AMLAREM QUARRY CAVE 1

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

Industrial cutting into economically exploitable Lakadong Limestone revealed what had been on 27th February 2012 a northwards facing rift cave entrance leading to the enterable part of an abandoned stream way / canyon passage in limestone which gave access to an unexplored 6 metre pitch (Smart, Christopher M 2013.04.30 Mss -Amlarem Quarry Cave 1- dated 27 February 2012) descending down into unknown caverns measureless to man (COLERIDGE, S T 1816: Kubla Khan.- -Xanadu- line 4). ETYMOLOGY: No autochthonous, indigenous or locally known name has been identified (note 1) for this cave which existed on 27th February in an unidentified limestone quarry (no name mentioned) east of the village of Umlapoh and was dubbed Amlarem Quarry Cave 1 after the administrative headquarters for the Amlarem subdivision, Amlarem C.D. Block, and Amlarem G.S. Circle. SITUATION: Approximately 50 metres east of [the National Highway] NH40 (Smart, C M 2013.04.29 Mss) and not only about 2 km east of Umlapoh (note ) and about 5.5 km in a direct line approximately northwest from Nongtalang (note 3) but also between 5 km and 10 km southwest of Amlarem town (note 4) and above the west (orographically right) bank of the Um Ryngohung (note 5) in an area where Lakadong Sandstones (generally a caprock sheltering cavernous Lakadong Limestone) are exposed on the surface (NAG & PAL 1996 geological map). The approximate area in which the entrance to the Amlarem Quarry Cave 1 had been in February 2012 is best located by GPS position (Smart, C M 2013.04.30 Mss: Amlarem Quarry Cave 1). APPROACH: From Amlarem town (25.28677N, 92.10613E) proceed westwards on National Highway 40 towards Dauki (Dawki). Between 5 and 10 kms southwest of Amlarem the main road crosses an area of limestone with active quarries being worked both sides of the main road (Smart, C M 2013.04.30 Mss: Amlarem Quarry Cave 1). CAVE DESCRIPTION: In February 2012, the northwards facing rift entrance was in the wall of an active quarry. The rif passage entered the remains of a small flowstone decorated quarried chamber, approximately 3 m high and 3 m wide. At the back of the chamber a 3 m climb down through boulders entered a canyon passage 1.5 m wide which was followed for 5 m to a 6 m pitch. This was not descended due to lack of tackle (Smart, C M 2013.04.30 Mss: Amlarem Quarry Cave 1). The walls of the rift were decorated with flowstone (Smart, C M 2013.04.30 Mss). TACKLE: A 6 metre ladder will be required for the pitch (Smart, C M 2013.04.30 Mss). CAVE POTENTIAL -- prospects: On the one-hand side, it is likely that more of this cave will be lost to the quarry in the near future (Smart, C M 2013.04.30 Mss -Amlarem Quarry Cave 1- evaluation) but on the other hand it is also likely that further quarrying activities in the near future may give access to the remoter parts of this cave. There are excellent prospects of the cave continuing beyond the undescended pitch, always accepting that it can be explored before it is quaried away (Smart, C M 2013.04.30 Mss -Amlarem Quarry Cave 1- prospects). CAVE LIFE: No cave life was observed in the short section of cave visited (Smart, C M 2013.04.30 Mss: Amlarem Quarry Cave 1). passage entered the remains of a small flowstone decorated quarried chamber, approximately 3 m high and 3 m wide. At the back of the chamber a 3 m climb down through boulders entered a canyon passage 1.5 m wide which was followed for 5 m to a 6 m pitch. This was not descended due to lack of tackle (Smart, C M 2013.04.30 Mss: Amlarem Quarry Cave 1). The walls of the rift were decorated with flowstone (Smart, C M 2013.04.30 Mss). TACKLE: A 6 metre ladder will be required for the pitch (Smart, C M 2013.04.30 Mss). CAVE POTENTIAL -- prospects: On the one-hand side, it is likely that more of this cave will be lost to the quarry in the near future (Smart, C M 2013.04.30 Mss -Amlarem Quarry Cave 1- evaluation) but on the other hand it is also likely that further quarrying activities in the near future may give access to the remoter parts of this cave. There are excellent prospects of the cave continuing beyond the undescended pitch, always accepting that it can be explored before it is quaried away (Smart, C M 2013.04.30 Mss -Amlarem Quarry Cave 1- prospects). CAVE LIFE: No cave life was observed in the short section of cave visited (Smart, C M 2013.04.30 Mss: Amlarem Quarry Cave 1).