Chap. XL. ] 
vizAGAPATAM : AVAGUDRM. 
1099 
These excavations are situated on the south side of a low ridge of 
white quartz and white garnetiferous quartzites, which runs E.10°S., 
and continues to the east into a high hill of khondalite containing 
abundance of bands and lenticles of white quartz, sometimes containing 
garnets and probably of later age than the khondalite. 
A large proportion of the ore contains patches of chert, yellow ochre, 
and veinlets and cavities hned with quartz, and 
thforer """"^ is consequently of little value. Magnetite is also 
found in several places scattered through the ore 
in granules up to J inch across. These magnetite granules are usually 
traversed by tiny veinlets of psilomelane, so that it is very difficult to 
obtain chips of the pure mineral. A few tiny chips, apparently pure, 
gave a distinct reaction for manganese, so that this mineral is 
possibly a mangan-magnetite. There is also a fair quantity of ore 
comparatively free from the above-mentioned substances. The com- 
monest variety is psilomelane of every variety, with some pyrolusite. 
Of the 2,000 or more tons of ore stacked by Messrs. Gordon, 
Woodroffe & Co. a large quantity contained too much quartz or ochre, 
but a considerable proportion was of fair quality. 
Its quality could undoubtedly be considerably improved by careful 
cleaning. A sample taken from 450 tons of ore stacked at the western 
end of the deposit was analysed by Messrs. J. and H. S. Pattinson with 
the following result : — 
Sample A. 32. 
Manganese peroxide 
Manganese protoxide 
Ferric oxide 
Baryta 
Silica (combined) 
Silica (free) 
Phosphoric oxide 
Water (combined) 
Moisture at 100° C. 
58-43 
3- 20 
18-85 
1-05 
4- 43 
0- 30 
1- 01 
4-70 
1-00 
This is equivalent to : — 
Manganese . . . . . . .39-41 
Iron 13-30 
Silica (total) 4-73 
Phosphorus ....... 0-440 
and the ore can be classed as ' ferruginous manganese-ore ' 
