Cuddapah district.—Diamonds
were obtained from a gravel 6 ft. deep below the surface: (1) Chennur
(14° 34' : 78° 52'). Two good stones are said to have come from here.
The mines are not working. (2) Kanuparty or Kondapetta (14° 33' 30' :
78° 52' 30') is situated opposite to Chennur on the Pennar river. The
area covers one square mile and is reported to have produced large
stones, but work is not productive these days. The diamond was found in
a gravel composed of pebbles, quartz, chert and jasper lying beneath
from 4 to 12 ft. of black cotton soil. (3) Ovalam-palli or Woblapalli
is close to Kanuparty. This area is reported to have produced some
valuable stones.
Godavari district—Bhadrachalam (17° 40' : 80° 57'). Stones were obtained from river bed near the town.
Guntur district.—(1)
Kollur (16° 43' : 80° 5'). Tavernier visited this place in 1645, found
it very prosperous with 60,000 persons engaged in operations. The mines
were situated on the right bank of the Kistna between the river and a
range of mountains. The workings were 12-14 ft. deep and not below the
level of the subsoil water. The Great Moghul diamond is said to have
been found here. After cutting it was known as the Koh-i-noor. This
area was exhausted by 1677. (2) Madagula (16° 30' : 70° 38') was very
productive, but due to unhealthiness it had to be abandoned. (3)
Malavaram (16° 36' : 79° 31' 30') lies between Kollur and Ramulkota.
The stones here were brittle.
Kistna district.—The
localities are situated between Bezwada and the Nizam's territory, a
detailed account of which is given in the Kistna District Manual.
Workings are located in the alluvial area, the gems being found in the
sub-recent gravels, either derived from Kurnool series or the Golapilly
sandstone: (1) Golapilly (16° 43' : 80° 55') with Malavilly or
Maleli. Perhaps the gems were obtained from lateritic gravels and
alluvial gravels also. (2) Malavilly—the Golapilly and overlying Rajahmundry
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