BORELA LEAD MINES

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

One or several lead mines in which the number of galleries is truly surprising (HERBERT 1842: lxxix). SITUATION: At Borela (HERBERT 1842: lxxix, lxxx) or Borrela (HERBERT 1842: lxxix) above the eastern (orographically left) bank of the river Tonse (HERBERT 1842) or Tons (note 1) and north (note 2) of the lead mines at –>Mywar and –>Uyar. POSITION: Dehra Dun district … lead and sulphur mines are found on the Tons river at 30° 43' N … (IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 11: 211 after MEDLICOTT 1884 and OLDHAM, R D 1883b Note on the geology of Jaonsar …). GEOLOGY: In crossing the Ventijar [note 3], which here falls in the Tonse, argillaceous schist is seen in its bed in situ, while the round stones are all limestone. These boulders continue to the height of 300 feet above the bed of the river, and are united with a calcareous conglomerate, which is, however, of a very limited extent. Argillaceous schist is thence the prevailing rock, but mixed with occasional patches of limestone; above thevillage of Joktan the latter rock establishes itself in larger masses, constituting whole ridges, and extending with very little interruption thence to Borela. It is in this rock, which in its lower strata appears to pass into argillaceous schist, that the lead mines of Borela are situated. The ore is in every respect similar to that found at –>Uyar and –>Mywar, and is also accompanied as there, by iron pyrites (HERBERT 1842: lxxix). At –>Uyar, 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). CULTURAL HISTORY - mining: The rock is so soft, as to afford great failities 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). The number of galleries here [at Borela], as well as at Mywar, is truly surprising, and shews the perseverance of these people, even with their imperfect means. They told me they were in number eighty, many of them of great length, and yet the village is small, and does not contain above forty inhabitants of every sex and age; but there are several other villages that have a joint proprietary right, the assessment being made on the small purgunnahs or hundreds, as they might be called, and not on the individual villages (HERBERT 1842: lxxx).ilities 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). The number of galleries here [at Borela], as well as at Mywar, is truly surprising, and shews the perseverance of these people, even with their imperfect means. They told me they were in number eighty, many of them of great length, and yet the village is small, and does not contain above forty inhabitants of every sex and age; but there are several other villages that have a joint proprietary right, the assessment being made on the small purgunnahs or hundreds, as they might be called, and not on the individual villages (HERBERT 1842: lxxx).