In 1887, when I was in charge of the Indian Geological Survey laboratory, a specimen of a mineral recently discovered in Afghanistán was sent to Calcutta by the British Agent at Kábul, with a request for information as to its nature and value. It proved to be nemalite, and a quantitative analysis of it, which was subsequently made by Mr. T. Blyth, is published in the fourth part of A Manual of the Geology of India, p. 161. As it seemed possible that the mineral might be capable of some useful application if plentiful, and it was in any case of mineralogical interest, a request was made to the Agent for further information about it, including the locality where it was found, and for additional specimens,