24 
Records of the Geological Surrey of India, 
[VOL. I, 
The coal in the small hole dug, which was not above 3 to 4 feet across, varied from about 
2 feet to 1 foot 3 inches in thickness, and as it has further diminished from 5 feet, or rather 
more, in crossing the river, a distance certainly not exceeding 250 yards (assuming the two 
beds to he the same, of which there can, I think, be scarcely any doubt), it appears 
improbable that the seam can be profitably mined upon a large scale, it being likely that the 
quantity of coal will be limited. 
The quality is only moderately good. Fair samples from the Kumbari portion of the 
seam and from Googoos analysed in Calcutta by Mr. Tween at the Geological Survey Office, 
gave the following results 
Fixed carbon 
Kumbari. 
49-5 
Googoos, 
40- 
Volatile 
• •• 
36'0* 
43-5 
Ash ... 
... 
14-5 
16o 
100-0 
100-0 
The proportion of volatile ingredients is unusually large,f especially as the coal is from 
an outcrop, while the fixed carbon, which for steam purposes is alone of any value, is in very 
small proportion. From a greater depth the quality would be better; but the coal is below 
the average even of Indian coals. 
At Kumbari there is a considerable quantity of iron pyrites scattered through the seam 
in nodules and strings, which is a drawback. The coal also appears remarkably liable to 
decompose ; blocks which had boon dug for about six weeks, and exposed to two or three days’ 
rain, having been broken up into minute fragments. This liability to decomposition is doubt¬ 
less partly due to the coal having been dug from so close to the surface, and in so unfavor¬ 
able a spot as the bed of a nulla ; nevertheless it appears excessive. 
Altogether it appears very doubtful if much use can he made of this seam. For local 
purposes a considerable quantity of inferior fuel can doubtless he obtained from it. It is 
possible that it may again thicken to the north and south. This may be tested by sinking 
shafts or by boring west of the Wurda, on the west side of the village of Belora, and east 
of the river about 300 yards west of the village of Googoos. I cannot belp doubting if the 
bed extends so tar in either direction. 
Tho second locality in which coal has been found is about 10 miles nearly due south 
of Chanda, and about lj miles south of the village of Balarpur. The spot is on the 
right or Hyderabad bank of the river Wurda, near the village of Sarto, and the bed is 
covered by the water of the river at all times, except in the hottest and driest weather. At 
the time of my visit, in the middle of April, owing to some recent showers, the river had 
risen slightly, and the bed was entirely concealed. A cutting into the bank close by, how¬ 
ever, exposed the coal, and a hole was dug into it to the depth of 7 feet, of which the 
upper 6 feet were coal, and the lowest foot carbonaceous shale. Coal may, of course, recur 
beneath this. But the sinking with the means at our disposal had become very difficult and 
slow, owing to the reflux of water, and sufficient had been ascertained to prove the coal of 
workable thickness, if constavit, 
Tho top of the seam is not exposed, at least no rock is found overlying, and it is there¬ 
fore impossible to say whether any of the coal has been removed, with the overlying rocks or 
not. Upon the coal rests an accumulation of alluvial clay forming the bank of the river. 
All therefore that can be positively stated Is, that the bed at this spot is not less than 6 feet in 
thickness. 
As regards quality tho upper portion of the seam is, of course, somewhat decomposed, 
less so, however, than might have been anticipated. The uppermost 3 feet, so far as the 
state of the coal allows of an opinion, appear to consist of fair coal, hut shaley and impure 
hero and there. The lower 3 feet are decidedly superior, indeed one foot at the bottom appears 
to consist of an unusually pure, and bright coal. Taking the seam as a whole, I anticipate 
* This gave water 8'0, sulphur ’85. 
t The best seam in the Pencil Valley, near Chiudwara, that of Sirgori, gave on analysis— 
Pixed carbon . .. 61 "6 
Volatile . 28-0 
Ash. W'l 
