NATIVE LIFE IN THE LOW COUNTRY

CHAPTER VIII.

MINERAL RESOURCES.

A. K. COOMARASWAMY, B.Se., F.L.S., F.G.S., Director of the
Mineralogical Survey of Ceylon.

Graphite.

‘APHITE (plumbago) is by far thé most important
 of the minerals of Ceylon. It occurs in
minute scattered crystals in some of the
granulites and crystalline limestones of Ceylon;
but it is only where it occurs in beds or veing
crossing or running along the foliation planes
of the crystalline rocks that its quantity and purity make
it of commercial importance. Occurring thus, it is found in
beds, veins, or nests, varying from the smallest size to a
yard or more in width, and consisting of pure gra phite often
unmixed with other minerals. The latter however (including
 quartz, mica, felspar, pyronene, apatite, pyrite, &amp;ec.) are
often found in association with the graphite veins,
The mode of origin of the veins of the graphite is not
certainly known, though it is quite clear that they do
not represent the metamorphosed remaing of ancient
vegetable deposits. The graphite bas probably been deposited