968 
MANGANESE DEPOSITS OF INDIA : DESCRIPTIVE. [PaRT IV : 
on account of the blasting that would be required to extract them, and 
the difficulty of cleaning off them, when extracted, all the adherent 
matrix. The considerable residual accumulations derived from the 
dwindling of these nodule-bearing limestones could, however, be easily- 
worked. In fact it can be estimated that hy working the various patches 
of loose ore scattered at intervals along this band of limestone, together, 
with the masses of ore in situ, not less than 10,000 to 50,000 tons of ore 
could be obtained, and possibly a considerably larger quantity. Very 
careful cleaning of the ore would be required and then a product should 
be obtained that showed an analysis of about : — 
Manganese ........ 50 — 52 
Iron 2—4 
Silica .'5— 9 
Phosphorus 0-05— 0-12 
This is good-quality ore, though rather low in manganese ; and the ques- 
tion arose as to wheth.er it would pay to cart ore of this grade all the 
way to Kamthi, the nearest station on the Bengal-Nagpur Railway. 
Cliorbaoli is about 23 miles from Kamthi and the various parts of the 
Mandvi Bir-Junapani band are 2 to 7 miles from Chorbaoli. A local 
contractor at the time of my visit was willing to cart at the rate of Rs. 4 
per ton, but this was probably an underestimate and Rs. 6 is probably 
nearer the true cost. Now, however, that the Bengal-Nagpur Railway 
branch to Ramtek with a siding to Kandri has been finished, freight 
charges will be much reduced, because it will now be necessary to cart 
to Kandri only, which is only about 7 miles from Chorbaoli. On account 
of the comparatively small amount of ore to be obtained as a rule from 
any given point, it is not probable that these deposits will lend them- 
selves to much capital expenditure for plant, except perhaps for a light 
tramway along their whole length. 
During 1906 and 1907, owing to the high prices of manganese, these 
^ ^ ^ deposits have been opened up by the Madhu 
' Lall Doogar Mining Syndicate and a considerable 
quantity of ore despatched to the rail-head, the Junapani end of the 
band furnishing most of the ore. The. output for these two years is as 
follows : — 
Year. 
1906 
1907 
Long tons. 
4 ,2,58 
16,200 
The 1906 figure probably includes the ore extracted in previous 
years. 
