UYAR LEAD MINES

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

One or several lead mines in which the number of galleries here, as well as at –>Mywar, is truly surprising, and shews the perseverance of these people, even with their imperfect means (HERBERT 1842: lxxix). SITUATION: At a place called Uyar (note 1) on the western (orographically right) bank of the Tons river or Tonse (HERBERT 1842 passim), south of the –>Borela lead mines (note 2), and from the leads mines at –>Mywar (note 3) about one and a half mile upstream or 2 or 3 km northwards). GEOLOGY: In the bed of the river [Tons], a very perfect type of argillaceous schist is seen, distinctly stratified, and dipping conformably. It passes into a rock, having the strongest resemblance to reunited angular debris. It is in this rock that the Uyar lead mines are situated. … The ore is a steel grey fine granular galena (hexahedral lead glance) and is often found in veins traversing quartz; it is accompanied by iron pyrites, (rhombohedral iron pyrites) (HERBERT 1842: lxxix). Sirmur (or Nahan) iron is found at several places, but none of the mines is worked and iron for the foundry is imported. Lead, copper, alum, and ochre are also known to exist, but only the last is mined at two places (IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 23: 27). CULTURAL HISTORY - mines & mining: The rock is so soft, as to afford great facilities in excavation, but unless well supported by wooden framing, it is liable to the accident of falling; this happened more than once, and several miners have been crushed (HERBERT 1842: lxxix). iron is found at several places, but none of the mines is worked and iron for the foundry is imported. Lead, copper, alum, and ochre are also known to exist, but only the last is mined at two places (IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 23: 27). CULTURAL HISTORY - mines & mining: The rock is so soft, as to afford great facilities in excavation, but unless well supported by wooden framing, it is liable to the accident of falling; this happened more than once, and several miners have been crushed (HERBERT 1842: lxxix).