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288 C O A L M I N E S .
mineralogists anthracite, which burns without
flame or smoke, and nearly resembles
plumbago in its external appearance; but
of these mines, I shall speak in the following
chapter, which will be devoted exclusively
to observations on the geology of this valley
and its vicinity.
CHAP. VIH.
OBSERVATIONS ON THE GEOLOGY OF THE VALLEY
OF THE UPPER DORON, FROM NEAR MOUTIERS
TO VILLARD GOITROU.
I n what I am about to state respecting the
geology of this valley, and other parts of
Savoy, I am aware that I shall differ essentially
from the opinions of several
eminent geologists, who have mentioned
the Tarentaise. I should have felt great
hesitation in doing this, had I not been
enabled, by a residence of several weeks,
to prove the inaccuracy of some of those
opinions by decisive facts.
Long after the Alps had been explored by
geologists, it was universally admitted that
the greater part of the mountains were
what are called primary. This opinion was
founded on the association of these rocks
with others which were allowed to be so,
such as granite, mica slate, and talcous
slate. M. Brochant, who resided some
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