Mines Survey in British Garhwal and Kumaon

British Ignoring Mines and Mineralogy in Garhwal -3

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                            British Administration in Garhwal   -99

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History of British Rule/Administration over Kumaun and Garhwal (1815-1947) -117

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            History of Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon and Haridwar) -954

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                              By: Bhishma Kukreti (History Student)

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   In 1815, officials sent ores samples to Kolkata from Kumaon. In Kolkata, experts could not get conclusion.

 In 1817, government sent Lieutenant Babe to Kumaon with a mine expert Ludly for reporting about mines resources. Ludly expired in 1836 in Pithoragarh. Atkinson could not get his report. In 1826, Herbert sent a comprehensive report on Kumaon mines. In 1838, Captain Drumond with mines expert Wilkin surveyed Gongoli and Sora mines and put a plan for digging mines.  Government authorized the suggestion and sanctioned Rs 2515 and later on added Rs 1000. Commissioner Lushington sent a report to the government in 1842 (Atkinson).

  Government selected Pokhari copper mines for mines survey under the expert Wilkin. The experiment and survey was carried from 1838-1841. Government had occurred loss for Rs 7384. The loss reasons were low quality of ores and les ores. There was no mistake on expertise of Wilkin and the area.  In 1845, Mines Engineer Reckendorf visited and surveyed the mines. He concluded that it was not advisable for concluding the report or experiment by Wilkin. He advised for digging mines deep to   250 feet.

 Wilkin did not use new instruments for ores extractions. Reckendorf had opinion that if contract was given to a private company for using deep shaft to avoid converting pyrites into copper sulphate would be profitable.

 Government did not take action and Captain Drummond challenged the report sent by Commissioner Lashington.  

  In 1852, government restarted mining and did not get success. In 1872, an Eurpean contractor took the mining job and used same old methods for mining and experienced  that the copper was costly as silver cost.

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Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti Mumbai, India, bckukreti@gmail.com 29/12/2016

History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand, India) to be continued… Part -955

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*** History of British Rule/Administration over British Garhwal (Pauri, Rudraprayag, and Chamoli1815-1947) to be continued in next chapter

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(The History of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar write up is aimed for general readers)

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References  

 1-Shiv Prasad Dabral ‘Charan’, Uttarakhand ka Itihas, Part -7 Garhwal par British -Shasan, part -1, page- 279-286

 2- Atkinson, Himalayan Districts, Vol.-1 page  259 to  275

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History of British Rule, Administration , Policies, Revenue system,  over Garhwal, Kumaon, Uttarakhand ; History of British Rule , Administration , Policies Revenue system  over Pauri Garhwal, Udham Singh Nagar Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies ,Revenue system  over Chamoli Garhwal, Nainital Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies ,Revenue system  over Rudraprayag Garhwal, Almora Kumaon, Uttarakhand; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies ,Revenue system  over Dehradun , Champawat Kumaon, Uttarakhand ; History of British Rule, Administration, Policies, ,Revenue system  over Bageshwar  Kumaon, Uttarakhand ;

History of British Rule, Administration, Policies, Revenue system over Haridwar, Pithoragarh Kumaon, Uttarakhand;