocks give a decided character to a country composed as this 

 is of protended and altered rocks intermingled. It is in this line 

 of country so composed that the Kurnool lead occurs. 



The rock of the country traversed by the Lunkamulla branch 

 vein consists of a clay slate and shale, of this a large portion of 

 the range from the Chey Air river to the Nundicannama Ghaut 

 is composed, and in it the excavation for working the mineral would 

 require to be made. It is a material easy of excavation, but all 

 mining works in it would require timbering for their support, in 

 this respect, however, nothing beyond a fair average cost is to be 

 feared. 



Timber suitable for the purpose would no doubt be found amongst 

 the numerous varieties that appear to exist in the adjacent jungles, 

 it would of course be a matter of experience to ascertain the des- 

 cription most adapted to withstand the damp of underground works ; 

 in the event of any difficulty in this respect the cheap labor of the 

 country would enable a dry rubble arched lining to be adopted as 

 the excavations in the rock of the country would afford a flat bed- 

 ded material sufficiently strong and adapted for this purpose. 



Assays of samples of the ore from various parts of the vein have 

 been kindly undertaken by Dr. Scott, Assistant Assayer at the 

 Mint ; they are exceedingly satisfactory as showing the ore in- 

 variably to contain a valuable quantity of the precious metal. 



Considering the number of spots this mineral is now found to 

 occur at in this locality, its existence in regular lodes whose course 

 can be readily traced at the surface, its containing occasionally a 

 most extravagant proportion of silver, and invariably a quantity 

 to give considerable value on its account, I am of opinion that a 

 fair field is here presented for commercial enterprise, in mining un- 

 dertaking, and that works judiciously conducted would lead to the 

 development of extensive mineral resources in this District. 



The small branch vein above mentioned offers a most available 

 as well as promising spot for a commencement to work the mine- 

 ral, as so considerable an extent of ground could be explored with 



