DETATLKI) DESCRIPTIONS OF THE RESPECTIVE COALFIELDS. gj 
and from the analysis of this portion appended it can be seen that 
it is of excellent quality : — 
Volatile matter 33-8 
Fixed caibou ....... 60-6 
Ash 5-6 
It is, moreover, a good coking coal. 
All these seams are nearly horizontal and accordingly so far 
favourable for working. Their position in the valley is, however, 
eminently not so. 
Bisrampur. — This field lies in Central Sarguja, at an elevation 
of 1,800 feet above sea-level ; its area is about 400 square miles. 
The coal measures are Barakars ; they are little disturbed by fault- 
ing and are for the most part horizontal. Trap intrusions are few, 
A large number of coal seams has been discovered ; most of them 
are of small thickness and the covering of alluvium which obscures 
the rocks renders their correlation impossible. 
Ball,^ who mapped the area in 1872, considered that good 
coal exists in fair abundance ; but that borings are necessary before 
the extent and thickness of the seams can be estimated. The 
landlocked and isolated position of the field renders it unlikely that 
its resources will be drawn upon for many years to come. 
The following analyses of the coal are taken from Mr. Ball's report : — 
Average of Average of 3 
2 samples samples 
from the from the 
Rer and Mahan and 
Pasang Masan 
rivers. rivers. 
Volatile matter .... 37-6 32-3 
Fixed carbon 57-0 48-1 
Ash 5-4 19-fi 
Bansar. — A small coalfield in this locality was mapped by Lala 
Hira Lai ^ in 1888-89. It lies some 5 miles east of Bisrampur 
and has an area of about 10 square miles. A coal seam exceed- 
ing one foot in thickness was found at a point 1 mile N. W. of 
Darridih. 
Lakhanpur. — This field is situated on the Hestho river partly 
in Sarguja and partly in Bilaspur. It is separated from the 
1 Rcc, a. S. I., Vol. VI, 11. 25 (1873). 
2 .1/iS'. Report, 1888-89. 
