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Records of the Geological Survey of India. 
[VOL. x. 
first specimens, the presence of antimony was apparent, and there were also traces of the 
carbonates of copper. On re-visiting the locality, I was able to satisfy myself that the 
„ , , deposit occurred as a true lode which, though striking, apparently 
Deposit a true lode. . , , .. . . . , . “ , 
with the surrounding granitic gneiss rocks, has a dinerent under¬ 
lie, and cuts across the plains of their bedding and foliation. At this stage, what I subse¬ 
quently found to be the case was not apparent, viz., that the iode does not rise to the surface 
or outcrop of the gneiss above the bed of the river, but that it commences somewhat abruptly 
several feet below. In the portion of the lode exposed, which was about six feet in length, 
the distance between the walls varied from 16 to 19 inches. The strike was from 35° north- 
of-west to 35° south-of-east with an underlie of 45°, to 35° east-of-north, that of the sur¬ 
rounding rocks being in places 60°. 
The gangue consists of quartz, which is permeated in every direction by nests and strings 
, of galena. In places massive ore stretches from wall to wall. 
Nature of gangue. .. . ., „ . , . . .... 
Besides hydrated peroxide of non which forms a kind ot gossan 
with the quartz, I found no trace of any foreign minerals in the gangue. 
On assay, the galena yielded 12 oz. 5 dwts. of silver to the ton of lead. This, though a 
small percentage, would be sufficient under favorable circumstances 
to yield a profit on the cost of extraction. 
On the whole, the aspect of the lode, as seen at that time in the bank of the river, was so 
promising that, at Captain Bowie’s request, 1 laid" out a system of trenches by which its 
extension inland from the river might be proved. Subsequently, a 
leliminaiy explo a i n small grant of money was made by the Central Provinces Govern¬ 
ment for the purpose of making some experimental excavation, and operations were forthwith 
commenced. Just before leaving Sambalpur in April 1875, I again visited the locality to see 
what progress had been made. I found that a trench about 20 feet deep had been dug through 
the alluvium some 60 yards from the bank of the river; hut it had not been carried to a 
sufficient depth to lay bare the rock throughout. On this occasion I first found out what 
1 have above noticed, namely, that the lode does not, on the scarped river face, rise to the 
outcrop of the rock. This, of course, renders the chance of striking it by mere superficial 
trenches in the rock very much smaller than it would otherwise be. 
Silver. 
In the absence of any one who could take charge of the work on the spot, I did not 
recommend any operations in the river bed itself as, if injudiciously carried out, they would 
not improbably injure the prospects of successful mining hereafter by destroying all trace 
of the lode and leaviug in its place an excavation open to the floods. Such work as had been 
done was, from the want of skilled guidance, not of a conclusive character. I therefore could 
not recommend any further outlay being incurred on the exploration, and accordingly nothing 
more has been done in the matter since 1875. 
Galena at Padampur .—The above is not the only locality in Sambalpur where galena 
has been found. Twenty-four miles farther up the Makanadi, in the bed of the river under 
the village of Padampur, strings and small nests of galena occur somewhat irregularly in a 
bed of Vindhyan limestone. This deposit does not appear to exist in sufficient abundance to 
become of any economic importance. 
Carbonate of lead. 
To the north of Sambalpur, near Talpuchia on the Ebe, some rolled pebbles, consisting of 
a mixture of the oxide and carbonate of lead, have been found. 
Whence they were originally derived is uncertain, but I think it 
possible that the matrix may exist in a small hill to the noi’th of Talpuchia, which consists 
of fault-rock and gossan. 
