COPPER.
Copperore is abundantly diffused in nature, being found native as an oxide, a sulphuret, a sulphate, carbonate, arseniate, and phosphate, in Persia, Bal uchistan, Nepal, Kaslunir, Tibet, India, Sutnatra, Borneo, China, and Japan. Copper ore in the form of sulphuret is abundant in Itamgurh in Shekawatti. Near Ajmir, carbonate of copper is found in small veins, and in connection with ores of iron (Gent. Med. Top. p. 169). A silicate of copper occurs in Nellore and Ongole, but not in workable lodes. Copper ores are found in the Jeypore dominions. and in the vicinity of Nejeebabad, Nagpur, and Dhunpur. Copper has been pointed out near Bella, in the province of Luz, on the western frontier of Lower Sind, by Captain Del Hoste and Captain Harris ; in Kamaon, by Lieutenant Gas furil and Captain Durand ; at Porkce and Dhanpur, by Captain Richards; at Almorah and in Afghani stan, by Captain Drummond. It is said to have been worked in Cutch.
From Gargaon there was sent to the Panjab Exhibition a piece of copper pyrites, also specimens of good copper ore from tho Hissar district, and of the metal got from it ; from Pelang in Kulu, and from Manikarn near Kulu, in the Kangra district, some copper pyrites, and with blue car bonate of copper from Spiti. Copper is found in Kashmir, but is not an article of trade.
Iron and copper mines occur at Marma, S.E. of Byans, and the people bring copper pots to barter with the Chaudansi and Byansi races. Copper mines in Kania,on, Garhwal, Nepal, and Sikkim, are worked by the natives on a small scale.
Copper has been discovered in Singhana ; in inines in .Kamaon and Garhwal. Copper mines occur at Papulee, Pringlapmmi, Murbuggettee, and old in' ines at Kerraye, Belar, Raie, Seera, Toma Cottee, Doberee, and Dhunpore. The Beng. As. Soc. Journ., No. 1 of 1851, p. 1, mentions the coiver bf Deoghur or Byjnath, a small town in zillah Birbhum. The surface veins run east and west,.and present the ore in irregular masses of iths of an inch broad, so much corroded by atmo spherical influence as to appear in a soft, friable, red, yellow, and liver-coloured or garnet-coloured earth ; but, upon digging a couple of feet below the surface of the ground, the veins become a compact liver-coloured mass, spangled with shin ing particles of copper ; the whole enclosed in a soft, friable apple-green, yello*, or white felspathic rock. Traversing the copper from north to south,
small veins of lead appear which occasionally form the containing walls 'to the copper. Mr. Vincent traced the vein of copper for about 100 feet east and west, and dug to the depth of 2 feet only. With the aid of coal dug from 13anslee Kullah in the Rajnaahal hills he smelted some of the ore, which gave a return o'f 30 per cent. of good copper ; inferior specimens, mostly water-worn pieces picked up on the surface, gave 25 per cent.
The mountainous parts of Nepal are rich in mines of iron and copper. The produce of the former is smelted. The copper is of a very superior kind, and was at one time preferred for consumption in the territories of the king of Oudh to that exported from Britain.
In Singbhum, copper ore is found extending over 80 miles to the westward of Midnapur. Three slabs, weighing about 139 lbs., were subjected to lamination, and proved to be well suited in all respects for purposes of coinage. The quality of this metal is decidedly superior to imported copper.
The copper ore of the Nellore collectorate of the Madras Presidency, was called by Dr. Thomson an anhydrous carbonate of copper, containing 60.73 per cent. of black oxide of copper. It occurs in hornblende schist Bungeral Mettah, and the carbonate, passing into malachite and mountain blue there, and at Gurumany Pentah, Saligherri, and Yerrapully.
The existence of copper ore in the Callastri, Venkatagiri, and Nellore districts was ascertained by Dr. Heynes about the year 1'797, and he de scribed that of Wangapadu.