PART 3 .] 
Hughes : Lead-ore al Slimandbdd. 
71 
specimens which I brought away, anil others that were in Mr. Olpherts’ possession, might 
possibly convey the idea that the ore existed in a lode, such a misapprehension would arise 
only from the examination of small pieces of the matrix. 
The dip of the bedding is rather obscure, but its direction appears to be 45° south of east. 
There are planes of jointing striking 20° north of west and inclined at an angle of 75° 
in a southerly direction. 
The strike of the beds is north-east—south-west; so that if this line were followed up, 
we should most probably find a connection between the two localities where lead and copper 
ore have been respectively found. 
Description of ore .—The ore of lead is galena, a combination of lead and sulphur with 
a certain proportion of silver. An assay made by Mr. Tween in the Office of the Geological 
Survey proved the ore to contain 19 oz. 12 dwts. of silver to the ton of lead. The ore of 
copper is pyrites, which is usually a combination of copper, iron, and sulphur. 
At the locality where Mr. Olpherts first noticed traces of copper, the ore is principally 
malachite, hut there appears also to be some dioxide of copper (Cu t O). Prom a conver¬ 
sation which I had with Mr. Olpherts, I gathered that the ore was only sparingly distributed 
throughout the matrix. 
Origin of ore in the rock .—The lead occurring in a bed, and not in a, lode, it is most 
probable that it was an original constituent of the rock in which it is now found; and that 
whilst the rock was undergoing metamorphism the lead became segregated 
Economic value .—In order to form a reliable estimate of the probable riclmess 
of tbis find, I bad hoped that a fair amount of clean cut surface would have been exposed 
for examination, but tbis was not the case, as Mr. Olpherts, who had the management of the 
prospecting operations, had not had time to open out enough of the bed. 
If the indications, however, of lead at the surface may be taken as a fair criterion of the 
richness of this quartzite, then I would at once condemn the whole, the proportion of ore 
to matrix being far too small to make the working of this bed a desirable speculation. 
It may also be stated that lead ores occurring in beds or nests are usually poor in silver. 
But it would be premature to pass a final condemnation until further investigations had 
taken place, aud although, as I said above, the indications are unpromising, I would yet 
recommend that a sum of 2 to 300 rupees should be placed at Mr. Olpherts’ command in 
order that he might carry out to a more satisfactory conclusion the researches which he 
has initiated. 
Incidentally, I may mention that Mr. Olpherts possesses an extensive collection of the 
various iron ores of the country. Many of these are very rich aud occur in great abundance 
near to and around Slimanabad. 
June 1 st, 1870. 
Note on the occurrence of Coal east of Chhatisoarh in the country between 
Bilaspur and Ranchi, by W. T. Blanford, P. G. S., Depy. Supdt., Geological 
Survey of India. 
The coal bearing (Daruuda) beds of Korba extend for about forty miles to the eastward 
as far as Rubkub, in Udipur (Oodeypore). They also extend far to the south-east towards 
Gangpur, and to the northwards towards Sirguja, and in all probability are continuous or 
nearly so with the deposits of the same nature known to occur in those districts. 
Main Pat with the neighbouring hills aud all the country on the road from Main Pat 
through Chandargarh and Jashpilr to Ranchi consist of mctamorplnc rocks witii the excep¬ 
tion of a cap of trap and iaterite on Main Pat. 
The lateness of the season* prevented my searching to any extent for coal scams, 
indications of the existence, of which were afforded by the occurrence of fragments of coal 
in the rivers, especially in the Mand. I found a few seams near Cliitra. twelve miles west of 
Rabkub and nearly thirty east of Korba. Two or three are seen in the M And al tout three to four 
miles east-north-east of Cliitra, but they are only from a foot to eighteen inches in thickness, 
in a small stream, the Kopa Jfaddi, which runs south of Chitra, one seam, about three feet in 
* After the end of April I had still 250 miles to march to Haz&ribagh. 
