.013 Discovery of Sulphate of Barytes in the E. Ghauts. [No.SO. 



early as the fifth or sixth century of the christian era. This monument, 

 therefore may be presumed to be twelve hundred years old. The structure 

 is singularly elegant, in its form, and surpasses every thing of the kind I 

 have hitherto seen." Br. and For. Review 



Discovery of Sulphate of Barytes or heavy spar on the 

 East Ghauts by Captain Newbold.— Captain Newbold in a recent 

 communication informs us that he has lately discovered the existence 

 of Sulphate of Barytes in the Nulla Mulla hills (Eastern Ghauts) in the 

 vicinity of Gazoopelly in the Kurnool territory, in about Latitude 158° 

 25 N. 



"The site" he adds, "lies about 6 miles easterly from the village, in the 

 jungle, and is marked by numerous excavations formerly made by the na- 

 tives in search of lead. The barytes occurs in the argillaceous and arena- 

 ceous shales into which the Kurnool and Cuddapah limestone often passes. 

 These rocks are intersected by rake, or fissuriferous veins, composed prin- 

 cipally of quartz, and argillaceous and calcareous matter, abounding with 

 galena in nests and strings, and sulphate of barytes in masses ; nodules 

 and broken veins, having externally a yellowish brown ferruginous aspect. 

 The sulphate is both of the crystalline and massive varieties with a lamel- 

 lar structure often curved in the latter and divisible into right rhombic 

 prisms. The colour white and greyish-transparent, easily frangible. 

 Before the blow pipe it decrepitates, phosphorises and fuses with ilifricul- 

 ty into a white enamel. In the interior flame it assumes a burning sul- 

 phurous or hepatic taste and on being bruised with the hammer or rub- 

 bed with any hard substance, gives out a sulphurous odour. Hardness : 

 3. of Mons ; spec. grav. I found to be 4-2, a little less than that of Eu- 

 ropean sulphates which vary from 4-4 to 4-7 the difference probably aris- 

 ing from foreign admixture." 



" The following is an abstract of an analysis of this mineral with which 

 I have been favored by my friend J. Macleod Esq. ; Inspector General 

 of Hospitals. ' A portion of the mineral was digested in muriatic and 

 nitric acid, but they had no action on it. Another portion was boiled in 

 a solution of carbonate of Potass. The solution thus formed was tested 

 for sulphuric acid by muriate of Barytes, which proved the presence of 

 sulphuric acid. The insoluble portion now dissolved in dilute muriatic 

 acid, forming a solution which yielded a white precipitat to dilute sulph. 

 Acid. A portion of this precipitate was evaporated to dryness and dis- 

 solved in alcohol. The solution was ignited but the flame exhibited no 

 appearance of that beautiful carmine colour so peculiar and so charac- 

 terestic of the soluble salts of strontian. It was therefore not strontian 

 but barytes.'" 



