'File 35/64 III Minerals in Oman. Madrasai geologists' researches' [‎16r] (40/276)

Report on coal, occurring in South Oman (Arabia).
After receiving orders on the 29tli March to proceed to Maskat and to
Introduction. exani i ne certain occurrences of coal, which were reported from
South Oman, I left Calcutta on the 2nd of April and arrived
in Maskat on the 9th. In company of the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. and Consul in
Maskat, Captain P. Z. Cox, I proceeded on the 14th April to Kalhat, approxi
mately 70 miles S.E. of Maskat, on the coast of Oman. Arriving there on
the 17th, I first examined a locality, approximately 12 miles N.W. of Kalhat,
where coal had been reported from, but the occurrence, which, was shown me
by natives, proved to be carbonaceous shale of no economic value whatever.
On the 20th April, we left Kalhat to proceed to a second locality, approxi
mately 30 miles further S., where good coal had been found. Unfortunately
we met with much opposition, and it was not until the 22nd of May that I was
allowed to inspect one seam. The time spent in the coal district (afternoon of
the 22nd and forenoon of the 23rd May) was insufficient to arrive at anything
like a definite conclusion as to the amount of coal available. I, however, was
able to take samples of coal with me, and it has been ascertained that the quality
of the coal is very satisfactory.
Before dealing with the coal, it will be appropriate to give a short sketch
Geologicai of the geology of Oman,
features.
(Compare sketch map.)
The beds follow each other in descending order as below:—
(6) Conglomerates, sandstones, sands and clays with gastropods and
Pleistocene. bivalves, presumably identical with recent forms.
U nconfoemitt.
(5) Shaly and sandy limestones, from 5 to 6,000 feet thick, the topmost
Miocene. 100 feet or so containing coal (" Sur coal ,, ).
(4) Brown weathering limestones and conglomerates, made up chiefly of
Eocene. limestone boulders imbedded in a calcareous matrix. Many of
the layers of this series full of Nummulites.—300 to 500 feet.
(3) Great thickness of limestones, mostly grey, the lower divisions contain
ing a bed full of Eudistes.
(2) Bed and greenish, sandy clays, underlain by conglo
merates, consisting chiefly of boulders of igneous and schistose
rocks with a few limestone boulders of unknown origin. Near
the village Sarfan in Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Heza, approximately 12 miles
IS .W. of Kalhat, a bed of carbonaceous shale is included in
the clays.
Unconfoemitt.
(1) Mica schists and quartz schists, intruded by dykes of granite and basic
Crystalline igneous rocks (serpentine and diabase).
series.
Middle and
upper
cretaceous.