92 Records of the Geological Survey of India. [vol. x. 
When making inquiries for the mineral Saipurite (Jaipurite), a mineral of cobalt found in 
the Arvali series at the Ketree mines in Shekawattee, I was shewn 
a bit of iron and the ore from which it had been produced. The 
iron was used for cannon balls which flew into a number of fragments when fired. The ore 
came from the Bhangarh mine. On analysis both the iron and the ore were found to contain 
nickel, in the latter, however, only a trace. I tried to find the ore in site, but was not 
successful. I was shown the pit from which it had been taken, but it had fallen in. 
Building materials, some of a very superior quality, are abundant. Limestone capable 
of making good lime exists in all parts of the Alwar hills, as well 
Building materials. ag j n K ara uli and on the Banas river. 
The ordinary quartzite is a useful stone for rough buildings, walls, &c. But the 
Berla quartzite makes an excellent building stone. It is pearly-grey in color, very durable, 
not difficult to work and, easily quarried. It is largely quarried at Berla, Daroli, Bharkhol, 
&c.; and quarries of it could be opened in any part of the four ridges east of Malakheri. 
A large part of the Rajah’s private station at Alwar is built of this stone. 
Schistose quartzites used for roofing, flags, &c., are largely quarried near Rajgarh, 
Kirwari, Mandan, and north of Amber. I have seen slabs of this rock nearly 20 feet long and 
2 feet wide. The Mandan rock produces large, square, thin slabs. 
Finely laminated argillaceous flags, splitting easily along the lamina:, are procured 
from some quarries at Salimpur at the end of the Alipur ridge near the Banganga river. 
Slabs of large size, and of any thickness down to half an inch, are quarried. The stone con¬ 
tains a good deal of iron pyrites, which discolors it when exposed to the weather. 
The Ajabgarh slates have been used for roofing most of the stations on the railway. It 
is not quarried, that I know of, within our area, but some of the hills in the Ajabgarh 
valley would, I think, produce equally good slates. 
A talcose limestone at the base of the black slates is used for ornamental purposes, 
such as carved door-posts, &c. It is a soft stone and easily carved. 
The Raialo group produces fine marble. The Taj at Agra is, I believe, built of it. 
It is quarried at Raialo and Jheri; and the natives there are still very clever in making 
jalee or perforated screens. Colored marbles can be had near Kho and Baldeogarh, and 
black marble from the Motidongri ridge. 
Good mill-stones are made from the blue quartzites of the Goleta ridge. 
Boeings foe Coal in India, by Theodoee W. H. Hughes, f. g. s., Associate, Royal 
School of Mines. Geological Survey of India. 
The purpose of the present paper is to introduce a series of notices on borings for coal 
throughout India, which, it is hoped, will possess some interest and, possibly, be of practical 
utility to those whose duties are connected with this branch of mining engineering. The 
advantage of having in an accessible form, for purposes of comparison, statistics from 
different localities as to method of boring, progress of boring, cost of boring, &c., will, I 
trust be appreciated by those interested in this matter, and in time acknowledged by a 
crreater readiness on the part of individuals and associations to supply information than has 
as yet been evinced. Up to the present I am unable to quote beyond the experiences at the 
Government borings. Such as they are, they are here offered as measures of comparison. 
