"قبرص." [و‎‎٦‎٥] (١٨٤/١٢٩)

GEOLOGY AND MINERALOGY.
123
It is used by painters, and a green dye can also with very
little preparation be made from it; it is employed for colouring
the walls of rooms, &c. A small quantity is exported to Holland.
This substance is found in Cyprus, and was an article of export
in the seventeenth century.
The asbestos (or amianthus) of Cyprus has been highly praised
by ancient writers, but it is of no great value in the arts, and does
not appear to have been much used in former times. Dioscorides,
Dyscolus, and Etienne de Lusignan (1580) notice it in their works.
It is chiefly found in the country between Limasoland Baffo, also
in the hills above Soli, and is described as of superior quality,
being very white and silky, with a delicate fibre. It is no longer
worked in Cyprus.
It has been stated that emery is to be found in Cyprus, but
Gaudry thinks this is a mistake, and that some black sandstone of
extreme hardness, which is found near the extremity of the
Acamas peninsula has been mistaken for this substance.
Ancient writers say that both black and white alum exist in
Cyprus.
Soda was once an article of export from Cyprus. M. De Mas
Latrie says that the village of Kalopsida in the Messaria, was one
of the places where it was chiefly collected. To the south of
Tricomo, Gaudry noticed the plain covered with efflorescences of
sulphate of soda which appeared like snow. It was analysed by
M. A. Damour, and found to contain the following substances :—
Sulphate of soda
Sulphate of potash....
Sulphate of magnesia
Chloride of sodium
Water
Insoluble earthy substances
0-6587
0-00C6
0-1814
0-0436
0-0928
0-0290
0-9991
It is frequently stated that coal exists in Cyprus, but it is
certain that it has never been worked, and scarcely anything is
known as yet regarding either the position or extent of the beds.
Mr. Lang, who was for some years British Consul in Cyprus, states
positively in a paper contributed by him to Macmillan’s Magazine
in August 1878, that he has some specimens of coal which were
found near the ancient Soli.
The salt lakes of Cyprus are worked, and afford an important
source of local revenue. These lakes, or lagoons, occur in two
places; near Lamaca they extend along the coast in a southerly
direction for about five miles towards Cape Kiti; and to the west
ward of Limasol on the Akrotiri Peninsula is another lake: both
occur amongst rocks of quaternary formation. The Larnaca lakes,
according to the dimensions given them by Etienne de Lusignan
and by Mariti, appear to have recently diminished in extent. The
Larnaca salt is the whitest, but that of Limasol is considered the
most pungent. Gaudry says that the lakes are supplied in the
following manner: in winter, when strong south and [south-west
winds blow, the sea rises along the shore slightly above its natural
Copperas, or
blue vitriol.
Asbestos.
Emery.
Alum.
Soda.
Coal.
Salt.