'The Expedition for the survey of the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, carried on by order of the British government, in the years 1835, 1836, and 1837; preceded by geographical and historical notices of the regions situated between the rivers Nile and Indus. In four volumes. With fourteen maps and charts, and embellished with ninety-seven plates, besides numerous wood-cuts. Volume the first.' [‎75] (122/905)

CHAP. IV.]
MINERAL PRODUCTIONS.
75
while rock-salt, alum, antimony, and orpiment, as well as
mineral waters, are found in different parts of Iran. But
one ol tlie most remarkable productions is mineral pitch,
which is found in abundance in different states, from petroleum
to the choicest kind of naphtha, and is applied to many useful
purposes. The places most known are Baku and Mazanderan Minerals;
towards the north; Kerkuk, Hit, Bandi-Kir, the Bactiari
mountains, and Dalaki, towards the south; and both Kirman
and Affghanistan towards the east. Iron and native steel is
met with in Mazanderan, Khorassan, and Bactria. 1 The
former, as well as copper 2 and lead ores, prevail in different
parts of the eastern provinces; but more abundantly 3 in the
pashalics of Diyar Bekr and Sivas, with the addition of gold,
silver, 4 and precious stones. 5 The ordinary, as well as some
of the more precious metals and valuable stones, are likewise
found in the eastern provinces, 6 and also in Azerbaijan; copper
and other ores abound in Kurdistan, the Julamerik, and
other mountain districts.
Since the days of Pliny, and even more anciently, the
slopes of the Caucasus have been remarkable for an abundance
of precious stones, as well as metals; all of which are de
scribed in a work written in the seventh century of the
Hejirah, by Muhammed Ben Maussur, for the use of the
Shah Abu Nassr Behardirchan, of the Abassides. We are
indebted to the talented orientalist. Von Hammer, for a
translation 7 of part of the work; in which the author not their ckssifica-
only describes the precious stones, and gives their Persian tl0n '
names, but also shows, by a minute classification, that almost
all the existing gems were known to the Persians in that age.
1 Voyages de Chardin, Tome IV., p. 63.
8 At Ma'den Kapur.—Ainsworth's Assyria and Babylonia, p. 273.
3 The valley of Ekmah CMi contains boulders of native iron, some of wEich
are three feet long,—Ibid., p. 285.
4 At Ma'den Gomush there are lead, silver, antimony, and iron.
5 In the Dumbu Tagh mountains the granite abounds with interesting
minerals, more particularly topaz, beryl, schorl, and disseminated gold.—
Ibid., p. 285.
6 Elphinstone's Kdbul, pp. 146 and 147. London, 1815.
7 Mines de I'Orient exploites par une Socit5tt5 d'Amateurs, Tome VL, pp.
112 to 142.
L 2