GRAPHITH,

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from some carboniferous liquid or gas, whose introduction
was posterior to the consolidation of the rocks in which it
occurs. The small flakes of graphite occurring in some of
the granulites and crystalline limestones seem, however, to
he original.
Graphite is principally mined in the Southern, Western,
Sabaragamuwa, and North-Western Provinces, at distances
from the sea ranging from 5 to 50 miles, although the other
Provinces are worked to a less degree.
The greater part of the graphite comes from pits or mines,
the largest of which are sunk to a depth of as much as 400
or 500 feet, and in some of which steam pumps are employed
to remove flood water or that arising from springs. There
is usually a main shaft (see illustration opposite) with a
windlass for hauling the graphite in a sort of tub, while the
workmen ascend and descend by means of rough wooden
ladders tied with jungle ropes, and rendered exceedingly
slippery by the graphite dust and water. The graphite
when brought to the surface is partially cleaned and freed
from minerals or pieces of rock with which it is associated,
and sent on to Colombo, where it is more carefully cleaned
or “cured,” and sorted into the various qualities, which are
placed in casks for export.
Beside the larger mines, which are more or less constantly
in work, and of which there are about twenty-five in which
machinery is employed, there are innumerable small holes
and shafts which have been opened by villagers and others
who have discovered traces of graphite in the course of their
agricultural operations, At the present time there are any
number of abandoned pits of this sort; in many cases the
quantity of graphite obtainable proved remunerative only
while the inflated prices of a few years ago prevailed. At
that time, when even a pound of graphite had a value, every
small occurrence was sought out and worked. There is,
however, no sign of any exhaustion of the supply of graphite
which the Island can produce upon demand,
An export duty of Rs. 5 per ton is levied on all graphite
shipped. From very small beginnings, less than a thousand
hundredweights fifty-eight years ago, the amount exported
has increased, until in 1899 it amounted to 616,385 cwt., since
when, owing to the lessened demand, the amount exported
has decreased to 495,508 cwt. (valued at Rs. 10,516,366)
tn 1902, yielding in the latter year a royalty to Government
of Rs, 125,946 ; the amount exported has, however, increased
annually since 1900.
The price of the finest graphite varies at present from
Rs. 400 to Rs. 550 per ton, and of the lower qualities in the