Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c26.s3.t1.1

v1.c26.s3.t1.1

Ancient workings are found at outcrops on the ridge of Zawar Mala, and as deep as the 470 m (above sea) levels of the modern Zawar Mala mine, some 120 m below surface. The upper parts accessible from there were a few tens of metres below surface, isolated by a roof fall. At the surface, mine openings occur at intervals of 50 m or so. Willies (1987) investigated one mine of more commodious proportion—Pratapkhan or Pratap’s mine—in which Rana Pratap Singh, rival of Akbar took refuge during AD 1595-1600. A flat ‘room’ floored with phyllite slabs is inferred as Pratap’s refuge. The quarried materials used to feed a zinc smelter just below the narrow valley.