OCT.— MAE. 1858-59.] Lead Ores in the Cuddapah District. 283 



comparatively little outlay, a heading along the course of this vein 

 4 feet high and 3 wide would, I estimate, yield in dressed ore 18 

 cwt. per lineal yard if proving of no greater strength further in that 

 at present shown at the surface, the cost of excavating the above 

 would in England be about 15 to 25 Shillings dependent upon the 

 price of timber in the district and other local circumstances. In this 

 country it should not be estimated for at a lower rate, though even 

 tually with the experience the workmen would gain by time it 

 might be possibly done cheaper, taking the average of above prices 

 £1 per yard or say per ton of dressed or yielded. . . .Rs. 12 

 Dressing and washing „ 10 



Per ton of ore, Rs. 22 



Carriage to Madras „ 30 



Contingencies at 10 per cent, , „ 5 



Rupees,, 57 



or say £6 per ton. 



At this cost the surplus beyond the requirements of the country 

 would yield an excellent profit by shipment to England, where it 

 would sell for not less than £12. 



The mountainous character of the country through which nearly 

 the whole extent of the mineral has now been traced would great- 

 ly facilitate the commencement of operations, and considerable 

 amount of work could be done without the necessity of any outlay 

 for pumping machinery. It may also be here mentioned, that the 

 art of separating substances of different specific gravity by the aid 

 of running water, is one that is practised very generally and with 

 considerable success by the Natives of India, so that so far as the 

 washing and dressing the ores is concerned, there is for this branch 

 of the business every facility afforded in work people of this class 

 ready to hand and at a very cheap rate. 



In my late tour I also visited a part of the Nellore District for 

 the purpose of inspecting the sites of occurrence of Copper ore. 

 The principal locality is at Garemanepentah in the Pamur Division. 



It is found in small bunches between layers of gneiss which 

 forms the prevailing rock of the country, nowhere did I see any 

 trace of veins, their existence in the District however may fairly be 

 inferred I think from these numerous isolated patches of ore, the 

 general features of the country pointing towards the Nullimulla 



