iy ty 2 "* = Eo "* ‘ 7 . 4 ; ‘ 3 if, + ‘ . ' _ y $ } o" - ‘ ‘ 6 we 1 ‘ - = a , es: 4 » ay rn % a 4 ; ‘ 4 = 3 ‘ - % ~~ “ at F : 4 e a 7 a : > ° . . if . 7 « + - | . i ~ ? t e ‘ , . ’ Py _ + ? = . ; ' F ' i 7 MEMOIRS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA. MEMOIRS THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA. VOLUME XXI, Parr 3. Published by order of His Excellency the Governor General of Endia in Eouncil. CALCUTTA : SOLD AT THE OFFICE OF THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, AND BY ALL BOOKSELLERS ; LONDON: TRUBNER & CO, MDODCCCLAXXY, SAS bit ew © ( CALCUTTA: PEINTED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT OF GOVERNMENT PRINTING, INDIA, 166, DBURRUMTOLLA sTEREKT, CONTENTS. CHAPTER I.—GENERAL REMARKS. Paar SECTION I.—Introduction . F - : : P ; 1 _ II.—Physical features F : OF ; : F 4 _ III.—Previous observers and geological Table : , 5 AKG CHAPTER II.—IDENTIFICATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF ROCKS. SECTION IV.—Metamorphic and Bijdwar : : : - Tg 3 V.—Télchir : : ; < : ‘ é - 5 Ie, 3 VI.—Barakar : : ; : 5 é ; : ol As VII.—Umaria coal-field . ; ; ‘ : ; ; es ie VIII.—Korér i j : : : i : F . 29 o IX.—Johilla ‘5 : ; : F : : ‘ « 68 3 X.—Sohdgpir ,, : 3 : : 3 ; p . Al i XI.—Kirdsia _,, : ; ‘ c F é : . 66 Pa XIIL.—Koréagarh ,, 5 - : : - : ‘ . 68 3 XU1—Jhilmili __,, . 6 . : é : : . 69 ss XIV.—Supra-Bargkars . : : : 5 : ; oe FE ye XV.—Laméta : ; . : : ‘ . ; 5 Ye Pr XVI.—Trap . : F : : - ‘ : : « 44 CHAPTER II.—ECONOMIC. Section XVII.—Coal . ; F 3 : ; : é 5 + WG % XVIII.—Iron ore : : - ( : : : . . 83 - XIX.—Limestone . : : : heros . ‘ =) 84 _ XX.—Clay . c . c : : : : . 85 oe XXI.—Building stones . : ; P F : : . -8& 1 CONTENTS. CHAPTER IV.—APPENDIX. Section XXII.—Boring sections + XXIII.—Index of coal sites By XXIV.—Analyses of coal ILLUSTRATIONS. Kirwahi waterfall, Hestho river . Map of Umaria and Korér coal-fields, 1 inch = 1 mile . Environs of Umaria-Kéglesur, 4 inches = 1 mile Sections of borings, Umaria coal-field, 1 inch = 24 feet Map of Johilla coal-field, 1 inch =1 mile . . : A Sections of borings in Jéhilla and Korér coal-fields, 1 inch = = 24 feet View of Kewai river, near Gambhirua Large map of South-Rewah coal-fields, 1 inch = 4 aie Pacu 86 100 110 FRONTISPIECE. Pace 19 28 28 “qoyg seySuey ‘ASV AV WV3S WO00-7T1V4SNILVM IHVMYIX eouFO AVAAN Joo) FE pHUrsg WAAIN OHASAH # YT ‘Sanquneyog ¢ oa * wh — ne Mire "$Id IXX ‘[9A_ ‘8 ato ura Pl ‘sa Usny VIGNI FO AWMAUHRS TTVIINOTORDS MEMOIRS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA. Tus SouTHERN COAL-FIELDS OF THE Rewau G6npwAna Basin: Umarta, Koérir, Jéuttra, Sondcrtr, Kérasta, Konticaru, Juiumini, by Tusoporre W. H. Huauss, A.R.S.M., F.G.S., Geological Survey of India. CHAPTER I. GENERAL REMARKS, SECTION I,—INTRODUCTION. In different numbers of the Records of our Survey, I have already partially sketched the geology of portions of the Geology partially a sketched in Records,Geo- country that it has now fallen to my task to de- eee st scribe in full; but as they were merely preliminary notices I would wish it to be understood that the views expressed in them were based upon contemporaneously progressive knowledge, and were therefore open to modifications as maturer and fuller observations Frineipal objec the Were accumulated. My chief aim has been to coal deposits. give prominence to the coal deposits which were met with, and I think I may point with some satisfaction to the result of the joint labours of my colleague Lala Hira Lal and myself in connec- tion with the investigations of the coal-measures in the neighbourhood of Discovery’ of fossil bt Umaria. The fortunate discovery on his part of Léla Hira Lal. fossils which definitely confirmed my conviction as to the true geological horizon of the coal encouraged the hope that, if («lev .) Memoirs of the Geological Survey of India, Vol, XXI, Part 3. 2 HUGHES : SOUTHERN COAL-FIELDS OF REWAH GONDWANA BASIN. sanction could be obtained for practically testing the area by borings, the previous conceptions as to the poverty and worthlessness of the coal might possibly have to be modified. So long as the Umaria coal was supposed to be of upper-Géndwéna age, and that was the opinion entertained of it up to the time of our examination,! it would have been running counter to our experience to have recommended a special scheme of exploration ; but so soon as the coal was shown to be of Damiida age, there was sufficient presumptive evidence to warrant an appeal for assistance to determine its positive value. An agreeable surprise awaited me in the responsive readiness with Capen mean aeecady which Captain Barr, the Political Agent of Baghél- response to suggestions. hand and Superintendent of Rewah, met my sug- gestions, and having arranged that I should superintend and direct operations, he furnished all the necessary sinews of war. The expenditure up to the present amounts to something over R34,000, of which R25,000 have been absorbed by salaries and labour in nearly equal portions.? Of those associated with me during the exploration, Mr. T. G. Stewart has the eredit of having put down the Amount expended on explorations 34,000. Mr. T. G. Stewart. : L : - ee first series of borings, by which preliminary know- 2 The statement in the text isnot complete; the history is as follows: This ground was first examined geologically by the late Mr. J. G. Medlicott, at a time when we knew very little indeed regarding the groups of the Géndwana rock-system. On the map then published (1859), Umaria (Omria) is on the lower Dama, i.e., the true coal-measure rocks (Memoirs, II, part 2, p.171); but so also were placed the undoubted top Géndwana beds (Jabalptr) on the Méhénadi. In 1868-69 I made a traverse of all these rocks between Hazaribagh and Jabalptir, and then detected the Talchirs along the gneissie promontory north of Umaria. In 1871-72 Mr. Hacket undertook the detailed survey of that ground with the new large-scale maps. His work was so manifestly incomplete and faulty, all the rocks from the Méhdnadi to Pali on the Jéhilla being coloured as Jabalptr, that it was con- demned as useless. Thus, the age of the Umaria coal was very much an open question when Mr. Hughes took up the work which he has completed in so thorough a manner. It is very good of Mr. Hughes to distribute to others the professional credit that is vir- tually all his own; to find fossils when one is told to look for them, is a very small contri- bution towards the final result.—H. B. M. 2 Extract: Financial report, Rewah Coal Explorations, from 1st January 1882 to 30th June 1884— Salaries . : 7 c é 0 . 813,829 13 9 Tabour . ‘ - : : : 565 AGO eG (183) INTRODUCTION. 3 ledge of the Umaria and Johilla fields was gained. The more import- Mr.'T. Forster, ME, ant duties of Mining Engineer were discharged by and Mining Assiatants. Mr. Thomas Forster, M.E., whose name came into prominence in connection with the extinction of the disastrous fire of 1882 in the Warora Colliery. The Assistant Mining Engineers, MM. Hallett and Munsch, during their connection with the coal explorations, performed their duty efficiently and willingly, The latter had special charge of the borings in the Korar coal-field, and recorded his observa- tions with minute precision. I am sorry to say that while residing at Jabalptir, after the close of the season, he died from weakness of heart, and we have thus lost an intelligent and conscientious worker. I have to acknowledge my obligation to Captain Barr for his unweary- Geren Bare aelnaw: ing promptitude in sweeping away difficulties as they ledgment of assistance. = gyose, some having their origin in the irritation of the native chiefs who deemed their rights invaded, and of petty officials whose dignity was compromised by the presence of foreigners, and others having their source in the unforeseen contingencies of a novel under- taking. In securing and moulding labour we should have been perfectly helpless without Captain Barr’s aid, and the end of our researches would have been in the far future, instead of having its termination in the season 1883-84. Itis no detraction from the service rendered to us, that we were working in the interest of the Rewah State ; the professional reputations of all were at stake, and they would have been seriously impaired if apathy on the part of the Political Agent had prolonged the term of our probation. j I would enter a warning concerning village sites. In many instances the present hamlets are at some distance from the positions indicated on a the maps. ‘This is due to the migratory and shift- Village sites, shifting. , i - oe: ing habits of the Gond and Baiga tribes, who, from one cause or another, rarely remain stationary for more than six or seven years. Over and over again have I been the victim of misplaced confi- dence in the accuracy of my Atlas-sheets, and it was not until experience had enlightened me, that I found out on whose shoulders the blame of my ( 189 ) 4 HUGHES : SOUTHERN COAL-FIELDS OF REWAH GONDWANA BASIN. troubles should properly be placed. The maps are now fifteen to twenty years old, and considerable changes have taken place since they were completed. The task of writing this memoir has been committed to my care, but the observations embodied in it are the result of the joint labours of my colleague Lala Hira Lél and myself. At the outset of the survey, he was entrusted with the examination of the Metamorphic, Talchir, Laméta, and Trappean boundaries, but during the last two seasons he was appor- ; _ tioned a share of the more arduous and more Authorship of memoir. _, . p important task of prospecting for coal and tracing the limits of the Bardkar group in the Koréa and Jhilmili States. Without the aid that he ungrudgingly gave, it would have been most difficult in face of the many interruptions that I-received to my more legitimate work, to have completed in so short a time the survey of the large area which engaged our attention. SECTION II.—PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION. The area described in this memoir forms a portion of the great central basin of Géndwana rocks occupying a large part of the country drained by the Sdn and some of its southern leading tributaries and principally comprised within the limits of the Rewah State. In touching upon the various physical and geological features, I have been guided in selecting a starting-point by the circumstance that Deseription proceeds the western end of the basin is nearer to the from west to east, "station of the East Indian Railway, whence our annual departure for our season’s work took place. It would have been as easy, so far as describing them was concerned, to have commenced in the east, but this would have been an inversion of the order in which the survey was actually carried through. The range of our observations extended proximately for a distance of 150 miles from Long. 80° 45’ E. to Long. 82° 55’ E., and I have been able to add the link required to connect the investigations of MM. Hacket and Mallet in the Area surveyed. ( 140 ) PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION. 5 Jabalptir district, with those of MM. Ball and Griesbach in the Gurjat States of Chitia Nagpur. The limits to the west and east are the two tributaries of the Sén, the Ma4hanadi! and the Rér; the boundary to the north is the boundary of the supra-Bardékar rocks, and the extension southwards is demarcated by a varying fringe of stratigraphical deposits. As thus defined, the different rock formations oecupy an area of nearly 3,200 square miles, of which about 870 are included in the zemindaries of Koréa and Jhilmili. The leading title that has already been applied to denote this area, namely, the Rewah Géndwana basin is the most Name of area. : : comprehensive and convenient one that has been proposed, and I would certainly retain it in preference to amplifying for the mere purpose of including the territory which is beyond the fiscal limits of the Rewah State. Mr. Ball gave the separate name of Jhilmili coal-field to the coal bearing rocks of the Jhilmili estate, and Lala Hira Lal proposed the designation of Koréagarh for a small outlier in Koréa; but as these are integrant portions of the Géndwana basin, they have been subordinated to the weightier claim of Rewah, as a representative title, and-in this way share the lot of the Umaria, Kérdar, Sohagpur and other coal centres. ecko pee abe paysite aspect = the country ae Rey : varied, but its most prominent, characteristic is its hilliness. The chief highlands are, those to the north, marked by the famous hill fortress of Bandégarh and the numerous detached peaks and lesser ranges belonging to the same system, extending far to the east and west beyond our area; the uplands of Koréa,’ the watersheds of the Johilla, Sdn, and Hestho rivers, and the great plateau of the Deccan (Dakhan) trap to the south. There is a gradual rise from west to east, and from north to south. At Umaria in 80° 54’ BR, . Long. and 23° 23’ N. Lat., which I mention in likelihood of its becoming a place of repute, the height of the plain above Level above 6a; ; 5 sea level is 1,490 feet; and thence there is a slow ’ This is not to be confounded with the greater Méhinadi of Cuttack (Katak). ( 141 ) 6 HUGHES : SOUTHERN COAL-FIELDS OF REWAH GONDWANA BASIN. and regular increase of elevation to 2,477 feet in the neighbourhood of Sanhat, the capital of the Koréa State on 82° 25’ E. Long. The loftier peaks, such as Bandégarh, Koréégarh, Mahéra, and the crests of the Dakhan uplands, of which Amarkantak is one, are respectively 2,662 feet, 2,955 feet, 3,371 feet, and 3,400 feet high. The hills vary in shape according to the rocks of which they are at made up. Those of Baéndégarh and its associates are usually flat topped with precipitous sides for some distance down, and then a sloping termination of broken rocks and stones to the foot, preserving a steady alignment for long distances or sweeping in full curves. This is the characteristic form produced by the sculpturing of the Mahadéva and other supra-Barakar sandstones, and is quite distinct from the scarped facing of the trappean plateau, which is much more irregularly eaten into, and has not the same prominent accumulation of debris at its base, The small independent hills, of trap, sandstone, or shale, have no definite contour, and are narrow or broad, conical or lumpy, as the caprice of Nature has determined. The highlands to which reference has just been made constitute the mee, watershed of several of the larger rivers of India, Of these, the S6n more immediately concerns us; as, though the Narbada rises in the Amarkantak plateau, a part of Rewah, it soon passes into the territory of the Central Provinces, and beyond the scope of our notice. The Sén has its source in the Pendra table-land at an elevation of 2,100 feet, but it enters the Rewah State about 30 Hae miles from its origin, and a short distance above its junction with the Kéwai. Thence it flows in a generally northern direction, until it receives the Mahdnadi. At this point, in 24° 5’ N. Lat., and 81° 5’ E, Long., it is diverted to the east, and holds that way until it falls into the Ganges. Its feeders in its upper course are quite equal to it in size, and in fact the Kéwai, which has its origin in the uplands of Koréa, is a more » important stream, and contains a greater volume of water. ( 142 ) PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION, if Enumerating the tributaries that fall directly into the Sén, they are eh ; the Kéwai, Tipan, Kanak, Mtirna Jéhilla, Mahé- Tributaries of Sén. : nadi, and the Rér. These two latter rivers, how- ever, join the Sdn outside our ground, and consequently they appear on the map as independent streams. The Sdn is the essential river of the Rewah State, and it drains the whole of the Géndwadna basin with the exception of the part in the Koréa zemindari, There, the Hestho and the Géj constitute an independent drainage : , system, as they are affluents of the greater Maha- Rivers of Koréa. : ; Raed nadi which empties itself into the Bay of Bengal. The watershed of the two systems is coincident with the territorial boundary between the Rewah State and Koréa, but that the uplands of the latter State should be apportioned to a drainage basin other than that of the Sdn seems an invasion of the latter’s rights. A glance at the map certainly produces the impression that the Hestho has been needlessly intruded into the confines of the Sén basin, as both to the east and to the west of it the neighbouring streams are tributary to the Son. The waters of the Hestho and its tributaries wend their way southward, in direct contrast to those of the Sdn and its feeders, which flow northward. In many places the scenery is exquisitely charming, the hilly nature of the country that the streams run through lending itself especially to the indefinite multiplication of varied prospects. In the Jéhilla, that takes its rise near the sacred source of the Narbada, and flows to the lower level of the Géndwana basin, there are reaches as romantic as its own mythological story,’ where it coyly steals in view, struggling slowly as it wends its way through overshadowing jaémun and fringing tamarisks, and then gathering strength in some narrow gorge, it dashes, flecked with foam and to the music of its onward song, a candidate for our admiration. ‘There are several falls in its course, but their 1 The Jéhilla, the hand-maiden of Narbada, is said to have appropriated her mistress’s jewels, at the time when arrangements were being entered into for the marriage of Nar- bada and Sdn, and presenting herself, decked with her borrowed charms, to the latter’s view, sO won upon him that he preferred the maid to the mistress. In wounded pride, Narbada turned her back upon them, and sought a home in the far west. ( a3) 9) 8 HUGHES : SOUTHERN COAL-FIELDS OF REWAH GONDWANA BASIN, height is not great enough to make them imposing, and during the cold weather, which was my only opportunity for seeing them, the water passing over the dark basaltic sheets of the river channel was too attenuated to be a pronounced embellishment to the sombre background of the picture. In the Hestho, and most of the streams directly and indirectly con- nected with it, there are some very striking water- falls, and in the statistical account of the Tributary States of Chitia Négpar, edited by Dr. W. W. Hunter, Vol. XVII, men- tion is made of one of the finest in the Hestho near the village of Kir- | Kirwshi falls—see W4hi.! A large volume of water is precipitated, and froneiapieve: the sound of its falling can be heard for a long distance on a still evening. A representation of it from one of my own photographs forms the frontispiece of this memoir. In the Kéwai there are long reaches of much-eroded sandstone, and the appearance of some of them struck me as being of sufficient interest to form another illustration of fluvial scenery. There is a rank luxuriance of grass in all the lowlands and high- Waterfalls. lands, and wherever trap occurs. The latter is Grass. Spear grass. always a nursery for the worst form of spear grass, and for the several years that we have been engaged in tracing the boundaries of intrusions or overflows of voleanic origin, we have been compelled, where accuracy was a matter of necessity, to delay our examinations until the season was well advanced, and spring fires and migratory herds of cattle had assisted to clear the ground of this unwel- come hinderance to geological research. In all instances where I have been forced into contact with this baneful pest, I have deemed it a duty to inveigh against it, but no emphasizing can convey a proper sense of the condemnation that it deserves in the south Rewah and Koréa district. In the cold weather it possesses the charm of greenness ; but the feeling of pleasure that this gives rise to is dashed by the disappointing knowledge that every stalk is armed with a sheaf of barbed arrows, 1 Kirwahi, 82° 24’ E. long., and 28° 21’ N. lat. ( 144 ) PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION. 9 ready to pierce through breeches and socks, and rankle in one’s flesh. There is probably no sportsman who has not anathematised this grass, and though an Indian geologist is wellknown as long-suffering and of many virtues, I question whether there is one who could plead “ not guilty ” of having consigned it to the region of Pluto. Everywhere there is an abundance of coppice and jungle, but there are oe very few blocks of fair-sized timber. During the construction of the Great Indian Peninsular Rail- way, the contractors for sleepers who rented the forests from the late Maharaja of Rewah, Raguraéj Sing, cut and hacked mercilessly ; and now some years will have to elapse before the trees that are growing acquire useful dimensions. Of late, attempts have been made to induce the native fief-holders to conserve woodlands, but they look upon the suggestions laid before them as subtle traps to eventually deprive them of their forest rights. In view of the construction of the railway from Katni to Umaria, and Scareity of largetim. ts future extension to Bilaspar, it would have ber: been very convenient had there been a supply of ready-grown trees fit for sleepers ; and though the requirements of mining are less exacting, the existence of timber land near at hand would be of great consideration in estimating the advantages of a given coal-field. The most universal forest tree is the Shorea robusta or Saré, and it Habit of Shorearobusta gTows in all situations, but, as is wellknown, it is pud Boswell not a lover of trap rock, and avoids those soils in which the special constituents of trappean matter preponderate. Its place in this instance is taken by Boswellia or Sd/é and so frequently is this a significant circumstance, that I have often been led to the discovery of some dyke or run of trap by noticing the presence of this tree. Probably there are many affections of this sort, but this is the only useful one that I know of to the geologist. Bamboos, which are invaluable for numberless purposes, occur in and diene near to the plateau to the south ; also in the neigh- bourhood of Bandogarh, and along the banks of the Jéhilla and the Sén. Then sparsely in the eastern portion of the ( 145 ) - 10 HUGHES : SOUTHERN COAL-FIELDS OF REWAH GONDWANA BASIN. Sohégpur district ; more plentifully in the border land of Rewah and Koréa, and in overflowing quantity in the latter State and that of Jhilmili. There are no bamboos in proximity to Umaria. The abundance of coppice and grass land doubtless modifies the temperature, and renders the climate much more Climate pleasant. ¥ : bearable in the warm season than if there were large open spaces of bare or cultivated ground. And certainly the wide- spread verdure of the jungle in May gladdens the sight, and makes one thankful to the destiny that has still preserved parts of this country from the encroachment of the ploughshare and the axe. The landholders are principally Bréhmans and Baghél Rajputs, but : the tillers and hewers are the Gonds and Baigas, Inhabitants, ae : fs who were undoubtedly the original inhabitants of the country. These two tribes may be looked upon as the source from which colliers must be obtained when the opening of the Rewah coal- field on a large scale is decided upon. From my experience of them during the past five years, I think the Baiga is to be preferred to the Goénd, being more hardy by nature and more deft with his hands. In the mines, the Baigds were certainly more fearless, as well as more staunch to their work, ‘Their intelligence is of a low order, and they are slavishly susceptible to the promptings of their village elders. They have not courage enough to exercise their individual independence, and for some time to come they will require delicate handling before they are made to understand that coal mining is an occupation by which their interests will be advanced. SECTION III.—PREVIOUS OBSERVERS AND GEOLOGICAL TABLE. Of writers and others, as well as officers of our department, who come under the heading of previous observers, Previous observers. 3 E : é there is very little to remark. The published literature is meagre, and the manuscript reports refer only to a limited portion of the Rewah Géndwana basin, and do not pretend to be more than introductory traverses, The most useful notes for reference have ( 146 ) GEOLOGICAL TABLE. ll been compiled by the late Mr. J. G. Medlicott, and the geological lines that he laid down correspond closely to my own. As my opportunities for careful examination have been greatly in excess of those of any prede- cesssor, I think it unnecessary to quote from them in order to contrast the advances that have been made in our knowledge during the last few years. The following scale of succession indicates the geological divisions in : and adjoining the Rewah basin that are noticed or Geological table. : : described in the present memoir :— Surface deposits. Deccan-trap, with Lamétas. Gondwana system. Supra-Bardkars, not yet worked out, Barakars, with Karharbaris. Talchirs, Bijawars. Metamorphics. My researches have principally been confined to the coal-measures, and it is to them that the present memoir is almost entirely devoted, as the succeeding rocks still require further investigation before their position in the geological scale can be categorically affirmed. Under com- pulsion, I could, of course, assign a place to them, but I should have an uncomfortable consciousness that my decisions were open to correction. The evidence afforded by the plant-remains which are gradually being collected, seems to point out a closer relation be- Evidence of closer re- , lationship between the tween the contiguous groups than was formerly ia allowed, and less stress must be laid on what were deemed lithological characteristics. This, however, is an alternative admission, depending upon the relative value that we accord to lithological and paleontological evidence, whether what were deemed mineral characteristics are to be subordinated to the supposed fixed horizon of certain fossil plants, or whether those plants are to have a wider range in time. In the Damida and Wardha ( 147 ) 12 HUGHES : SOUTHERN COAL-FIELDS OF REWAIH GONDWANA BASIN. valleys the presence of ferrnginous matter was in some cases testimony enough to determine the affiliation of the rocks, but this again was perhaps due to the imperfect measure in which their paleobotanical resources were explored, and evidence was passed bye, that might have tempered its value as a decisive index. CHAPTER II. IDENTIFICATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF ROCKS. SECTION IV.—METAMORPHIC AND BIJAWAR. The Metamorphic series apppears occasionally along the southern margin of the basin, between Lora and Umaria, Metamorphic. S ane , : in the Johilla Valley, at Baghalwdri, where the proposed railway line crosses the Basdr stream, in the south-eastern part of the Sohagpdr district, and in Koréa and Jhilmili. The inlier west of Umaria, forming the western shore margin of the Umaria coal-field, is of considerable significance in any speculative discussion on the facility of reaching the coal measures, presuming their extension in the direction of the Mahanadi. The cropping up of the Metamorphic rocks at Léra points to the probability that the floor of deposition of the Géndwana formation is at a shallow depth from the present surface. The Bijéwars, represented almost entirely by silicious limestones, are confined to the strip of land between the Mé4- hdnadi and the Machrér stream. With some modifications, the geological lines are those of Mr.C. A. Hacket’s map, The only addition to the former known exposures is a small inlier Bijdwar, near Narwar. SECTION V.—TALCHIR. Although the Bijawar rocks are more recent than the Metamorphic TAlchirs not seen in series, it so happens that the Télchirs are no- contact with Bijawars. where seen to be in contact with them. They ( 148 ) TALCHIRS. 13 rest always on the Metamorphics. Their most westerly exposure is in the neighbourhood of Kathai, and they run in a north-easterly direction through Léra to Achala and Majgama and then turn south- ward towards Baréri. Here they are overlapped by higher rocks, but they reappear in the vicinity of Marodhi Chandwar and Paunia. Their fullest developement is in the district of Sohagptr, and they extend thence far to the sonth and east, connecting the Rewah area with the Talchirs of the Mahanadi basin. The identification of this group is perfectly easy, as it exhibits with two local exceptions the same lithological features that charac- terise it elsewhere. It seems gainsaying my own statement to assert Sit that at one time I questioned the occurrence of Télchirs at Lora. The point had been passed on to me to decide, and at first I was inclined to think that the Talchirs were absent. This was a misapprehension, but it was due entirely to the fact that there were no sections open enough to decide a question that was already surrounded by controversial assertion. Had I wandered away either to the north as far as Lagwari, or to the south as far as Kathai, T should have met with T'alchirs in unmistakeable garb. It so happened, however, that it was not until two years after my first visit that I undertook the thorough examination of that part of the country, and arrived at the true knowledge of its structure. At the commencement of each season’s tour, the tendency was always to press forward, and thus the places near at hand were passed over. The recognition of Talchirs at a given spot usually gives encourage- ment to the hope that we are within discoverable distance of the true Palehuerasnally favour: coal measures, for we know as a fact that the able indication of coal. Talchirs underlie the coal-bearing rocks, The application of this knowledge made me question the supposed geological horizon of the Umaria coal; and it has strengthened the expectations of meeting with coal where there is no actual exposure of it.1 In tracing the outlines of the Talchirs a great deal of time was spent in the mere 1 The application of this same knowledge in the Satpura basin did not meet with success, though it may stili be said that the borings there were not carried deep enough, See Records, Vol. XI, p. 8; and Vol, XII, p. 97.—H, B. M. ( 149 ) 14 HUGHES : SOUTHERN COAL-FIELDS OF REWAH GONDWANA BASIN, drudgery of tramping many hundreds of miles of small and large streams to guard against inaccuracy as much as possible. They have been carefully mapped on a scale of one inch to the mile, but the exigencies of publication have necessitated the issue of a copy on a reduced size. The boundaries near Umaria are for the most part conjectural, as weAdegel the Talchirs are only exposed once in the Umrar Umaria, Maréhi. : river, at their contact with the metamorphic rocks south of Mardéhi, and again in the small feeders of that stream east of Koiléri; and near the tank at Chandwar. The whole of the remaining ground to the limit of the Bardkar group is obscured by alluvium. ee Between Ké6talwdr and Ké6rar, where there is a small coal-field, there is an inlier of the Talchirs in the Barakars, In the valley of the Jéhilla they are again met with forming a distinct area, They are seen both north and south Johilla valley. By : of the inlier of metamorphics that extends from Mangthar to Pénri. Those to the south are not well exposed, but on the north side they stretch from Pénri to Bara Chada. The bottom bed is a fine-grained compact brownish-grey calcareous sandstone; then above comes the famous boulder-bed, the matrix consisting of greenish-grey silt; the contained fragments are red binary granite, conglomeratic quartzite, quartzite and green schist. The bed is quite 80 feet, if not more, in thickness. To this succeed claret-coloured greyish-green and yellowish silts; one or two thin boulder beds; compact slightly cal- careous sandstones; soft fine-grained, slightly pinkish and yellowish-grey sandstones, with felspar decomposed, and weathering with rounded out- lines ; then alternating silts and sandstones to the end of the section. There might possibly be a little doubt about including as Talchirs the sandstones in the long reach of the Jéhilla, at the eastern end of which is the village of Goraia, were they seen alone; but most characteristic greyish-green splintery shales occur above them in the reach of the river near Bara Chada that do away with all question as to their position. The Télchirs extend only a very short distance inland from the ( 150 ) TALCHIRS. 15 right bank of the Jéhilla, but they can be traced for 4 or 5 miles in the opposite direction, until they are overlapped by Lamétaés and Barakars. : Leaving the valley of the Jéhilla and proceeding eastward, no snereneen Talchir rocks are exposed until the edge of the 4 main body in the Sohagpur district is reached near Tiirri at the base of the trappean plateau. Here they are made up of the same varieties of beds as occur in the Damfida valley, and the green and yellowish silts are the predominant rocks. Excellent sections of them are visible in the Sdn, the Hesia, the Alan, the Tipan and other rivers ; and in several places I procured fossil ferns. There is a local modification of some of the sandstones, which I think might mislead an observer who approached them with the ordinary T4lchir panorama before his eyes. Their appearance at all events was questionable enough to raise, in my Sandstones, modifica- Clleague’s mind when mapping them, a doubt as tion—near Nindauan. to their true affinities. They occur on the isolated hills east of Nindauan and are compact and vitreous-looking, like quartzites ; added to which, the accident of their resting on metamorphic rocks, and being represented where first seen by a slight thickness, strengthened the idea that they were members of the metamorphic series. On examining them carefully, however, it became evident that they were sandstones with the texture distinctly granular, not in the slightest degree crystalline, but rendered close and hard by calcareous matter. Eventually, decisive evidence of their specific character was obtained in one of the streams near the village, where they were found overlying a boulder-bed. Throughout an extensive tract in the southern part of Koréa and k Jhilmili, the Talchirs are displayed in great force, on and many of the higher hills are partly constituted of them. The boulder beds are more heavily weighted than they are in the west, and as a whole the group is of more importance. The litholo- gical characteristics, however, are unaltered, and it is therefore unneces- sary to dwell upon them. ( 1b5l-) > 16 HUGHES : SOUTHERN COAL-FIELDS OF REWAH GONDWANA BASIN. The eontacts of the group are almost all original ones, but there hs 2 are a few small faults, the most noticeable being Fault. Bamhani Chilpa. df i the one south of Bémhani Chilpa, where there are two inliers of Télchirs. The thickness of the Talchirs, where most freely developed, appears Thickneea (bateeon to be between 400 and 500 feet, but there are 400 and 500 feet. no sections continuous enough to furnish more than a proximate estimate. Jn the Johilla the figures would be about 400 feet, supposing an average dip of 5° to 6° over one mile of exposure. Plant remains were discovered at different spots, but usually in such an imperfect state of preservation that it was not Plant remains. ; ; ‘ worth while keeping them. A few good specimens, however, were obtained, which Dr. Feistmantel has noticed in Vol. 1V Pt. I. Fossil Flora of the South Rewah Gondwana Basin. They are— Ganganopteris cyclopteroides. Gangamopteris cyclopteroides, var. attenuata, Gangamopteris major. Gangamopteris comp. spathulata. Glossopteris, sp. Noéggerathiopsis hislopt. Samaropsis. Vertebraria indica. Equisetaceous stems. SECTION VI.—BARAKARS. There is satisfactory proof of the occurrence of this group over a large portion of Rewah, Koréa, and Jhilmili in the strong resemblance that its sandstones and other rocks bear to the typical representatives in the Raniganj field. Included with it are the beds containing a flora which partly coincides with that of the Karharbari group. I saw no reason, however, either on stratigraphical or litho- Karharbari flora. : logical grounds, for separating them from the Ba- rakars, and consequently I have not mapped a line of demarcation. This may be a misfortune, so far as it fails to be in harmony with the restricted application of the paleontological facts, but as the wider bearing of the evidence demonstrates a closer knitting of all the groups than has hitherto ( 1525) BARAKARS. iby been admitted, I am not yet ready to allow, in the absence of other testimony, that a sub-division of the Barakars is a necessity. The same remark applies to the upper part of the group, where one or two plants may be referred to upper-Damuda forms. By far the most abundant rock is, massively bedded yellowish-grey aes felspathic silicious sandstone, that undergoes muta- tions due to different degrees of decomposition in the felspar, to the presence of caleareous matter, and to the changing size and relative proportions of the felspar and quartz grains. Shaly sandstones and shales bear an insignificant proportion to the whole, and carbonaceous shales and coal are rare, though essential consti- tuents of the group. Pebbles are not so frequently present as in other localities, and there is an entire absence of the Pebbles rare. strong conglomerate beds that are so constant an accompaniment of the lower portion of the Barakar group in the Jharia,! Bokaro, and Karanpiira fields of Bengal. There are several exposures of the Barakar group ; and as they can Several exposures of Conveniently be described under separate heads, I Barska. propose doing so for facility of reference. Relatively to the main body, which occupies a superficies of 1,587 square miles, the other areas are outliers of small extent, but the accident of geographical position has made the two westerly ones the most important economically, so far as immediate commercial considerations are concerned. One of these is the Umaria coal-field, of which I have already written several notices, and on which the interest attaching to the coal resources of the Rewah Géndwana basin has for the last few years hinged. As it takes precedence in order of situation, according to the plan of descrip- tion already adopted, IT will refer to it in detail first. Asa matter of interest, I give in column’ the Square areas, c exposed areas of the various fields : 1. Sohdgpitr field or main area. : : : - 1,587 sq. miles. 2. Kiurdasia field . : 6 , , : ‘ a 48 > 38. Jhilmili field . : ; 7 fs ; ; 4 41 A 1 Written Jherria in the Memoirs of the Survey. B (nse e 18 HUGHES: SOUTHERN COAL-FIELDS OF REWAH GONDWANA BASIN. 4, Jochilla fields (north and south) ‘ é ° f . 14sq. miles. 5. Kordar field . ; , ; : ; ; : ~ 8) og 6. Korédgarh field . : ‘ 3 C 4
“Grails
SECTION VII.—THE UMARIA COAL-FIELD.
This name has been adopted from the village of Umaria, which occu-
ec pies a nearly central position in the field, and is
a place of considerable importance. It is on the
high road from Mtrwara to Sohég par, and contains nearly 600 inhabit-
ants, a permanent bazaar, police station, post office, and a forest out-
post. A weekly market is held, and since the establishment of explora-
tory coal operations, traders of all descriptions have been attracted to the
spot.
It is situated on the left bank of the Umrar river, a tributary of the
Mahanadi, and is distant 36 miles from the station of Katni, on the East
Indian Railway.
The most noted local points of reference are the fort of Bandogarh, 16
miles in a north-easterly direction, and the towns of Kauria and Chandia,
situated respectively in latitude N, 5°" and longitude E. sa and
celebrated formerly for the manufacture of native arms.
The field occupies moderately level ground, but along its western
border is a low range of metamorphic rocks, and to the south and north
are other hills composed of different formations. They assist in giving
to the neighbourhood of Umaria a very picturesque aspéct, and as there
is no lack of trees and coppice, the scenery is in striking contrast with
the cheerless coal-fields of Bengal.
The Umrar is the principal river of the district: it rises in the trap-
pean plateau to the south, and enters the area of the
Bardkar rocks a little above Kalésar. Where it
flows past the village, it is confined between rocky banks, sufficiently
high to be noticeable. A somewhat imposing-dwelling-house belonging
to the local Baghél chief, Chathar Dhari Sing, has been built on the
cliff overlooking the stream; and certainly credit is due to whoever took
( 154 )
River Umrar.
ons
Hughe
GEOLOGIC
AL
1569
A
<2 Korar
Coney
fal Coal Stinte +6
Koal $y a
O Birbospux
14 82 x y
Ca’ Gagrar
4
Carb Shale
Murgurt
a) o\ oN
SOUTH REWAH GONDWANA BASIN,
UMARIA & KORAR
COAL-FIELDS.
Bareri
Supra Barakar
Barakar
alchir
Metamor phic
onl shaft
Bore Hole,
Dip
TONE SY KHADEM HOSSAIN
SURVEY
UMARIA COAL-FIELD. 19
advantage of the situation ; for, during the cold weather, when the bed of
the river is still moderately full, and ferns and other plants and climbing
fiz trees deck and festoon the banks, it presents a charming coup d’wil
to the traveller who stays on his way to cool himself at the river
ford.
With the exception of the Umrar, all the streams become dry soon
after the ending of the rainy season. And from
_ Rocks dry. : : : OGLE
experience gained in sinking for coal, the rocks do
not appear to hold much water. Most of the rain that falls is evidently
carried away at once, as there is a very thin capping of soil to gather it.
The total exposure of the Bardkars is, as I have said before, six
square miles, the greatest length being four miles,
and the average breadth one and a half, The bound-
aries cannot be very closely and accurately defined, as the sections are not
Area, 6 square miles.
; open enough for this purpose. I have, however,
Boundaries.
mapped them as suggested by the evidence that was
available. The contacts with the upper and lower groups are all na-
tural. The Talchirs are overlapped, where the Bardkars rest upon the
metamorphic rocks of the Léra inlier, and the Barakars themselves are
irregularly overlaid by newer Gondwana groups.
To the south-west of Umaria, the lower limit of the group is fairly
recognisable, and the borings near the railway track indicate that the
lines shown on the map are passably accurate. Near Chatén and Lél-
pur there is more satisfactory ground, in the clearer views obtainable of
the beds, for belief in the correctness of the limitation adopted. To the
east of Umaria, however, and within the Kélésar holding, there is a
broad margin of uncertainty, as the surface soil effectually hides every-
thing from view. While opportunity offered, I had three borings put
down in order to test the extension of the coal measures in that direction,
but unfortunately a series of mishaps prevented their completion, and the
question is still an open one as to how far eastward the boundary ought
to be placed.
There is no continuous section showing the arrangement of the
group, but a very fair idea of the stratigraphical sequence may be obtained
(255) )
20 HUGHES : SOUTHERN COAL-FIELDS OF REWAH GONDWANA BASIN.
by following the course of the small stream! between Koiléri and Mé-
rohi downwards to its junction with the Umrdr, and then onward in the
latter river to Kalésar, Umaria and Lélpir.
The lowest bed of the Bardkars in the rivulet referred to is a slightly
1 eg eee ferruginous-tinted, felspathic silicious sandstone.
Above it is a thin band of coaly shale, and then
a succession of laminated sandstones, argillaceous blue carbonaceous
shales and thicker bedded sandstones, some of which are fine-grained,
faintly salmon-coloured, slightly micaceous rocks. Near the temple of
Dévi, and higher in the series, is a seam of coal of very good quality,
but measuring only 14 inches, which puts it out of consideration in an
economic summary. The dip is N.N.E. at a low angle of 5°. At
the elbow of the stream, above its junction with the Umrdar, are some
slightly carbonaceous grey argillaceous shales, in which the fossils were
found that determined the true age of the Umaria measures. Then
follow thick-bedded light grey tinted sandstones, flushed with a pinkish
hue and stained in portions on the outside rusty yellow. In the
Wardha Valley field this colouring would have been the peculiar mark
of the Kamthi series, but in the Rewah Gondwana basia it has no
specific significance.
These sandstones, with a varying proportion of caleareous matter, are
Sandstones constitute ™ainly of the ordinary slightly nodular, felspathic,
about 200 feet. silicious type of coal-measure sandstones, and con-
stitute about 200 feet of the Bardkar group. They are deeply eroded
near the village of Kalésar, and the Umrar flows through a short but
pretty gorge, where an excellent view of the rocks may be obtained.
Intercalated with these sandstones are the various carbonaceous layers
that give value to the Umaria coal-field.
In the Umrar river, however, only one seam is visible, and the refer-
ence that I have just made in the plural number is due to the light
thrown upon the constitution of the field by the various borings.
1 A temple dedicated to Dévi, one of the wives of Shiva, has been erected on the bank
of this stream, where it is reported that a seam has once been on fire. I saw no sign of
such an occurrence.
( 156 )
UMARIA COAL-FIELD. Q1
From Kalésar to the upper boundary of the Barakars*ygtween Uma-
ria and Lalpdr, only sandstones are seen, at intervals of varying
distances. They differ but slightly from those already alluded to ;
the highest beds are grey and pinkish coarse-grained felspathic sandstones
partly decomposed and with thin lenticular shaly layers. To these succeed
the red and other coloured clays of the supra-Bardkars, from which the
village of Lalpar is probably named.
Though there are several different courses of coal, I failed to find
more than one outcrop in addition to that alluded
Coal seam. ;
to near the temple of Dévi, and that was of the
seam exposed in the Umrar at the southern water-ghat of Kalésar
in which quarries were eventually opened. It can be traced on the left
bank of the riverin a little rivulet, which is shown on the annexed map,
exhibiting the environs of Umaria-Kalésar, on a scale of four inches
to the mile. After extending about 200 yards to the westward, it is
lost to view.
Many years have elapsed since the original discovery of this coal.
The first who drew attention prominently to it was Captain Osborne,
eae Grank, the Political Agent of Rewak in 1860, and on his
and Captain H. Hyde, representation, Mr. Alexander Grant, of the East
Indian Railway, and Captain H. Hyde, R.E.,
Consulting Engineer for Railways, visited Umaria and other localities
where coal was stated to occur, Their recommendations were opposed
to any active steps being taken to explore the field. Mr. Grant, in his
report, stated—“ The seam shows itself in four different places in the bed
“and sides of the Umrar, a little above the village Kalésar. It is in
“all about 3 feet 6 inches thick, being made up of thin layers of carbon-
“aceous shale of different degrees of consistency and different shades of
“ eolour, some of them being indurated, others earthy, some black and
“others bluish. Amid them is one band or layer of some 6 or 7 inches
- “in thickness of the substance resembling coal evidently in greater
“part of vegetable origin, and what we have seen to be combustible.”
There was some excuse for the low estimate they formed of the value
( 157)
22 HUGHES: SOUTHERN COAL-FIELDS OF REWAH GONDWANA BASIN.
of the Umaria seam, owing to the washed-out and dull appearance of the
coal at the outcrop. but their conclusion drawn from inadequate investi-
gation shows how dangerous it is to frame an adverse opinion of the
quality of any coal until careful analysis and experiment have proved
what its composition and real worth are.
Subsequently at different times the existence of the seam was again
bat dlNaunreyane ene noted by some of our own officers, but no regular
rath survey of the coal deposits of the Rewah State
was instituted until the season of 1879-80. Late in May 1880, I obtained
without visiting Umaria some samples of coal from a few inches below
the outcrop. These were submitted to assay by Mr. Mallet, the Curator
of the Geological Museum, and the average of his determinations gave
a sufficiently favourable view of the quality of the coal to prompt a more
searching investigation when the opportunity arose.
The figures were—
Moisture . fs 5 ‘ : é 4 ‘ = ES:
Volatile matter exclusive of moisture : 5 : 5 o BIA
Fixed carbon . > 5 . ‘ ° 6 . 45°8
Aghia ; 5 - : 3 f 6 * ales
100°0
The ash was much less than I anticipated from the appearance of the
samples, but the amount of moisture was high, and as it confirmed in a
measure the opinion then held of the age of the coal, I deferred a closer
examination until the mapping of the known areas of Baradkars had
been completed.
It was not until November 1881 that in the ordinary course of the
general survey it came under my observation. The first field day was
enough to make me suspect that the sandstones and consequently the
coal with them were much older than had hitherto been supposed ;
and, acting on this belief, I endeavoured to obtain confirmatory
paleobotanical evidence. The credit of supplying the direct proof of the
Discovery oft plants by horizon of the coal-measures rests with my colleague,
Hira Lal. Lala Hira Lal, who, more favoured by fortune
( dee)
UMARIA COAL-FIELD. 23
than myself, was the first to have his efforts rewarded by the discovery of
a few plants of specific lower Gondwana age.
Recruiting the services of my personal servants, and stimulating their
zeal by the promise of reward, we eventually obtained several fronds of
Glossopteris communis.
Gangamopteris cyclopteroides, var. Ape
Noggerathiopsis hislopi.
None of the fossils were perfect specimens, as they occurred in friable
slightly carbonaceous argillaceous shale, which it was difficult to handle
in a satisfactory manner, but they were sufficiently distinct to enable
Dr. Feistmantel to fix their genera. With the assurance that the proper
place of the Umaria coal was with the true or older coal-measures of India,
Thad no hesitation in spending a small sum of money to clear the outcrop
and obtain a clean piece of coal. Selecting an average sample from the
lower portion of the seam, the percentages of ash, fixed carbon, and
water showed so great an improvement on the first analysis, that I was
impressed with the desirability of drawing the attention of the Rewah
administration to the fact of the occurrence of true coal-measures at
Umaria, and that if arrangements could be made
Borings suggested.
for practically exploring the field by boring, I
should be happy to render what service I could in directing operations.
Fortunately for the furtherance of my views, Captain Barr, the Political
Agent of Rewah, responded cordially to my suggestions, and within a few
weeks of my broaching the plan of operations, the necessary plant was
purchased, and Mr. Stewart, who had previously been in charge of the
Narbada trial borings, was appointed to test the various sites indicated
by myself. There is no mechanical establishment in connection with
our own department, and there is no such thing as a grant for independ-
ent explorations, so that, had the Political Agent for Rewah put aside
my communication, it is probable that the Umaria coal-field would once
more have been dropped for a period of years into the shadow of
obseurity.}
? It is also certain that if Captain Barr had declined to take this matter up, the
Government of India would have done so on the strength of Mr. Hughes' recommenda-
tion.— H. B. M.
( 159 )
24 HUGHES : SOUTHERN COAL-FIELDS OF REWAH GONDWANA BASIN.
The first boring was commenced on the 22nd January 1882. It was
Boring commenced, Placed a short distance to the north of the out-
22nd January, 1882. crop of the seam, and was sunk to procure in-
formation as to whether the coal thickened or thinned to the deep. It
proved three bands of coal, measuring respectively 3 feet, 7 feet and 2
feet, the reading being—
ft. in
1. Surface, soil . ; F F 4 ; ¢ so. DLS:
2. Sandstone a 6 : ° ‘ 5 : ‘ . 42 6
3. Sandstone, carbonaceous, shaly . 3 0
4, Shale, carbonaceous . ; 2 0
5. Coal . A 2 3 ap 1)
6. Shale, carbonaceous 4 a : A 1 0
7, Sandstone ie (o)
8. Coal : ; ‘ : 70
9. Sandstone, carbonaceous, shaly ; ; 4 A 970
10. Shale, carbonaceous 2 : : . . 2 0
11, Coal . ; ye)
12. Sandstone, carbonaceous, shaly 210
13. Sandstone, white, not gone through 16 0
93 0
At the outcrop the main band measures only 4 feet 44 inches to 4
feet 8 inches, and its increase to7 feet was a pleasant confirmation of the
hope which had been entertained of its probable behaviour.
As many as 15 bore-holes were commenced before the rains put an
end tothe season’s operations. Most of them were
Bore-holes. chines ees : ;
sunk within the limits of the Umaria holding, and
satisfactorily indicated the occurrence of coal over a sufficiently large area
to supply several million tons of fuel.
On the other side of the river, five borings were started. Two of
these proved coal, but a series of misfortunes rendered the holes between
Kaélésar and Lalpir useless as indicators, none of them having been com-
pleted. The question, therefore, as to what becomes of the coal in that
direction is an open one, but I incline to think that the coal is there, and
that, had the borings been carried deeper, they would have proved
this to be the case.
(- 160")
UMARIA COAL-FIELD. 25
It would be needless multiplication of details to allude here to each
Lore-hole section, but for the purpose of reference they are given in the
chapter of appendices. ‘The dates of their commencement and completion
and the depth at which water was tapped have been added as items of
interest ; and diagrams, for which I am indebted to Mr. E. J. Jones, are
attached.
The deepest hole in which thick coal was recorded was No. is
Deepest bore-hole, due north of Umaria, but on the right bank of the
No. 7", 184 feet. Umrar. Two seams respectively 13 and 11 feet
separated by 25 feet of carbonaceous sandstone were passed through
at 184 feet from the surface. It is possible that these measurements
may not be quite exact, for the readings of coal and shale may be so
influenced by the desire to tell a promising tale, that the latter is
often unduly elevated to the dignity of the former; but I think it
would be inconsistent to accept one journal as correct, and doubt the
accuracy of another. Boring records are generally trustworthy enough to
establish the broad fact of the occurrence of coal, though considerable
caution is necessary when accurate discrimination of coal and shale is
demanded.
The boring No. 9*, which was really a test of No. 7*, and put down in
November 1883, was most carefully supervised and a lower seam was
met, so that we may fairly accept as proved that there are two.
Considering all the facts that were established during the first stage
of our practical explorations, I think it must be confessed that the labours
of the Geological Survey were eminently satisfactory ; coal was proved to
exist in abundance, that it lay within easy access from the surface,
that it thickened to the deep, and that the gradient, as shown by
the horizon at which the seam was struck at various points, was low and
advantageous for working.
Every circumstance was promising, and from the exceptionally
commanding geographical position of the field, it required small advo-
eacy to show that a splendid reserve of fuel had been unearthed in the
Rewah State.
In order, however, to set at rest any apprehensions that prudence or
€ ier
26 HUGHES: SOUTHERN COAL-FIELDS OF REWAH GONDWANA BASIN.
experience suggested, it was deemed well that they should be reduced to
their smallest limits, and, to achieve this object, it was determined that
the coal should be approached under the ordinary conditions of approved
mining. ‘There were two plans open for adoption,—either to drive an
incline from the outerop, or to sink a shaft to the seam. The second
method was preferred as being in every sense more workman-like,
and as affording more scope for efficiently dealing with an influx of
water.
On the 1]th March 1883 a pit of 10 feet internal diameter was
Pit commenced, 11th Commenced. At a later date it was found neces-
March 1883. sary to open inclines from the outcrop, but this
was only to meet a temporary demand for coal, while the trial pit was in
progress.
As special qualifications were required for the charge of the contem-
plated underground expansion of our operations, Mr. Thomas Forster,
who had gained his experience of colliery work both at home and in the
Bengal coal-fields, was engaged as Mining Engineer.
The position selected for the pit was near hore-hole No. 8, where
the section is somewhat in accord with Nos. 9 and 77—an upper and a
lower seam of coal having been cut in each.
No. 7. No. 8. No. 9.
Sandstones , . A ‘ A 5 Hy 93’ 0” 69’ 0”
Coal . . Fi Ls 5 . ae BAUS 10' 0” 10' 0”
Intermediate beds 4 j - a Ay Oy 8’ 0” y/o”
Coal ; ° A : 5 1207 EO 6’ 0"
The depth of the shaft was calculated at 108 feet, and the sinking
did not seem a very formidable task. It was not completed, however,
until May 1884. During the sinking there was no difficulty in dealing
with the water, a pair of ordinary buckets being quite sufficient to keep
the pit dry ; but the moment the coal was reached, a rush took place, and
though baling was kept up unremittingly day and night, it overpowered
the means we had at our disposal, and the pit was abandoned until more
efficient power could be applied.
( 162 )
UMARIA COAL-FIELD. Q7
Thad a strong wish to go further to the deep towards No. 9 bore-hole,
but I was at first deterred by the dread of water, and the possibly heavy
outlay that would have to be incurred for pumping machinery. In
an untried field, it is impossible to gauge the water difficulty, and
T selected the spot for the trial shaft, where I anticipated the least
amount of inconvenience on this score. While it was being proceeded
Second shaft. Com. With, my original desire to open out the site of
menced December 1883. No, 9 bore-hole was carried into effect; but,
without any extra machinery to combat the anticipated influx of
water, it was looked upon as rather a hopeless undertaking. Strange
to say, however, the measures in this part of the field were unusually
dry, and the coal was reached just before the close of the past season
without any other difficulty to overcome than occasional scarcity of
labour.
There was not time enough to drive into the seam, so that the only
objects achieved by the completion of either shaft were the procurement
of more perfect samples of coal and the more exact determination of the
thickness and constitution of the main seam than that afforded by the
simpler method of a small boring. Seven feet of clear good coal, free
from the stone bands that are visible at the outcrop, were passed through
in the second pit, and the analysis of a fair average dried piece gave the
following result :—
Water . 3 ; ° qi ; - ° 5 5°46
Volatile matter ; d ; 3 7 Fi . 25°17
Fixed carbon . 6 6 F : F 9 ; 66°71
Ash 7 . 3 : é é 5 : : 8:12
100-00
Such a certificate as this speaks for itself, and from the first analysis
in 1880 to this one in 1884 there has been a conspicuous improvement ;
the only coals of Bengal that can surpass it are some from the Kar-
harbari field.
In order to supply our own local wants and enough for a few trial
ies runs on the East Indian and Great Indian Peninsula
Quarry and inclines. :
Railways, a quarry was sunk on the outcrop; and
(163. 4
28 HUGHES: SOUTHERN COAL-FIELDS OF. REWAH GONDWANA BASIN,
eventually an incline 6 feet high and 8 feet broad was driven in on the
chance of its affording direct confirmation of the augmentation indicated by
the borings. Following on this, a considerable impetus to the extraction
of coal was given by the acceptance on the part of the Great Indian Penin-
sula Railway of a tender in March of the present year for the supply of
2,000 tons of coal. As neither of the shafts at that time had been com-
pleted, a second incline and several cross-roads were opened out, which
enabled the raisings to be increased from 3 to 15 tons a day.
Throughout the workings the seam retains nearly, though not quite,
the thickness that it has at the outcrop. I give for comparison the
following measurements made in the quarry and at the dip and rise ends
of No. 1 incline.
Quarry (descendinz),
Lac)
or
name
(a) Coal, bright
(4) Stone band
(c) Coal, bright
(d) Stony shale, dull . : ’ ; ;
(e) Coal, bright ; - ; 3 5 A
(f) Coaly shale, dull . °
(g) Stone band 5 ‘ i
(h) Coal laminated, bright and dull
Coal shale, dull ; 7 f
Coal, homogeneous
oe
spe
mooococoocooso
wSOwReE KD ANDAHD
rs
is
np
Incline No. 1.
{ISK END. Dip END.
fits in.
(a) Coal, hard 3 O46 0 10
(b) Stone band é : a) 3 Oe
(ce) Coal, bright . : . . ‘ 0 6 OW,
(d) Stonyshale . . - : : ORR 0 6
(e) Coal, bright . : ° : 0 6 0 6
(f) Coal, hard i ° ° 0 4 0 - 1%
(g) Stone band 5 , . : Om, Oo ¢
(h) Coal . : 0 5 10)
Carbonaceous shale . 0 4
Coal il 3}
A 8 4 84
( 164 )
Hughes: GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA. Memoirs , Vol: XXI1. }'t:3
ENVIRONS OF UMARIA-KALESAR
SHOWING POSITION OF BORE HOLES. & SHAFTS.
+
Scale 4 Inches to the Mile
B HN? fed BHLNGS. ()
— © B.HN°o i. Shaft. N°2. (®)H.ANS7™
(@EHNG7. BHNS6&
—@) aa ——_walg © B.HN24. BHN2S
B.H.N210 Af :
= 4
Shaft N°1
;
2
@BHUN2E
@BHN?O1L BHN2 5
To
Theo ren
SN
Note. Reduced from Railway Survey
(Feb. 1883.) by A. Penny MI.C.E
Engmeer in chief, Bilaspur Etawah
Railway.
On Stone by SK. Hossain Geol: Survey Office
GE OLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA
Hughes Memoirs: Vol. XXI. Pt. 3.
SECTIONS OF BOPINGS
UMARIA — KALESAR
PN SNES ANN ORS ON ANE Nw ZN ONIN ON ON ON ONS NON oe Ne NO
NANA Ne ee ee eee
= |
Nes eRe
SN eN ene Neu see
NeNe Ne AN ees
FNINGAS
SOP aS A
Scale of Feet 1 Inch = 24 Feet
5 10 15 oO 25 3,0 35 40 45 30
On Stone by Aminullah
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA
Hughes: Memoirs: Vol. XXI. Pt. 3
SECTIONS OF BORINGS
i
UMARIA — KALESAR
oS
=a
SN
——
SS
_ aS
—Zz
SS
_————S
—SS
SS
SS
—=
a
x
.
‘
Ve NN ee eee
sone
Vou oN
eye sees
Ses esses
Cae errand a
.
-
‘
BIS
PFS Surface Soil
Sandstone
On Stone by Aminullah
KORAR COAL- FIELD. 29
The roof is a tough, strong carbonaceous shale, and in appearance
isnot unlike the d band. It has stood excellently,
Roof good. A 5 : :
and not a single piece of timber has been required
to support it.
The dip is very low, which is a favourable point in the estimate of the
Dies value of the field, scarcely rising above 4° in the
inclines. Its direction is nearly north-east.
The quality of the coal wrought in the quarry and in the inclines
has been strongly tested under various conditions, but I intend reserving
my full remarks as to its effective character for the Economic chapter of
this memoir.
In anticipation, however, I may observe that the lowest 2 feet and
the bright coals constitute the best portion of the
seam; and that the hard band d would have to
be picked out, as it readily forms clinker.
Band d, clinkers.
The area over which coal has been proved may be accepted as 1}
Proved coal area 1; Square miles, but it will -be quite legitimate
square miles. to assume that the underground extension of
the measures in the direction of their exposed dip will give a far
higher figure for probable coal lands. I think it quite possible that they
extend uninterruptedly to the northward, dipping beneath the supra-
Barakars and appearing again, as the Kérar coal-field. With reference to
the Johilla Valley, I scarcely like to venture even an opinion; the dis-
tance between the two coal-fields is 12 miles, and the intervening
stratigraphical evidence is altogether too meagre to make any statement
on the subject of their continuity other than an idle guess,
SECTION VIII.—THE KORAR COAL-FIELD.
The next outlier of Bardkars to be described is 3 miles from the
nearest margin of the Umaria coal-field and to the north of it. It has,
in default of a better name, been alluded to in our manuscript reports as
the Kordar field. There was no natural feature distinctive enough to
suggest a title, and so the village nearest to the locality where coal was
most conspicuously exposed was adopted as the distinguishing appellation,
(165; 3]
30 HUGHES: SOUTHERN COAL-FIELDS OF REWAH GONDWANA BASIN.
Its total area is 9} square miles, forming an irregularly shaped
crescent around the north-eastern prolongation of
Area 9} sq. m. why CRE .
the Loéra metamorphic inlier. The boundaries of
the Barakars are fairly well seen, and the supra-Bardkars are too distinct
in character to leave any doubt as to their identification, so that the
separation between them and the coal-measures is easy.
Several streams traverse the field, and one of them is the Umrar. Its
; confluence with those flowing from Baréri,
River Umrar, P
Margtri, Gagrar, and Damokar marks the upper
limit of the Bardkars.
The major portion of the field has been cleared of jungle, but
adjoining it there are several plots of underwood, and more especially to
egy Ps the north of Dudraunri. Near at hand are the
reserves of the English Forest Department, coin-
cident for some distance with the boundary of the Rewah State. I
have no doubt that they can furnish some useful timber, and this
will be a convenience of no small consideration when a colliery is
started.
There are numerous sections of the Barakars, but the most complete
views of them are in the neighbourhood of Kéraér, Dudraunri, and Achala.
The rocks consist of grey and yellowish somewhat porous felspathic
sandstones, occasionally micaceous and sometimes calcareous, associated
with beds of carbonaceous shales and coal. A large sheet of trap,
varying in width, runs nearly the entire length of the field, and there is
an inlier of the Talchir group between K6étalwdr and Khaira. The
general dip is to the north.
Notice of the existence of coal in the Kordr field was originally
brought to us when encamped at Baréri by the landlord of Bardauha,
but it was not professionally confirmed until my colleague, while tracing
the boundary of the trap eastward of Tali in December 1882, saw and
mapped the different seams.
There are several outcrops, but there is only one main carbonaceous
horizon, as in the case of the Umaria field.
( 166 )
KORAR COAL-FIELD. 31
The most westerly exposure is to the east of Achala in the Umrar at
the village water-ghat. Two small bands show in
the banks of the river; and in order to find out
whether they increased in thickness to the dip, directions were given to
Mr. Munsch, the Assistant Mining Engineer of the Rewah Explorations,
Achala.
to carry out a boring (1884). In this instance there was no improve-
ment either in the quantity or quality of the bands, and after going
down 181 feet the rods were shifted to a more promising locality. The
rocks passed through were—
ft. in.
1. Sandstones, brown, grey, and yellow 5 : ° 58 O
2. Carbonaceous shale and sandstone 2 0
3. Carbonaceous shale and coal 4 0
4. Sandstone with pyrites 10 0
5. Shale with coal 2 0
6. Blue shale 10
7. Sandstones r x 52 0
8. Grey shale with coal 2 0
9, Sandstones, &c. 50 0
TOTAL 5 akshl
South-west of Dudraunri, and about three-quarters of a mile from it,
a bed of coal and carbonaceous shale occurs near
Coal and carbonaceous :
shale south-west of the boundary of the trap; it may be better than it
Dudraunri, : : :
looks, but its appearance at the outcrop did not
impress me favourably,
After the failure at Achala, borings were commenced at Jawdla
Mikhi, a locality in the jungle between Kotalwar
Coal at Jawdla Mukhi. ne Be
and Ké6rar; and here very gratifying results were
attained. A seam was known to occur, and it had already been mapped
and reported on (1883) ; but whereas at its outcrop the section only
disclosed
ft. in
Shale : z : c . : ; , . 7 & 0
Coal ; é 5 ; c : : s 4 0 2 O
Shale, parting 0 6
Coal 1 6
32 HUGHES: SOUTHERN COAL-FIELDS OF REWAIH GONDWANA BASIN.
the real thickness as demonstrated by the borings was much more—
ft. in. ft. in.
No, 1. No. 3.
1. Sandstone . é > te (@) 1. Brown surface soil 5, oa fH)
2. Sand with gravel . 5 &-@ 2. Sandstone ‘ . 42 0
3. Sandstone : peo 70 3. Sandstone, carbonace-
ous, shaly ‘ 2) Ba
4. Coal F , » & @ 4. Coal - j =) a
5. Shale, carbonaceous, ‘ 5. Shale, carbonaceous . 6 O
with coal By)
6. Coal ; 40 6. Sandstones, grey Becta)
7. Shale, carbonaceous, —————s
with coal 2 0 Torar . 63 0
8. Coal 40
9, Shale 8 0
10. Sandstone 62 0O
11. Shale 000
12. Sandstone 10
TOTAL . 122 O
The angle of dip varies from 8° to 10°. Direction north-north-west.
High Speroontaae sof A sample of weathered coal gave most excellent
fixed carbon. results, and I would draw special attention to the
high amount of fixed carbon.
Analysis :—
Moisture . 0 . , : . f 6 A . 5:04
Volatile matter, exclusive of moisture 3 ; ; : E2256)
Fixed carbon A 2 5 9 : A 4 , . 65°48
Ash . 5 ‘ : ‘ 4 : 5 F C - 16°92
100:00
Although the outerop of this seam can only be traced for a short
distance at the surface, there is no misgiving in my own mind of its
general extension to the northward and in the direction of Dudraunri and
Khaira. I anticipate also that it might be proved south of T4li, if
borings were undertaken there. I would recommend this being done,
should the desire to test the ground in the vicinity of Dirouri and thence
Conlleprebably occurs westward ever take a practical form. With coal
near Tali, demonstrated as occurring in its usual strength at
( 168 )
GEOLOGICAL Wy Oe Vie OF TAN, DeleA
Hughes
Memoirs, Vol: XXI, Pt-%
Trap
Talchir
Supra Barakar
Barakar ie Coal seam
SOUTH REWAH _GZONDWANA
JOHILLA VALLEY
COAL-FIELD.
Scale 1 Mile = 1 Inch
Furlongs _—— SS SS Mile
INDEX.
Metamorphic
Bore Hole
Amadongre
BASIN
On Stene by Khadom Hosain
Geological Survey Office
JOHILLA COAL-FIELD. 33
or near Tali, there would be considerable encouragement for the prosecu-
tion of further enquiries ; each point progressively fixed as coal-bearing
being the presage of additional success.
The only other band of coal is north-north-east of Khaira in the
oo Chapar Nala. It is very thin, and overlies shales.
Dip towards north.
A bed of carbonaceous shale occurs at Barbasptir, another at
Ronis eke Jagat} ir, and one near the junction of the Baréri
and Korar streams.
The various out-crops of coal and carbonaceous shale that have been
Grereval beaase Hose alluded to do not imply that there are several in-
zon. dependent seams or bands. The exposition of the
Umaria measures is to my mind a fair gauge of the structure and
composition of the Kérar coal-field, and hence we may assume that
there is one main coal-bearing horizon with a like minimum thickness of
workable coal.
SECTION IX.—THE JOHILLA COAL-FIELD.
The Bardkars of the Johilla valley are exposed about 13 miles south-
east of Umaria, and constitute two separate tracts, one to the north, and
the other to the south of the metamorphic exposure of Péuri. By far
the larger of the two, and the only one important from an economic point of
2 view, is the northern area. In consequence of this
Map of north portion : :
of Jéhilla field—scale 1 circumstance I have not thought it necessary to
inch to 1 mile.
prepare a map of each of them on an enlarged scale.
The accident of position has caused much more attention to be
devoted to the Umaria than to the Joéhilla field; but at the outset of
the Rewah coal explorations, not knowing what the fate of our purpose at
Umaria might be, a few borings were simul-
taneously carried out in the Johiila valley with
the object of testing the value of the signs of coal that were there
visible. The extra distance would have been a very small drawback if
the only alternative of procuring coal had been the opening up of that
part of the district. As events have shown, there was no immediate
c ( 169 )
Borings to prove coal.
34 HUGHES: SOUTHERN COAL-FIELDS OF REWAH GONDWANA BASIN.
necessity to have taken the precaution of examining the Jdéhilla valley,
but nothing has been lost by the course then pursued, and it is a matter
of congratulation that we have acquired definite knowledge of a further
and extremely valuable stock of coal land.
The rise of the Jéhilla river has already been described as being in
nAeyS the high trappean plateau of the Mandla District.
Jdhilla river, c :
It passes by a succession of descents into the lower
level of the Singwara division of the Rewah State, and, after winding
through a narrow valley known as the Khéli, which formerly enjoyed,
and even now, though in a less measure, an inviting reputation as a
splendid tiger-ground, exposes near Lakhanpara, 81° 6’ E. Long., and
23° 17’ N. Lat., the thin strip of Barakars that forms the south portion
of the Johilla valley coal-field. At Mangthar it passes through Talchirs,
and then soon after enters the metamorphic area of Pénri, the rocks of
which constitute its channel for 2 miles. A little to the north-east of
Pénri, it strikes the southern boundary of the Talchirs connected with
the northern division of the Jdéhilla coal-field, and then, flowing past
Bara Chada, offers from that point to its union with the Sén, the most
typical section of the Barakar and supra-Bardkar rocks that can be
found in the whole district.
I think it unnecessary to defend the propriety of the designation
Jchilla coal-field. There are no other exposures of the Barakar
group than those already alluded to; and as the southern area requires
only a brief notice, it may be dismissed in a few words.
South area.—Johilla Coal-field.
The measurement of its area gives 34 square miles, which is a magni-
se tude quite enough to make it a valuable field, if
coal occurred in workable thickness.
There are no out-crops, however, of any promise, and though I have
No lout oronrecfenny quoted several instances, as warnings against form-
promise. ing a damnatory opinion on the mere evidence of
out-crops, I am now speaking with the knowledge acquired in the
CLO: 4
JOHILLA COAL=FIELD. 385
Umaria and Koérar fields. There, the main coal occurs well up in the
measures, but the difference here, so far as I could judge, lies in the
circumstance that the rocks are all below that horizon.
I would not discourage any who may, years hence, wish to satisfy
a at their own expectations, and the following is a
statement of the few places at which there are
slight signs of carbonaceous matter.
(2) South of Amuari, where the road from that village to Lakhan-
pura crosses the Johilla, there is the following
Amuari, : :
section (descending) :—
od
ed
-
3
Thick-bedded grey sandstone. : : . 2
Thin lenticular band of coal and peri hacapus eiale
Micaceous sandstone
Grey and carbonaceous shale
Sandy micaceous shale
aor BN OO
ooooo;:
Dip north-north-west
(6) Half a mile south of Mangthar, on the right bank of the
Jdhilla, a thin bed of coal and carbonaceous shale,
Mangthar. :
2 feet thick, crops out.
From this place, as also Amuari, fossils were procured, which Dr.
Feistmantel determined to be!—
Gangamopteris cyclopteroides.
Noéggerathiopsis hislopi.
(c) Some carbonaceous shale is exposed west of Mangthar in one of the
small streams having no name, but in which there are several salt-licks.
There may be a possibility of finding the thick coal under the
Lamétas of Istinpdra and Taktai; but to sear
Possibly thick coal ee a P eae se uGs
occurs in direction of for it will be a speculative undertaking, and one
Istinpira. c
quite unnecessary, so long as the more conveni-
ently situated seams of the northern area and those of Umaria and
K6rar are not exhausted.
1 Palwontologia Indica, 1882, Ser. XII, Vol. IV, p. 14.
( 14
36 HUGHES: SOUTHERN COAL-FIELDS OF REWAH GONDWANA BASIN,
North area.—Johilla Coal-field.
This portion of the coal-field extends over an area of 114 square
ans miles distributed on each side of the Jéhilla river
and forming a band of varying width between the
Talchirs and the supra-Barakars.
The attention of several previous observers appears to have been
drawn to the fact of the occurrence of coal in
the Jdhilla valley. This is probably due to the
conspicuous manner in which the coal is exposed, and its propinquity
Previous observers.
to Pali, one of the usual and most favourite halting-places en route to
and from Sohagptr.
For travellers progressing eastward, Pali is the last village at which
supplies can be procured; and there is a great temptation to steal a
day in one’s programme of marches to enjoy the shady mango groves,
the beautiful prospect, and the wild duck and snipe-shooting that the
large tank and rice-runs afford,
In 1840 Dr. Spilsbury, in the Journal of the Asiatic Society of
Bengal,’ mentioned coal as being found in the bed
ate tas ore of the Joéhilla river near Pali, and likewise in a
small stream near K4lésar-Umaria of Rewah. .At that time the Sing-
Souilin welley former: wara, and the whole of the Jéhilla coal lands were
ly under English rule. under English domination, but after the Mutiny
they passed, together with the Sohagpdar taluk and the shrines of Amar-
kantak, into the hands of the Rewah administration. In 1854 Major
Wroughton stated that coal occurred in the Jéhilla.
Major Wroughton, Mr. :
Grane Captain Hyde, In 1860 Mr. Grant and Captain Hyde, of whom
Game mention has already been made, passed by the
Jdhilla in the belief that the coal was no better than that of the Umrar
river. In the same year Mr. J. G. Medlicott inserted, in the Memoirs
of the Geological Survey of India, Vol. II, Part 2, a short paragraph
concerning coal near the village of Malidgura, and mentions that it was
1 Journal, Asiatic Society, Bengal, Vol. IX, Part 2, p. 903.
JOHILLA COAL-FIELD. 37
light and very bituminous. The subsequent notices of the Jébilla valley
are those by myself in the Records of the Survey.
The boundaries of the Barakar group are fairly well discernible, and
; the only indeterminate portion is near Kimirdu,
Boundaries, :
where alluvium and rank grass frustrate all at-
tempts at close delimitation.
There is very little departure from the ordinary type of sandstones in
any of the river sections; but in that of the Dhébghata I remarked
some yellowish felspathic silicious sandstones near Khodargaon, with
d thin vitreous ferruginous plates and containing
Ferruginous sandstone, : c ,
pebbles. It goes against my previous experience to
place such beds either in the Raniganj or Bardkar divisions of the
Damudas, but immediately above them is a grey earthy shale, coloured
here and there by carbonaceous matter, in which fossils of true Barakar
type, of the genera Glossopterzvs and Vertebraria, were found, and I have,
in consequence, accepted the evidence as decisive of the horizon.
In the Ganjra Nala, where the road from Pali to Malidgtira crosses
it, sandstones very similar to those in the Wardha
valley may be seen on either side of the ford.
They are nodular, texture granular, felspar slightly decomposed, and
Ganjra Nala.
colour either somewhat yellowish-grey or reddish-grey,
The general dip is to the north and at low angles.
Coal occurs in several places, but just as in the other fields there is
only one main horizon, so the same feature is
Outcrops.
repeated here. The most noted out-crop is that
in the Jéhilla river, where the Ganjra-Nala joins it. A shallow boring
(1882) was sunk on it to get a fair reading of the
Jéhilla boring. 3
general thickness of the seam, and the result
showed a great advance on my measurements at the surface,
As a point of interest I place the two sections side by side :—
ft. in, ft.) ins,
No. 2 Johilla Valley Bore-hole. Surface section,
1. Dark surface soil . St SLO
2. Sandstones . % ~ tb t@) Sandstones
ete
38 HUGHES; SOUTHERN COAL-FIELDS OF REWAH GONDWANA BASIN.
ft. in. ft. in,
No. 2 Jéhilla Valley Bore-hole. Surface section.
3. Coal . “ : 7s 10. Coal and coaly shale . 5; Lee
4. Sandstone . : ek 0 Grey micaceous sandstone . 5 O
5. Carbonaceous shale OuLO Coal and coaly shale 6 0
6. Carbonaceous shale and sand- Argillaceous shale 2 0
stones 5 - a UA Coal and carbonaceous shale tee
7. Coal . ; 5 > @
8. Carbonaceous sandstone
The seam can be traced both east and west, and a bore-hole was put
down (1882) near the junction of the Marjada and
Marjada boring. ;
Umarha streams, where the coal appears in great
foree, The section agrees closely with that of the Jéhilla boring—
ft. in.
1. Yellow clay a ° 4 4 6 c 5 < 0
2. Sandstone and shale. 5 ° C 2 : a. 45) £0
3. Carbonaceous clay and shale . ‘ . 3 : I ae)
4. Sandstone “ : ; : 4 : é 5 Tee wy
5. Coal . 5 . - 5 ob hae 10,
6. Carbonaceous and grey shaly sandstone . 5 A ‘ 2 O
7. Coal. A ; : “ 5 3 ; 3 O
8. Carbonaceous shale and sandstone c C é s 6. 10
9. Coal . ; c 8 O
Sandstone and pariodnecote wales
Angle of dip is 6°, direction nearly due north.
From this point westward I failed to procure further evidence of the
existence of this seam, but I have strong faith in its extension, and also
that, when circumstances render it a matter of importance to follow it up,
it will be found to occur under the Lamétas of the Marni Nala.
For the purpose of having the coal practically tested, 500 maunds
Goalquemiedfor'tdal Wee quarried from the out-crop in the Marjada
on railway. Nala and delivered to the Great Indian Peninsula
Railway for trial in their locomotives,
Average samples selected by myself gave excellent percentage figures,
and for comparison with those of Umaria coal I append a few analyses of
each.
Vol. matter. Fixed carbon, Ash,
Marjada . > F . s . 32:31 54°58 1311
3 3 ° : : . 35°60 52°77 11°63
D 3 : 5 . 38664 55°93 743
Umaria . 6 0 a . 26°70 59°20 14°19
5 a 2 5 f 5 . 26°40 60°90 12:70
5 : : 5 0 5 . 28°40 60°70 10°90
( 4)
JOHILLA COAL-FIELD. 89
I believe that in the running trials the Jéhilla coal was stated to have
shown a slight superiority, but it is difficult to reconcile this assertion
with the deduction to be drawn from the analyses.
Considering the distinct advantage in fixed carbon possessed by the
. , Umaria coal, the latter ought to have been the
Umaria and Joéhilla
coal probably alike in better fuel. Eventually, when both seams are cut
quality. : F
into, under a moderate amount of covering, I
have no doubt that they will give very even returns. There is sulphur
in all the coal,
A third boring marked on the map as III was instituted to prove a
: small out-crop in the Dhébghata Nala; but after
Dhébghata boring. Y 3
going through 153 feet of successive sandstones,
the rods were withdrawn, the conelusion being that the coal was
ephemeral.
Below the junction of the Bichna and the Dhébghata, there is a band
of coaly shale, but no coal. In the bed under it some specimens of
Glossopteris were procured.
In several places plants were discovered. Three species were obtained
: below the seam in the Johilla river—G@lossopteris
ir communis, Gangamopteris comp. cyclopteroides,
and Néggerathiopsis hislopi. From the Kiidri feeder of the Dhébghata —
Nala, seven species—Vertebraria indica, Glossopteris communis, Glossopteris
indica, Glossopteris browniana, Glossopteris damudica, Gangamopteris, sp.
Néggerathiopsis hislopi. From the head waters of the Dhdébghata
stream, and not far from the village of Amadéngri, eight species—G/os-
sopteris indica, Glossopteris tanioides, Glossopteris angustifolia, Ganga-
mopteris angustifolia, Gangamopteris cyclopteroides, Gangamopteris sub-
auriculata, Samaropsis, comp. parvula, Noggerathiopsis hislopt.
Dr. Feistmantel points out, with reference to these forms, that
they correspond to the association of fossils found with the second and
third seams of the Karharbari coal-field. That there is this correspon-
dence is clear enough, but I have hitherto failed to see anything dis-
tinetive enough in the character of the rocks containing this partial
Karharbari flora to warrant a separation from the Barakar.
( He)
40 HUGHES: SOUTHERN COAL-FIELDS OF REWAH GONDWANA BASIN.
Before closing my remarks on the Johilla field, I would wish to say
Repedioner ee weirs that these explorations are another illustration of
to supplement researches the expediency of supplementing our geological
of Geological Survey. : . .
researches by boring’ operations, for, like those who
preceded me, I formed a poor opinion of the seam from the evidence at
the out-crop. Greater experience of the frequent fallacy of surface indi-
cations enabled me to guard myself against expressing unequivocal
condemnation, but the general bearing of my opinion was, ? as expressed
in my first contribution on this area in the Records of the Survey, that
the coal was poor, and not worth much consideration. The borings and
quarrying have proved that something more practical than hammer tap-
ping is required to frame a correct estimate of the value of a seam.
It is fortunate that justice has been done to the Jéhilla valley, for,
notwithstanding the fact of its coal being 13 to 14 miles further from
Katni than Umaria, it will prove either a very formidable rival to that
field or a seasonable reserve, according to the conditions on which the
lease of the Rewah mining rights is granted. i
There appears to be quite 20 feet of coal, and, although the out-crop
of the seam cannot be traced for more than 2 miles, it is almost a
certainty that both in the direction of Khodargaon and of Pali shallow
sinkings would touch it.
I refrain from attempting to make a close estimate of the available
Ecce ee quantity of fuel, for there ne undefined area
under the supra-Barakars which introduces such
latitude into one’s figures that to my mind there is no satisfaction in
treating the question. If asked, however, whether 100,000,000 tons
of coal might be extracted from the Johilla valley down to a depth of 500
feet, I should reply in the affirmative.
1 “Records, Geological Survey of India, 1881, Vol. XIV, Part I, p. 127,”—“I do not
condemn it because experience has taught me that many seams (as in the Wardha and
Méhp4ni fields) with thin outcrops may thicken rapidly, and furnish a good deal of coal, I
can say, however, that the signs are not promising.”
é 276
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA
Hughes Memoirs: Vol. XX1.Pt. 3.
SECTIONS OF BORINGS
JOHILLA VALLEY & KORAR
KORAR
JOHILLA
eS)
o
©
x
i ST
Al
JNININ NI
WAT AYA i
SNANAN
\WATAWA ds;
JN/NIN
NS NANG i
JVININ a=)
WAWAW
ZNININ a
WAWAWA
\
Yvs\e 5
©
o
By
a
le}
©
oO
2p)
INDEX
ZA ~ .
BARA Surface Soil
Sandstone
Oss] Carbonaceous Sandstone
COR
| 15 Shale
On Stone by Aminullah Geol. Surv Uffice
SOHAGPGR COAL-FIELD. 41
SECTION X.—THE SOHAGPUR COAL-FIELD.
From the description of the three small outlying fields, I now pass
Afataaceatl Gordan to the notice of the more extensive main area
miles, comprising nearly 1,600 square miles, and to which
I would give the name of the Sohagptr coal-field. It may hereafter be
found convenient to introduce some restricted local designations. The
portion within the Koréa district appears suggestive of such a course, but
T have no doubt that the adjustment of names and titles will be satis-
factorily carried out when the necessity arises.
Roughly speaking, the Sohagpur field stretches through two degrees
of longitude, from the river Sén to the river Rér. There is no great
Coal seams not plenti- ichness of coal, nature having apparently exhausted
ful. herself in abortive efforts resulting in carbona-
ceous or coaly shale, or seams too thin, according to the present standard
of working, to be mined profitably. Owing to the horizontality of the
strata, however, such seams as occur of available size possess the advan-
tage of extreme accessibility, and can be easily won over an extensive
area.!
Of the rocks constituting the Bardkars of the Sohdgpdr field, quite
Retactdes constitute nine-tenths are sandstones, of which the major
Yoths of group. portion are the ordinary grey or yellowish-grey
silicious sandstones, sometimes earthy and sometimes slightly calcareous,
with a small percentage of mica.
I have grouped the whole of the coal measures as Bardkars, rather than
enter upon the uncertain and equivocal task of separating them under
the divisions of Karharbari, Bardkar, and Raniganj. Amongst the
lower strata there are fossil forms which agree with many of those found
in the Karharbéri beds of the Karharbdari field, and in the higher strata
are a few plants which were formerly esteemed as distinctive of the
Réniganj horizon. Later researches, however, have shown that the
range of many of the supposed characteristic fossil forms is much greater
1 This remark applies only to the portio of the Sohdgpur field in the Rewah territory.
Cae)
42. HUGHES: SOUTHERN COAL-FIELDS OF REWAH GONDWANA BASIN.
than was formerly supposed, and in the absence of collateral strati-
graphical evidence, I have preferred to retain all the coal-bearing rocks
under one denomination.
With the exception of the lowest beds of the group around Saranpar,
Dhémni, Amiliha, and Dhirauli, there is a common type of feature in all
the sandstones, until the unmistakable ferruginous sandstones of the
supra-Bardkars are reached. There is no representative here of the
iron-stone-shales group, which, coming between the upper and lower
coal measures of the Damiida valley fields, makes the separation of the
Damida series in that region a matter of extreme facility ; and though
it isa fact patent to every ordinary mind that where little or no disturb-
ance has taken place, lower beds must necessarily be older than upper
ones, there is nothing sufficiently distinctive either in the distribution of
the plants or the succession of the strata to call for further sub-division.
It would involve a tiresome rehearsal of a multiplicity of names
Baandaviontoficokse to describe the course of the boundaries of the
pur field. Sohdgpar field. I would refer the reader to the
large map; from which it may easily be perceived that the supra- Barakar
and Laméta groups are unconformable to the Barakars, Nearly through-
out their entire extent the boundaries are natural, the only doubtfully
faulted portion being that in the Jbilmili area, where a fault was mapped
by my late colleague Professor V. Ball.’ I was not able to make an
independent inspection of this feature, but I assume that my views
would have been in accord with his could I have devoted enough time to
the study of the question.
Dip northerly, at low There is a general dip to the north at low
Buble. angles, implying very slight disturbance.
In an Appendix a list has been drawn up of all the sites at which
List of coal outcrops Coal has been noticed. It presents a formidable
Ha greni es length, but this bears evidence rather to the fact
that so far as mere plodding was concerned it was energetically carried
out, and not that there is a super-abundance of coal. For such a wide
} It is marked in his map of the Bisrémptr coal-field, which lies to the south-east of
Jhilmili (Records, Geological Survey of India, Vol. VI, part 2).
(Vs
SOHAGPUR COAL-FIELD. 43
area as 1,600 square miles, outerops were very sparingly met with,
and when this fact was understood, it became an obligation to explore
every stream, great and small, much more closely than was at first
contemplated.
In the comparatively level expanse of the Sohdgpir district, this
obligation was almost too scrupulously discharged. But in the hilly
tracts and uplands of Koréa and Jhilmili, the tax on our time was too
great, the streamlets and the runlets being overwhelming in number ;
and many of them, in which doubtless there are exposures, have conse-
quently been unheeded.
Entering the Sohagptr field from the west, through the picturesque
Marcha pass on the road between Pali and the town of Sohagpir, several
miles of sandstones have to be traversed, both with and across their
strike, before anything like a workable seam of coal is met with.
Following the proposed line of railway as marked on our map, there
ES Aen eee are only a few thin outcrops of carbonaceous mat-
Méhroi, Semriha, Kaund- ter near Mahroi, Semriha, Kaundbahara, and So-
babiey sud Solleepar. hagpur, which seem to me utterly devoid of pro-
mise of anything better below the surface.
The thickest of these is 2 feet, and it occurs in the Kaundb4hara
stream, a short distance above its junction with the one coming from
Semriha. It is much weathered at the surface. Northward from this
outcrop, the sandstones are thickly bedded porous rocks with decomposed
and undecomposed felspar, the former of which is of an unusually reddish
colour.
Specimens of the fossil Zrizygia speciosa together with Glossopteris
communis, Glossoptercs formosa, and Vertebraria indica, were found in
some variegated micaceous shales, and greenish close-grained micaceous
argillaceous sandstone, associated with the coal band exposed in the
Marna river where it flows past Sohagptr.
This is one of the few localities in which Zrizygia was met with. As
bearing on the unification of the Damidda series, this equisetaceous plant
is a very interesting one. In former years it was supposed to bea
( *EA9) )
44. HUGHES: SOUTHERN COAL-FIELDS OF REWAH GONDWANA BASIN.
characteristic Raniganj form, but it appears that it occurs almost as
frequently in the Barékar as in the Raniganj group, as shown in the
following list } :—
Raniganj Barakar
group. group.
Réniganj field : ; . 5 . : *
Satpara Basin . . 4 é ; ; .
Auranga field . ° ° 5 : . 4
Bokaro : : : . 5 5 : id
Talcbir ; Ss | A : ia $
To the east of Soh4gpir an admixture of coal and carbonaceous
Perit |. Shae shale—the latter largely preponderating—shows at
Chainpdr and Jamia- the edge of the trap formation between Chainpir
gts and Jamtia-Jaméi. The bed measures 7 feet, but
did not impress me favourably as a source of coal.
It was my intention to have had three or four borings made in the
neighbourhood of Sohdgpdr to place our knowledge of that part of the
Borings not carried field on an exact footing, but unfortunately cireum-
ORE stances arose which necessitated the presence at
Umaria until the close of the working season (1883-84) of the Assistant
Mining Engineer, to whom the task of carrying out my views had been
entrusted. Neither here therefore, nor at Lalpar, Khaira, or Dhanpdri
—all villages, further to the east and south, where sites had been marked
out for trial borings—have any underground readings been obtained.
Judging from the evidence available at the surface, I should not be
; disposed to commend the area immediately adjoin-
Area adjoining railway =, :
between Mircha pass and ing the railway from the Mircha pass to Sohagpur
Sohdgptir, not valuable. £5» initial mining operations in this field.
There are more decisive and cheering indications of fair coal lands in
eM 4 the vicinity of the Sén; and as a convenient line
aera of description to follow, I shall take the river up
where it enters the Bardkar area north of Antkpair? and comment on
the outcrops in it, and near. it until it passes beyond the confines of the
field.
J Pal. Indica, Fossil Flora of the Gondwana System, Vol. III, Pt. 2, p. 71.
2 Anukpir is the residence of the Chief of Sohdgpur.
( 180. )
SOHAGPGR COAL-FIELD. 45
The lowest seam is exposed between the villages of Karaibéhara and
Mariaras in the Bakan Nadi, a tributary on the left side of the Sdn.
It measures 3’ 3” at the crop, but will in all likelihood thicken to the deep.
With the object of determining this circumstance,
Bakén Nadi seam 33”, : :
and the further question of whether it was the
probable representative of the Umaria band, I marked a spot fora boring
near Chachai, but, for the reasons previously explained as affecting the
other sites in the neighbourhood of Sohagptr, my purpose was not ful-
filled, A feeling of grateful relief, after a month’s close survey, at having
found anything like coal, made me at first estimate my discovery of this
seam a little too highly. Referring to my field notes, I see that I al-
luded enthusiastically to the coal; a more moderate view gives, I
think, a truer idea of its quality.
The outerop is confined to the Bakan Nadi, as there is not a trace of
it in any of the numerous streams either to the east or to the west of
the Sdn.
I searched carefully around Mariaras for further signs of coal, but
Water-borne coal in ~ could only find water-borne fragments in the
Suthné Nala, Suthné Nala. I endeavoured to lay my hand on
the bed that they came from, and spent more than a week in prospect-
ing, without obtaining a satisfactory return for my labour,
The next stream in which there is evidence of coal is the Katna, on
the right bank of the Son. In the lower portion
Katna Nala. *
of its course there are two outcrops near Rampir,
but they are scarcely worth recording. Inthe upper reaches there are
Rampur, Manglichtian, Several places in the neighbourhood of Manglichtan
Harri, and Manjira. where indications of coal are visible, but with the
exception of abed of inferior quality between Harri and Manjira,
measuring about 6 feet, none of them exceed 30 inches.
North of the confluence of the Katna with the Sdn, we find a belt
of productive measures, occurring at about the same horizon as that of
the Umaria field, There is one main seam which is something more
than 5 feet, and two smaller ones underlying it,
Good seam of coal, : 5 :
varying from 12 to 30 inches. Owing to gentle
CSE}
46 HUGHES: SOUTHERN COAL-FIELDS OF REWAH GONDWANA BASIN.
rolling in the strata, and to the low dip that obtains, the outcrops of
all the different beds are repeated, and we must guard against over-
estimating the number of seams that we are dealing with.
The main seam comes to the surface between Bargaon and Kelhauri,
once in the Jamunia, thrice in the Sdn, frequently
Outcropsof good seam, ¥ te: x
in the Bagéha, and twice in the Nargara stream.
It covers a large and easily workable area on either side of the Sdn, and
it can be picked up along its strike for a distance of 10 miles.
It is the seam par excellence of this part of the field, none other
approaching it in thickness; and I am glad to see that the line of
__ railway actually touches it between the villages of
Proposed railway line , : wees ;
touches seam between Burhar and Amlei, thus making it immediately
Burhar and Amlei. ° ,
accessible to any adventurers who may wish to
work it. The coal is of fair quality throughout, but that in the upper
portion of the seam is the best, The assay of a sample of the latter
gave—
Moisture 3 0 c - : 4 5 Dis
Volatile matter 5 . C 5 : : . 29°5
Fixed carbon . é : 5 é 5 . 55:0
Ash ‘ ; 4 ; 5 7 ; 5 EL
100'0
It does not cake. Colour of ash reddish-grey. I failed to trace the
seam west of the Nargara river, and strange to say there is not a
vestige of coal exposed in the wide tract extending from the river to
the boundary of the overlying Laméta and supra-Baradkar groups to
the south-west. In the Sarpa Nadi, there is just sufficient coal to oblige
me to allude to it, but this is north of the area indicated as sterile.
The next tributary of the Sdn of noticeable size below the Bagéha
is the Kasér Nadi, which with its feeders gathers
the waters over a large stretch of country south
of the Kandk river, and the irregular line of trap extending from the
trap-capped hill of Mahdéra. There are very few outcrops of coal
within the limits of its drainage basin, and in two instances only could
I make a complete measurement of their thickness. To illustrate the
€ 182) 5)
Kasér Nadi.
SOHAGPUR COAL-FIELD.
47
character of the sections afforded by this river, 1 quote the remarks on
my field map appended to each plotted outcrop.
Village. River.
Kharla 0 Z . | Kasér : ¢
Nimhua A . $ a 0
Terriha : . | Jamuna trib.
Channauri . . .| Tributary , :
Bargaon. . . | Jamuna trib, 6
Ditto 5 3 ¢ » .
Hatgala. . .| Tributary .
Bahgar c . | Kasér F A
Sahipur . : . | Tributary
Bacharuar , 6 6 of
Daukibtiri 5 . . »
Kiréli é A . | Bichli trib..
REMARKS.
Coal obscure.
Coal under water,
Coal under water.
. | Shale under water.
. | Coal under water.
Coal only partly exposed.
Coal partly seen.
Not all seen.
Seam not seen.
. | Small exposure. Only 1'6” seen,
Coal under water. Difficult to see.
Coal and carb. shale badly seen.
The definite measurements were—
Village. River.
Nimhua Fi 4 .| Kasér
Kivéli z , . | Jéba trib. .
REMARKs,
Coal 42/10":
Coal Gis
{ Coal 1’ 6”,
The story of the Kasér is that of nearly every remaining
river and
Like conditions else- Stream in the Rewah portion of the Sohdgpir
where. field, east of the Sdn.
The seams are few in
number, small in thickness, and imperfectly exposed, and it would be an
infliction on the reader to devote a paragraph to each, as full justice
in most instances is meted to their claim for consideration by the general
designation, unimportant.
(males)
48 HUGHES; SOUTHERN COAL-FIELDS OF REWAH GONDWANA BASIN.
There is however one seam near Sahipdr which, though obscured by
Séhipir noticeable Water, appears worthy of attention. It crops out
ba where a small stream east of the village joins
the larger one coming from Karrabdn. About 4 feet are visible, but
probably 6 to 7 feet would be a nearer approximation to its true thickness.
About a mile below the Kasér is a little stream flowing from Birhdli
wines in which there is an inferior seam measuring 3
; feet, the continuation of one of those noticed
above. Then for 8 or 9 miles the Sdn flows over a considerable mass
of trap and through sedges which give the river bed an unusual appear-
ance of luxuriant greenness.
Near Nabalptr the Sarpa falls into the Sén. This stream rises at
the foot of the trappean plateau to the south, and
Sarpa stream. A 4 i :
recelves a prodigious number of tributaries.
One of them between Hardi and Sérangpur exposes a thin band of
carbonaceous shale at a spot where several specimens of plants were
obtained. As this is the nearest and only approach to anything like
coal over a large area, I have noticed it. It has no significance, however,
from an economic point of view.
In another tributary,—the Jamina Baisaha—near Dhdmni, some
ore very fine leaves of Néggerathiopsis hislopi were
procured, and in association with them were seeds
of the same plant. “Of these latter, which Dr. Feistmantel has named
Carpolithes millert, he says, that they were first described from Passerabhia
in the Karharbéri coal-field from Karharbari beds. Jt is somewhat
interesting to find them in such a distant region as showing the wide
distribution of this particular cycad.
Enumerating the different collections of fossils from the neighbour-
hood of Dhamni, Sarangptr, and Hardi under one head as they all
belong to the same horizon, they comprise Vertebraria indica, Glossopteris
communis, Gangamopteris cyclopteroides, Gangamopteris spathulata, Ano-
mozamites, Néggerathiopsis hislopi, Noggerathiopsis lacerata, Voltzia
heterophylla, Carpolithes millert, Samaropsis, cf. parvula.
( 184 )
SOHAGPGR COAL-FIELD. 49
There is an analogy between these fossils and those from the Kar-
harbari group, but a recent visit to Karharbari has shown that, so far
as petrological and textural features are concerned, there is no harmony
between the rocks of the two fields. In the strata of the Karharbari
horizon, one of the points chiefly insisted on is the brecciated character of
the sandstones. Those of this region are peculiarly devoid of pebbles
either worn or sharp; they are principally soft earthy sandstones
and shales occasionally micaceous, moderately fine-grained, and either
whitish or grey dashed with pink or brown.
Passing the neighbourhood of Khaira, the Sarpa and its affluents
No coal outerops near Cut through typical felspathic Barakar sandstones,
pete: but, strange to say, I could not find a trace of coal
or any approach to coal. So much, however, was I struck with the pro-
bability of its occurrence, that I chose two sites for boring ; one between
Khaira and Piparia, and the other at the junction
Sites for boring. 3
of the Bartia and the Sarpa streams, As I have
previously explained, however, these borings were not carried out, but
should explorations ever again be thought necessary, I recommend them
as suitable positions.
The only outerop of coal of any pretension in the Sarpa is near
the southern margin of the trap area north of
Lalpar seam.
Lalpfr. It is better seen east and west of the
river in two small streams and the section is (descending) —
£t> in:
Carbonaceous shale . é F 2 - 5 4h ©
Coal * 7 . . . . . « . 2 0
Carbonaceous shale i : 5 F ‘ 6 oh
Tam inclined to believe that this seam corresponds with the shale
and coal east of Sohagpir along the border of the traps between Chainpa
and Jamtia-Jam6i, and perhaps if driven into, the proportion of coal at
both places may be found to be actually greater than appears at the
surface.
North of the Sarpa we find in the Sdn another outerop of what
struck me at first as being mainly carbonaceous or coaly shale, but it is
D ( 185 )
50 HUGHES: SOUTHERN COAL-FIELDS OF REWAIL GONDWANA BASIN.
evidently the continuation of a large seam that is very plainly exposed
in the Nagaua and Jamtniha streams, and which, when accessible for
examination and measurement, proved to be a useful collection of
coal.
The full section is best seen where there is a waterfall in the
Jamtniha north of the village of Nandnah, and
Nandnabh seam. , cl
- the several dimensions are as follow :—
ft. in.
1, Fine-grained grey felspathic sandstones.
2, Fine-grained slightly carbonaceous micaceous sandstones 2 8
3. Carbonaceous shale 5 ; : : 2 0
4, Coal ., 3 : : . 3 4 . omO,
5. Carbonaceous sandy shale 5 0
6. Coal. . 3 ’ : - 5 5 5 ; 0 2
7. Shale. d : ° . . ; . . . 0 3
8. Coal : 46
9. Carbonaceous shale. 3 4 0
10. Coal, hard . : ; . 38 6
11. Carbonaceons shale : . : : ° ° 10
12. Ironstone (this is a distinctive band) . ° ° - : 0 8
13. Carbonaceous sandy shale 0 9
14, Sandstone.
This seam can be traced over a very large area, and I am of opinion
that it appears again in the north in the Khairi and Kanak rivers. I
make this statement, however, with some diffidence, as the section across
country, although suggestive of this, is not a clear one. Analyses of
coal from the bands numbered four, eight, and ten give the following
results (ewclusive of water) :—
Volatile matter. Fixed carbon. Ash.
No. 4 23°84 62°50 13°66
eS 26°55 62°89 10°56
sy I) 18°28 48:15 33°57
The better portions 4 and 8 are said to cake and partially eake, and as
the samples represent the worst quality of their respective bands, having
been taken from where the coal has undergone deterioration by exposure
to alternating heat and rain, we may confidently commend this seam as
a valuable item in appraising the merits of this part of the Soh4gpiar
field.
( 186: )
SOHAGPUR COAL-FIELD, 51
Higher in the series are two or perhaps three small beds of coal,
Small seams in various the outerops of which have been met with in
picts. the Nagaua and its tributaries, and also in the
Ghorbei, Gurrha, Kanuahi, and Khairi streams. Not one of these
strikes me as being of much importance; the greatest thickness in
no case exceeds 3 feet 4 inches. Several of the outcrops are at the
Seams at base of base of waterfalls, and whilst our survey was
PE progressing, this connection of coal with each
abrupt fall in the level of the rivers was found to be of constant oceur-
rence; during the later years of our labours, we took advantage of
this circumstance to diminish the toil of speculative wandering.
I am inclined to think, as I have already said, that the Nandnah
seam crops out at the mouth of the Khairi and Kanak rivers, but the
sections are very imperfect. ‘The first one, just at the junction of the
Khairi with the Sén, when roughly measured, gave (descending) —
ft. in.
Thick bedded sandstune . : s ‘ ‘ 5 3 ilrf (0)
Coal interior . 5 3 3 4 c c F ; 1 10
Blue shale . 5 5 c 6 P A : 4 0 5
Coal inferior . j 5 : 5 5 A , : 5310)
Blue shale - ; 5 é 5 : é é 110
Coal 5 é : 6 . 4 ; 2 0
Carbonaceous and shaly sandstone ‘ : 5 4 f 7 O
Some of the coal was submitted to examination in the laboratory,
but the results obtained were not encouraging.
In the Kindk, the seam is but partially seen, and the exposure is
4. feet 9 inches to 5 feet. It cannot be traced far, and in all directions
there is a great abundance of trappean matter, which covers up the rocks.
Of the small seams higher in the series on the right side of the S6n,
there are representatives or the actual continuations on the left side of
Oultataees anes the river within the holdings of the villages of
Semdih, Maiki, Kushai, Semdih, Maiki, Kushai, Kathdari, and Nipanian.
Kathari, Nipanian. one :
Not one of them exhibits a greater thickness than
2 feet 6 inches. The dip varies, being both to the north and south, but
the angle throughout is small, only very occasionally rising to 8 degrees.
¢- 187)
§2 HUGHES: SOUTHERN COAL-FIELDS OF REWAH GONDWANA BASIN.
Passing again to the other side of the Sén, three coal bands occur in
me the Singaora and Silpari and Didpipar streams.
Outcrop in Singaora, :
Silpari, and Didpipar The largest of these is at the outfall of the Singaora
eas into the Son at the bottom of a small cascade ; but
like the rest it seems to promise nothing of practical value.
In the actual bed of the Sén, there is no sign of coal for many miles
down its course beyond the junction of the Singaora Nala, until the village
of Girart is reached ; but in the Marna river, which was alluded to when
describing the neighbourhood of the town of Sohaégpar, there is an out-
Mirna Nala, Bijauri CTOp between the hamlets of Udri and Bijauri. 1
Ouycror could not in any of my measurements make the
thickness more than 5 feet, and the quality struck me as being poor,
pieces of the coal being very heavy. One of the exposures is at. the base
of a small waterfall at the mouth of a rivulet joining the Mirna, and
while examining it I disturbed a fine male tiger (which I subsequently
shot) that had retired for the day to the cool enjoyment of an umbrageous
retreat.
The last seam of coal in the Sdn, and the highest in the series crops
eu out in several different places near Gararé. It
Gurarti seam. 4
is capped by carbonaceous shales and sandstones,
and the whole mass of dark-looking rocks forms a conspicuous feature
in the river bank. It was the first seam of coal that I met with
after we had commenced the survey of the Sohagpir field. I could
obtain no information about coal from the natives; but by follow-
ing up the water-borne fragments for several miles along the channel
of the Son from the confluence of the Johilla, I discovered the source
whence they were derived. The following is the section -of the
seam :-—
ft. in.
Coal 5 0
Carbonaceous shale ; 6 0
Coal ; : : I p 24
Carbonaceous shale 2 0
Coal 28
Carbonaceous shale and coal, not all seen.
@ 188)
SOHAGPOR COAL-FIELD. 53
There is a sufficient workable thickness of coal, but an analysis of, it by
Mr. Mallet was disappointing.
Moisture : ; : 27
Volatile, exclusive of moisture 95
Carbon, fixed 40°5
Ash 47°3
100:0
If it were not that the distance between Girard and the Kunuk out-
fall was rather too far, and the evidence too imperfect to reduce correla-
tion to a certainty, I might be tempted to suggest that from the simi-
larity in the composition of the coal at these two places, the exposures in
both localities are of the same seam.
With this notice is ended the description of all the more important
outcrops of coal in the actual bed of the Sdn and the area drained in the
lower courses of the lesser tributaries that join it below Antkpur, after
the commencement of its traverse through the Bardkar group.
A large number of specimens of plants were found with comparatively
little trouble in the tracts of land enclosed by the
S6n and the supra-Bardkars, north of the latitude
of Nabdlpar. They were mainly of the genera Glossopteris, and Verte-
braria, and the latter occur in profuse abundance in many spots.
Quoting again from Dr. Feistmantel’s Fossil-Flora of the Rewah Gond-
wana basin,! the different forms determined, and some of the localities
whence a large proportion of them were procured, are—
Amliha, Glossopteris communis, Glossopteris angustifolia, Vertebraria
indica ; Maiki, Glossopteris communis, Vertebraria indica ; Murna river,
Trizygia speciosa, Dicksonia hughesi, Glossopteris angustifolia, Gl. com-
munis ; Gardrd, Vertebraria indica, Schizoneura gondwanensis, Glossopteris
angustifolia, Gl, communis, Gl. formosa, Gl. formosa var. major, Gl.
tndica, Gl. browniana, Squame gymnospermarum ; Sarsi, Schizoneura
Fossils.
gondwanensis, Glossopterts browniana.
In this list Vertebraria is found high up in the series, and it is abund-
ant everywhere. Trizygia is seemingly confined to upper beds. Certain
! Pal, Ind., Fossil Flora of the Gondwana System, Vol. [V, pt. 1.
(risa
54, HUGHES: SOUTHERN COAL-FIELDS OF REWAH GONDWANA BASIN.
species of Glossopteris are generally distributed, but others are restricted.
Schizoneura is more common in upper beds.
There are no specimens of Gangamopteris, and it is noticeable that
this plant is confined to the lower horizon of the Barakar group.
East of the Sén a very convenient division for details of other out-
crops may be drawn at the north and south watershed of the Kéwai river
and its tributaries, near east longitude 82°. Although the area is a large
one, there is a notable absence of thick seams, and indeed there is not
one exposure which at first sight would undeniably be declared valuable.
Almost without exception every outcrop was imperfect or indistinct,
Many of them were entirely under water, and their discovery was
chiefly due to having a graduated scale of liberal rewards which excited
the exploratory ardour of my camp. There was no opportunity of learn-
ing anything by boring, and the fact of coal occurring at Umaria and
being worked there made it appear unnecessary to expend time and
money in even shallow trenching.
Proceeding eastward from Gurard there are carbonaceous shales here
and there ; and some inferior coal south-east of the
village of Khama. The largest of these outcrops
is capped by rather coarse sandstone with a roseate tinge, and the
measurements are —
Poor coal at Khama,
ft. in
Sandstone ;: 5 c , = - 5 A le)
Coaly matter and shale : : 5 : : , 0 5 0
Coal : 5 < : ‘ 5 4 . : OMS:
There is nothing inviting in the appearance of this seam, but it is
noticeable as being the principal mass of carbonaceous matter for some
miles around.
No coal is seen between this and the Obhi river, forming the bound-
ary of the Rewah and Chang Bhakar States, and there are no seams of
any importance in the Kanuk or its feeders until nearing the village of
Jaintptr, Passing over the names of the streams that yield no surface
evidence of coal, in order to avoid adeluge of useless references, there
‘ is an outerop in the Khappar-Kita within sight
Khappa- Kuta stream, : i i 2 ;
of its junction with the Kanak, and in descend-
(, 100) =)
SOHAGPGR COAL-FIELD. 5D
ing order the following rocks are visible :—
eh
-
Ss
Fine-grained grey sandstone fs} (0)
Blue shales ‘ 2 0
Coal . 5 ° é ; : : nw)
Carbonaceous shales, with a string of coul 10
Coal 20
Shale or coal, ander waters
In one of the sources of the same stream and about a mile and a
Bandhua hamlet and quarter south-east of Bandhua hamlet, and the
Eibote aaa, same distance east-north-east of Khohara, there is
a fair-sized seam with an exposed section of—
ft. in.
Coal . 5 5 ‘ é 5 A 4 5 oF
Carbonaceous shale 2 0
Coal 2 0
This is the most promising seam in this part of the field, and though
T can assert nothing positively about the goodness of the coal or the
real underground relative thickness of the shale, I am inclined to form a
favorable judgment of its worth and to hope that the shale may diminish.
In the Kundk there isa 4-feet seam of moderate quality below the
RAE CORGCORS deen outfall of the Dhoran, and then there is along
4’ 0". blank of 8 or 9 miles, in which there is no
appearance of true coal. As its head waters are neared, however, there
are numerous subsidiary streams, and in them, as also in the Kanik,
there are some outcrops of carbonaceous matter.
All of them, with the exception of a 3-feet seam of coal south-west
Semaria hamlet, seam 0f Semaria hamlet, come under the head of ‘insigni-
ae ficant,’ as neither the quality of their coal nor
their thickness at the surface recommends them.
The rivers examined were those flowing past the villages of Kiumer-
hin, Delbhaékherua, and Khamaria, and falling into the Ktntk on its left
bank, and the Bichli and others on the right bank.
At different spots on the l-inch maps the Topographical Survey
Coal marked by Topo- ave defined as coal what really is carbonaceous
graphical Survey. shale; but though this mistake has been com-
mitted, the records proved very useful in suggesting closer search for
Seley |)
56 HUGHES: SOUTHERN COAL-FIELDS OF REWAH GONDWANA BASIN.
true coal seams, and in directing attention to localities that might other-
wise have escaped observation. The bed, however, marked as coal near
Kichri does contain 1 foot of coal, the section being, descending
ft. in.
Carbonaceous shale 4 6
Sandstone 2 ‘ 0 6
Argillaceous sandy shale 1 0
Coal 10
There is a smal] fault running east-north-east.
At several places in the actual channel of the Kantk my colleague
and myself were fortunate enough to find fossils :
Schizoneura gondwanensis, Glossopteris communis,
and Vertebraria indica.
Fossils.
The Schizoneure occurred in grey olive-green shales, bearing resem-
Kanhér village, Verte. Dlance to some of the Panchet and Talchir shales
Bae of the Réaniganj field. The Vertebrarie were
found north-north-west of Kanhér, in a bed of carbonaceous. and argil-
laceous shale, and are noticeable because they occur erect. This is the
first instance in which I have ever met with roots or stems in such a
position, and on account of the rareness of the circumstance, I have
thought it worth while recording. There is every appearance of the
Vertebrariz being in their original situation, having grown in the carbo-
naceous shale, and penetrated into the underlying bed.
Outside the drainage system of the Kinuk, there is still one river,
the Géhirdri and its tributaries, lying west of the
watershed of the Kéwai, in which there is evidence
of coal, It joins the Sén within the area of the Talchirs, but throughout
its entire course it is the old story of no seams of a determinable thick-
ness of over 3 feet. There are outcrops near
Taraidél, Chinmar, Sardih, Mérdhéa, Ledara,
Pakariha, Rédla, Bargaon, Dhtima, and Titripénri.
In quality, the seam south of Dhtima and the one north of Réula are
Gohirari Nala,
Outcrops.
Dhima and Rétla Seemingly the best, bat my opinion must be ae-
seams.
( 192 )
cepted as open to possible correction when more
, a)
OF = 7 ie
‘0
eA
ia
a
Lay
“SNOLSONVS YVYVYVS 40 NOISOHS INIMOHS
goTg ‘seyguy ‘ ‘ ; ; :
‘soo ABAaNg ‘ToOH Ve paquray VOYMIHSNVS YVIN Y3IAIY IVMSX JHLNO MGA pIVUT Sanquineyoa 'p
’ ~ :
<= . x ay
Way,
“4d IXX [0A ‘Satoure ‘salen
am VIGNI dO ATANYNS TVIOIIO TO WD 7s
SOHAGPUR COAL-FIELD. 57
detailed and more special enquiry is instituted. 1 deemed it a sufficient
reason, so far as this country is at present concerned, for abridging my
examination of a seam when its apparent thickness did not exceed 3
feet ; at the same time I am aware that beds of less thickness than this
are sometimes successfully worked in Europe.
Kéwai River.—The next observations on coal fall within the drainage
system of the Kéwai river, and there is some satisfaction in being able to
state that two or three of the outcrops met with rise above the yard
limit.
The Kéwai and the Sén meet about 24 miles below the border of the
Pendra subdivision of the Bildéspur District. Of the two rivers the
Kéwai is the larger, and its name should either have been substituted
for that of the Sdn, or the course of the latter should have been along
eae that of its affluent. The scenery of the Kéwai is
in many places very bold and impressive, there
being repeated stretches of rocky channels and cliffs of coal-
measure sandstones. The eroding action of water is remarkably illus-
trated in the form of pot-holes; and I have never
Gambhiria: pot-holes. F ee A “
met with more striking displays in any of the
fields that have fallen to my lot to survey, than those which are to be
seen in this river. I have selected for this memoir a view near Gam-
bhirda of an area of erosion just within the boundary of the Bardkars,
where there are some cave temples, reaches of clear deep water, a succession
of small falls, and a lining of forest trees, in fact where circumstances
combine to make a varied and an attractive picture.
Proceeding up the Kéwai northwards, two thin bands of coal are ex-
posed between Pasdn and Gambhiria, but the first fair-sized seam occurs
iy west of Bélha Paiari. There are several exposures
Bélha-Paidri : seam 8’ 2”, 4 F
of it, but the most open one is where there is a
warm spring in the left bank of the river, and the section is—
ft. in.
Coal P 5 - - . ; : 6 F 8 0
Carbonaceous shale 6 5 C s ° “ 2
Coal, not all shown : . : . 5 6 . 4 0
58 HUGHES: SOUTHERN COAL-FIELDS OF REWAH GONDWANA BASIN.
I have allowed 7 feet of clear coal; and as the analysis of an average
sample gave—
Water, hydgroscopic and combined : . 10°30
Volatile matter 4 ‘ ; 3 “| 4 A A 25°49
Fixed carbon , é a 5 4 - A 4 4 63°54
INV : : 7 , 5 - 5 . p 10:97
100'00
it will be at once seen from the high amount of fixed carbon in it that
this seam may be adjudged a good and useful one.
A little higher up the Kéwai, at the outlet of the Kétma, where
: there is a waterfall, 1 foot of coal is visible. No
Kétma Nadi, - ; ;
other outcrop occurs in this tributary, and for a
considerable distance to the north in the main river, and in its succes-
sive feeders, there are no signs of coal.
In the Chaurar, however, that joins the Kéwai on its right bank, and
on which stands Ningiiani, one of the principal
Cope eNs villages of the district, we again meet with a
fine seam of coal, as well as others of less value. The lowest in the
series is about 2’ 0” thick, and lies south of Urtan. Then above it is
the largest seam in the section ; it is exposed in the southern branch of
Chapéui Nala: seam the river, flowing from Chapani, under an over-
Cyt, hanging mass of sandstone. The measurement is
6’ 7”, but there is more of it under water. The coal seemed to me very
good, but, though I broke off a piece for analysis, it does not appear to
have reached the laboratory.
Proceeding to the main or northern channel, which is named Sin-
ghara, there are two other seams of coal, the
Singhéra Nala seams. 1 ver of which is not measurable. The upper one
is 2’ 3”, and, unlike most beds of coal, is not accompanied by any under-
clay. Above this there is nothing of further interest, but there isa very
fine extent of deep clear water, invitingly adapted for a mid-day swim.
Returning to the Kéwai, which is barren of anything in the shape
of coal, we next have the Kanai, and its minor
Kanai Nala and tribu- :
taries. system of tributaries, the Bichli, the Kharbura, the
( 194 )
SOHAGPGR COAL-FIELD. 59
Jengarada, the Sui, the Chilam, and the Gandra Ktind and others, of
which many rise in the Koréa district. The only seams of proper size
crop up near the heads of the Gandra Kund and Chilam streams in
localities difficult of access, and which it would probably puzzle me to find
PEE ear ey Re second time. They UG! respectively 5” 4”
and 5’ 0’, and appear to contain good coal. The
other seams and bands are either petty in dimensions or poor in character ;
but for those who in future years may have the curiosity to examine
them, I give a list of the village lands within whose limits they lie—
Village. Number of seams. REMARKS,
Thangaon ; : . .| One seam | Coal and shale, 1’ 6” seen, rest under
water.
Bélgaon 5 . : - | One seam . | One foot thick.
Bachaoli * 5 : . | One seam . | Seen 2’ 6”, rest under water
Kanai Tolah_ . ‘ 2 . | One seam . | Section—
Coal, 1’ 6”.
Sandy carbonaceous shale, 1’ 2”,
Coal, 1’ 6”.
Sandy carbonaceous shale, 1’ 0”,
Coal, 2”.
Coaly shale, 1’ 0”.
Seam is repeated several times,
Lohari . F 3 . , | One seam - | Quite under water.
Ratoura . 5 : : . | One seam . | Imperfectly exposed, only 2’ 0” visible.
The next tributary of the Kéwai, the Latbira, was incompletely
examined, but I am inclined to think that there
Latbira Nala.
are no outcrops of carbonaceous matter, as the
portions of its channel that I looked at contained no washings of
coal,
North of the Latbtira there is nothing seen for about 5 miles, either
Pachktira seam re- 1 the Kéwai or other streams, but near Pachkira
eae is an outcrop of a seam which I believe is repeated
in the K6ki, and again at Bichia, Chatai, Haswahi, Bhalmari, Pip-
ria, and K6énwahi, Like the generality of the seams in the neighbour-
( 195 )
60 HUGHES: SOUTHERN COAL-FIELDS OF REWAH GONDWANA BASIN.
hood, it is only partly exposed, and, strange to say, not more than 3 feet
are visible in any section. Iam quite prepared, however, to express the
conviction that it is probably 1 to 2 feet thicker. An analysis of a
_ K6ki Nala coal analy. sample from the Koki river outcrop did not give
S1s,
favorable results, the fixed carbon being meagre,
and the ash abundant,
Water, hygroscopic and combined i 5 4 - 212
Volatile matter exclusive of water : 5 5 o) 2 kcO
Fixed carbon, 5 5 ° 0 : 4 . 45°50
Ash , . 2 C < - A A : . 33°49
100700
At Bichia the union of the Barnai and the Kéwai takes place, and
then the latter river forms, for about 7 miles, the boundary between the
Koréa and the Rewah States. West of Kérabahdra it is confined to
Koréa, and takes it rise between the upland peaks of Khéro and Dha-
marpinga. In this remaining part of the field, watered by the Kéwai
and its streams, there are not many seams of noteworthy size, but, as
usual, there are several of small dimensions, at Charwahi, Mouhari, Dagla,
Roji, Kérébéhéra, Chaton, Kaparia, and Pakriha. The principal expo-
p . sure of coal is in a branch of the Jhiria, north
Cheat of Nerfia, Its thickness is nothing striking, but
it looks good, and, as is almost always the case, the dip is easy. The
direction locally is to the south. Section—
ft. in.
Coal : 5 , 5 J 5 - 4 ape he)
Carbonaceous shale band ; t H ; 5 . 0.49
Coal 3 é : , ; - ‘ . : oe 8
Hestho River.—The next convenient division of the field is denoted
by the important drainage system of the Hestho. And justas the Sdn
is the paramount river in the Rewah State, so is the Hestho in the Koréa
State. A few minor tributaries of the Hestho on its right bank just reaeh
into Rewah territory, but with these exceptions the Hestho, at all events
in its upper course, is truly a Koréan river. It takes its rise in the heights
( 196 )
SOHAGPUR COAL-FIELD. 61
north of Sfinhat, the capital of Koréa, amongst the supra-Bardkar sand-
stones, and enters the field of the true coal-measures in the vicinity of
the town. Its course and that of many of its feeders lies in great part
in a hilly and impracticable country so far as communications are con-
cerned. In consequence of this physical drawback connected with the
coal-measures, the value of the different bands of coal is so reduced that 1
have curtailed my notices, and have passed by all but the larger and
more important seams with very brief allusions. All the details of
locality necessary to again find the outcrops that we met with are in the
Chapter of Appendices.
The Barakars are contracted in width in the Koréa State owing to
Productive measures denudation, and the chief feature in the distribu-
in south of field. tion of the coal is, that the productive measures
are confined to the lower horizon of the group, forming a narrow zone
along the southern border of the field.
Before describing the Koréan portion proper, there are two streams,
Kilharia and Jhiria the Kulharia and the Jhiria, tributaries of the
streams. Hestho, that rise in the Rewah State and which
I should first treat and dispose of. Being tributaries of the Hestho,
I left them for notice with the drainage system of that river, but the
accident of local position throws the coal-measures that are exposed
in them rather out of harmony with the restriction of the fiscal limits
of the Koréa State.
There are two seams of coal, of which the upper is exposed close to
Bhalmiri Dumarka- the village of Bhalmtri, measuring 5 feet 4 inches.
char, seam 5’ 4", The direction of dip just at this locality is to the
south, but the rocks undulate, and the seam is again seen near Dimar-
kachar. The lower seam is visible at the confluence of the Kulharia and
the Jhiria at the foot of a waterfall. It is capped by greyish-white
felspathic sandstone, very soft at the surface with felspar decomposed ;
there is here and there a slight tendency to ferruginous segregation, but
not nearly to such an extent as in the regular Mahadévas, I make this
allusion as a warning, for, though the presence of iron is a very essential
(2 197>~)
62 HUGHES: SOUTHERN COAL-FIELDS OF REWAH GONDWANA BASIN.
element in characterising the sandstones of the Mahadévas, it often plays
a prominent part, but not to so great an extent, in varying the appear-
ance of rocks that do not belong to that group.
ft. -in.
The thickness of the sandstone is, , ; ; : , 28. 0
Coal seam . F : - 3 7 P : : ae) Mi2
ft. in.
Coal 38 6
Carbonaceous shale 1, 40
Coal 2 8
Underneath this—
Carbonaceous shale and sandstone , : : ° A oe,
Sandstone . A ° ; 5 5 3 sO
Coaland coaly shale, ° : 4 - . A 5 (aly
Then sandstones to the end of the section where the road from Bhauta
to Jhagrakhand crosses the stream, and where Talchirs are brought up
by a fault. Owing to the undulations of the strata the seam is repeat-
edly exposed to view for about a mile and a half in the bed of the stream.
The analysis made by Lala Hira Lal, of what was selected as an average
sample of the coal, gave—
Moisture : : - : 5 ; : 5 ee /
Volatile matter . - A 7 5 C . . 282
Fixed carbon . fs 3 A 2 : . 5 . 596
Ash t c A ' ;. 4 - : . 65
100:0
It does not cake. Ash reddish in colour.
This is much more favourable testimony to the excellence of the coal
than I anticipated ; the smallness of the ash is remarkable, and for the
future credit of the Sohagpir field, I hope this amount of 5°5 per cent.
will never be exceeded by this seam. With such fuel as this much
might be accomplished, but, unfortunately like most good things, it is
not to be easily obtained, being 86 miles further away from a line of rail-
Lae way than Umaria. The continuation of this
Continuation of seam,
towards the Jhagrékhand seam is met with both to the north in the Jhagra-
bag or oa khand, and to the south in the Néori, 2 miles
south-east of Tanki village. My colleague, who traced it in the latter
direction, states that 6’ 4” are exposed and the rest hidden under water.
There is a thin parting of shale, and the quality of the coal is good.
( 19sen)
SOHAGPGR COAL-FIELD. 63
Turning northward, the first tributary of the Hestho that concerns
. us is the Hasia. It is a rocky stream fed by
Hasia Nala. é : i
several branches from the direction of Bahia,
Misra, and Bahi. These all unite below the village of Bahi, and
thence the Hasia proper begins. Near the boundary of the Bardkars
with the Talchirs there is a commanding waterfall known as the Karam
Ghag, at the base of which some indifferent coal occurs. Quoting from
the manuscript report of Lala Hira Lal, “There are two seams north
of the very prominent dyke crossing the Hasia near the waterfall,
whose calculated thicknesses are 16 and 22 feet. They dip at high
angles.” Nothing is said as to their quality, but probably they will be
found of the same composition as those that have been analysed and tested.
Besides these, there are eighteen to twenty outcrops, but some of them
are repetitions of the same bed, and most of them are under the yard
limit. Only two are over it, bearing roughly east of Bahi, and measur-
ing 5’ 0” and 3’ 10” respectively. In the Kara-
Karakachdr Nala. . ; Sena :
kachar, which is the stream adjoining the Hasia,
there are only two full-sized seams amongst the many outcrops which
are visible. The lowest in the series measures 4’ 8’, A sample of it
was analysed, but the amount of ash was very high.
Moisture 5 : A 4 A 5 - ; . 226
Volatile matter, exclusive of water . 5 . 0 5 SoH
Carbon, fixed ; . Z A : ‘ : - 48°40
Ash, 3 i , : , : ; ‘ . 89°72
100:00
The other seam is 7’ 6”, Both dip at rather high angles, 18° to 20°.
The outerop of a large seam, which I take to be the extension east-
' ward of one of those already noted, occurs in one
Balbahara seam. ;
of the streams north of the village of Balbahara.
It is clearly exposed in a precipice, and possesses a total thickness of
10 feet of coal. The section according to Lala Hira Lal is, descending
ites an.
Sandstones
Coal inferior ; A J : 3 f re 710
Shales, about ; 6 2 A : ‘ » 0
Coal 3 F : . : ‘ 5 5 » 10-0
64 HUGHES: SOUTHERN COAL-FIELDS OF REWAH GONDWANA BASIN.
Analyses of three specimens from different parts of the 10’ 0” seam, gave
moderately promising results, showing, in fact, that, as compared with
the average of Raniganj field coals, it could quite hold its own—
EXCLUSIVE OF WATER.
Volatile matter Fixed carbon. Ash.
30°42 57°51 12:07
28°85 §3°42 17°73
27°84 51°32 20°84
There are two other, but smaller seams.
Next comes the Dhinéti, into which several little streams fall,
ee: but I met with only three unimportant outcrops
between Ghitra and Bahia. There are some
fine waterfalls in its course, and the tongue of land enclosed by it and
the Hestho near their junction, is one of the favorite “ drives” of the Raja
of Koréa, Paran Sing, who is an enthusiastic sportsman.
After the Dhanéti comes the Hestho itself. Its scenery is repeatedly
ete, ates diversified by some PO NS ae
which is the one at Kirwaéhi forming the frontis-
piece. This is unquestionably the most striking and charming of all the
falls in this amply watered country. There is a broad sweep of rock
over which the greater portion of the stream precipitates itself in one
Srey. sheer drop, and then flows on through a long
winding gorge below, blocked with enormous
masses of debris, from amongst which and on which a rich vegetation
springs. It was a refreshing sight in the warm days of the summer
months, and I felt that I had parted with one of the sweets of life when
my duty obliged me to leave it behind.
Strange to say, there are no seams of noteworthy size or quality,
except one, in the whole length of the Hestho from where it enters
the area of the Bardékars near Sinhat to the point whence it leaves them
at Lai. It occurs at the end of the gorge below
Seam 5’ 0". . ‘
the waterfall, and has the following section :—
ft. in.
Coal . : . - . . . Q : . 5
Shale 5 : F 5 : : B c - <7 OLEG
Coal . : : ‘ : ‘ . : 5 = 020
( 200 )
SOHAGPUR COAL-FIELD. 65
In the face of the waterfall there are four carbonaceous bands, but it
is only the third in descending order that has true coal in it. Its thick-
ness is 3’ 6.”
Near the villages of Balsing and Basér there are indications of coal,
but from those localities eastward to within a mile
of the Jhilmili border, there is, practically speak-
ing, no coal with the exception of the belt of productive measures to the
south. Signs of carbonaceous deposits are not altogether wanting, but
they either rank clearly below the dignity of coal, or they are too thin,
or too indistinctly exposed to be classed definitely as worth consideration.
In this category are included the outcrops near
Balsing and Basér coal.
Outcrops, various, ns a ;: F x3
Kisaha, Amhdr, Stnhat, Orgai, Tunjara, Pathar-
gua, Bhoswai, and Latma.
Of the productive band to the south, the remarks which have already
been made of the area west of the Hestho give the reading. There are,
amongst many smaller seams, two of sufficient size to be workable under
the present ordinary conditions of Indian mining. To obtain a standard
section my colleague and myself ascended most of the streams, large
and little, which, curiously enough, have their watershed nearly coincid-
ent with the upper limit of the productive measures, but there was in
each instance too much incompleteness in the sequence of the rocks to
secure this result. We saw, however, outcrops after outcrops, which of
course were only the repeated symptoms of the same seams. The rivers
we examined specially were those of the villages of Lai, Harra, Kachar,
Nagar, Labji, Sardih, and Chircha.
Beyond Chircha is the border land of Jhilmili, the boundary between
which and Koréa passes by Roudserai and Tanjara, To the north-
PUM eo north-west of Roudserai, which is situated on the
new district road joining the capitals of the two
States, a good seam of coal occurs, but I could not see its entire thickness.
The small area of Bardkars extending into Jhilmili was examined
Barékars in Jhilmg; #24 mapped by Lala Hira Lal. A considerable
State. portion of it is overlaid by trap, coursing north-east
E | ( 201 )
66 HUGHES: SOUTHERN COAL-FIELDS OF REWAH GONDWANA BASIN.
and south-west and separating the field into two narrow strips. Coal occurs
at several localities, but its value is reduced, as in Koréa, by the im-
practicable nature of the country.
In the northern strip of the field, the main stream is the Géknai,
ee and in it and in nearly all its feeders there are out-
crops of coal and carbonaceous shale. The prin-
cipal ones are exposed near the deserted village of Jumri.
In the southern strip, the coal is gathered within
Southern area of field.
the circle of Kundour and Kupi villages.
There is a stray outcrop near Dédékhol, and another in the Géj
Déékhol and Rukaja West of Rukaia. At this latter place the coal
outcrops. seems of tolerable quality, and the seam, which
occurs at the base of a waterfall, is not less than 6 feet. Angle of dip
10°. Direction N. N. W.
This concludes the references to the distribution of the coal-measures
in this extensive field. The number of distinct seams is small, and for
such an area there is not an abundance of coal. The lateral extension,
Rafshiata gt nqientats however, is so great that the problem of how many
not made, million tons of coal are there, and for how many
years at a given rate of consumption will the coal last, may be left for
solution to the coming geologists of the twentieth century.
SECTION XI.—THE KURASIA COAL-FIELD.
This title, derived from the name of the only inhabited village within
the limit of the coal measures that it applies to, defines an independent
tract of Barakars lying south of the main area, and east of the Hestho
river in the Koréa State.
The superficial area is 48 square miles, and it embraces some very
wild country densely packed with bamboo jungle,
to which ferine elephants are wont to resort both
for food and shelter.
Owing to the difficulty of obtaining supplies for our camp, my col-
Area,
league and myself had to be content with making a couple of arduous
( 202 )
KGRASIA COAL-FIELD. 67
traverses from north to south, and along the course of the Kaoria stream.
Survey of field incom. He) survey of the field therefore has not been a
plete. complete one, but the boundaries are sufliciently
defined to allow of their being published until such time as more finished
details are required.
These traverses proved the existence of coal, and the occurrence of the
ordinary rocks that accompany it elsewhere. On one of the higher hills
south of Kirdsia, there is a capping of supra-Barakar sandstone ; and
possibly on the Bartunga and Anjan hills there may be similar de-
posits. They were not visited, however, and I make the suggestion
merely on account of the heights marked on the map.
Seven outcrops of coal were met with, of which the three most important
are in the vicinity of the village of Kurdsia. The
finest seam, with a total measurement of 13’ 6,”
was discovered by Ladla Hira Lal at the head of one of the feeders of the
Kiudra, and the result of the analysis of a sample
Outcrops of coal.
Seam 13’ 6”.
of average coal gave—
Water, hygroscopic and combined. . a . c - 2°20
Volatile matter . c : : : : : 29°15
Fixed carbon ° ; . : . ; C 64:65
Ash. : . * : ‘ : . 6:20
10000
Such figures as these are a high recommendation, and should this
coal at any future time fall within reasonable distance of any demand,
it ought not to be overlooked.
The second seam, measuring 6’ 6”, occurs a mile and a half S. S. E.
of Kurdsia, and, like the one first alluded to, con-
tains excellent coal. The sample examined had
the following composition :—
Seam 6’ 6”.
Water, hygroscopic and combined 5 ; 3 - 6:84
Volatile matter : c 4 A a : ; 32°43
Fixed carbon 4 ; ; 4 6 3 59°95
Ashes = 3 5 . ; 5 ‘ : 7°62
100°00
68 HUGHES: SOUTHERN COAL-FIELDS OF REWAH GONDWANA BASIN.
The third seam crops out in the Gorghéta, a tributary of the Hestho,
about half way between Kdrdsia and the site of
the deserted village of Dabchdla. It is 8’ 0” thick,
and the coal is fairly good.
The remaining seams are inferior to these, and their positions only
Seam 8/ 0”,
have been noted.
SECTION XI.—THE KOREAGARH COAL-FIELD.
This independent area of Bardkars is a small basin, of which merely
the outline has been traced. It lies south-east of the Kir4sia field, and
nig covers about 6 square miles. The name given
to it was suggested by my colleague, from the
hill of Koréagarh, which is the highest point in it.
With respect to coal, only a hurried examination was made. No
seams of any value were noticed ; but this does not in the least imply
that they do not occur; and it is highly probable that with closer
search they will be proved. In his manuscript report Lala Hira Lal says :
, ** Went to see the hill named Koréagarh, in order
Koréagarh hill. :
to make out to what formation the roeks belong.
As one ascends, the first rocks met with are grey felspathic sandstones,
then yellowish-grey felspathic sandstones, then ferruginous sandstones
of Méahadéva type. Descending the hill, the following section oceurs
in a stream :—
1. Greyish felspathic sandstones.
2. Coal : - 5 F 3 ; - : s - 6"
3. Bluish shales . - . 2 : : s ; . 4 oO"
4. Coal : - : F 5 3 4 : Z 3 vk
5. Shale parting . : : ; : ‘ - : : Ty
6. Coal : : ; ‘ 5 A “ 2 2 L ae
7 Shald. “p),>¢' as ed slew, p 4k Ulck) Vc ee ee
8. Coal : : . : . fe ee 2 5