382 
On the Copper Works at Singhana. 
[Dec. 
coming from the mines in the evening, with their little basket of ore and 
mining implements, apparently just relieved from their task ; but this may 
perhaps be owing to the unusual fineness of the season, as the hot winds have not 
set in, which is an extraordinary circumstance at the end of April. When the 
day’s work is completed, the miners return home with the proceeds of their labour, 
which is collected at a public chabutra near the smelting furnaces, maudlin , 
of SingMna, and is there sold in retail, by auction, to the proprietors of the 
different furnaces, of which only seven or eight are now at work. 
As I have not the means of giving an accurate mineralogical description of the 
copper ore, nor of the rock whence it is obtained, numerous specimens of the 
former have been procured for the purposes of chemical analysis by some one 
who is better acquainted with the subject : it will perhaps be sufficient in this 
place to say, that its mineral character appears very simple ; its structure is 
laminar, and nearly all the specimens present a hard quartzose matrix of a grey 
colour, thickly interspersed with bright metallic particles of a golden colour, 
whence the natives call it sona-mukhi, and they make use of this substance 
as a collyrium for the eyes. It is procured in small lumps the size of an almond, 
or of a small hazel -nut, and being grated or rubbed into powder upon another 
stone, it is then applied to the eyes, like the ore of antimony, surma, though rather 
medicinally than as a cosmetic. 
When brought from the mines, the copper ore, dhht, is partly in small 
shingles of a few ounces weight, partly in nodular fragments of various sizes, 
from a walnut to a pea, and partly in a state of dust or powder ; and the whole 
of it must be reduced to this condition 'before the operation of roasting is 
commenced. A heavy stone anvil, sil, is bedded in the floor of the triturating 
shop, a little below the level of the ground, which is hollowed out and paved 
so as to form a small basin, 2 or 3 feet in diameter ; which, with a heavy iron 
hammer, ghan , weighing 8 or 10 seers, forms the whole apparatus of the 
Crushing Mill. 
The operator sits on the edge of this hollow, with his feet resting on the 
anvil-head, and as both hands are required to manage the sledge-hammer 
his toes are employed in raking together the particles of ore which lequiie 
to be pounded, and in cautiously thrusting them toward the spot on which the 
hammer descends. The handle of this tool [fig. 3.] projects sufficiently tow ai 
the front to allow of a fair grasp for the right hand, which assists the left hand i 
raising it far above the head, and it is then brought down with great force between 
the feet, so that this must be a very laborious operation, and is only perfoime 
by able-bodied men who receive 4 rupees per mensem: women and even c i 
dren are employed in other parts of the process to be described hereafter. ^ 
When the ore has been thoroughly pounded, it is sifted, and the coaisei parts 
it are again passed under the hammer, until reduced to a powder sufficiently “ 
to be employed in the second part of the operation, which is this: A quantity ^ 
cow-dung, gobar, is kneaded up with the pounded mineral, in the propoition 
5£ maunds of the latter to of the former, and it is then moulded by the ban 
into small sausage-shaped masses, pindi , about 5 inches long and It inc , 
in diameter, which are all laid out in regular order to be dried by the sun pie' 
ously to their being burned in the kiln. After they are sufficiently dry, they ^ 
stacked into small circular heaps, forming the segment of a sphere, about ^ ^ 
broad and 1§ feet high ; which is covered with a single layer of dried cow “ » 
cakes, up la or kanda ; and being set on fire during the evening, it is e 
burn all night. 
