An essay on the mines of England; their inportance as a source of national wealth and as a channel for the advantageous employment of private capital

Introduction

THE following observations and details are submitted with the intention of showing that, when properly conducted, Mining is neither a speculative nor a precarious mode of employing capital ; but, on the contrary, both a very secure and greatly advantageous mode of investing spare capital. The following details are also given with the view of proving, that — although the public feeling against all Mining Operations was formerly well founded, on account of their then precarious nature, and the many severe losses, occasioned by deficient scientific information and want of skill, and various other circumstances not naturally consequent to Mining Operations — the present dis-estimation of such undertakings is much to be deplored, as being now ill-founded, impolitic, B

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11 INTRODUCTION.

and unjust; and likewise injurious to national industry and wealth, as well as to individual enterprise and prosperity. The perusal of the following observations will prove, that the present general misconception of the nature and advantages of the Mine investments of the present day, has arisen from imbibed prejudice, created by persons ignorant of the great advantages which may now be derived from such investments, in consequence of the total alteration which a change in the conducting management, and a greatly improved scientific and mechanical skill, have caused in the nature and results of such undertakings.

But it is only after considerable hesitation, that these observations are committed to the press, and presented for perusal, as it is felt that, under the present general view and misapprehension of this subject, it may be very difficult to encounter and remove prejudices, which both tradition and late events have imposed on the minds of most people, to such a degree that, intent and fixed in their own feelings and opinions, they are only disposed to a continued observance of that which tends to support their misconception, and promote an obscurity of true position and result.

INTRODUCTION. Ill

Unfortunately, many persons are prone to conclude, and even act, from prejudice ; and many, previous to a final consideration, are apt to give an improper influence to misunderstood effect, instead of affording a just one to cause and circumstance. But if in this instance the mind can, during the perusal of the following details, in a certain degree, divest itself of the influence of prejudice, and keep the judgment suspended, so as to afford a proper attention to the matter now suggested for consideration, its advantages will be easily perceived, although, owing to an ignorance of its importance, the subject has been so very generally unheeded. In short, it will be seen that the operation of the Mineral Royalties and Mining generally, is now quite another sort of thing to what it was some years since ; and that it is now not only divested of many circumstances which were opposed to success, but actually possessed of many circumstantial and practical facilities and advantages, insuring a successful result, such as easier access — security from interruption — good title — freedom of operation— a greatly increased geological and miner ralogical experience — a better and more expeditious method of working the mineral with dimi- B 2

Jy. INTRODUCTION.

nished expense by improved mechanism— a great reduction in the price of supplies of all kinds, as well as in the means of conveyance and transit of materials and ores to and from the mines— a ready, certain, and secure market, for the immediate sale of the produce, and a jealous attention to general economy.

To prove that, under proper management and good direction, Mining may be made highly productive and advantageous, I must be permitted to enter into some general details of many of the various causes, which have produced the strong public prejudice and misconception of the nature and results of Mining Operations ; to advert to many of the practical and mechanical disadvantages, until lately, consequential on their commencement ; to expose the fraudulent system which for many years prevailed in their management, and operated so powerfully to prevent any extended or general activity, and to divert attention from any proper consideration of the importance of the metalliferous minerals of this kingdom; to point out many combined causes which have been prejudicial to their profitable operation ; and to direct a contrast of former ignorance, irregularity, and expense, with the im-

INTRODUCTION. , V

provements, information, and economy, of the present day.

As the operation of the Cornish Copper Mines has attracted much of the public attention, it will be as well to generally confine ourselves to matters and incidents relating to them, and only introduce, in the following details, such observations respecting other Mines and Mineral Royalties, as shall be necessary to direct a general attention to the whole.

With a view of placing the bearings and merits of an important branch of national industry in their correct position, an attempt has been made, in the following details, at a perspicuous exposition of the events and facts which have been opposed to a fair and full development of the peculiar advantages of Mining Investments. Mention has been made of conduct and a diversity of circumstances, the continuation of which majj be considered as effectually checked ; and there is now no longer cause for apprehension of any attempt at a repetition of the various irregularities and events adverted to.

It has been necessary to advert to these matters, in order to establish the fact, that "wfrw vj INTRODUCTION.

properly conducted, Mining is not, in itself , speculative or precarious, on the contrary, both a secure and greatly advantageous employment of capital.

These matters have also been mentioned with the intention of conveying useful information to those persons, who now are, or hereafter may be, shareholders in such undertakings ; and with the hope, by giving an impartial explanation and detail, to direct a due attention to the subject, and obtain that fair and unbiassed consideration which may lead to a correct appreciation of the great national and private advantages derivable from well-selected and judicious Operation.

The facts and tables given in the course of these observations, prove that — Mines are stcwrely and largely productive when due caution, skill, and integrity, are combined with a good selection and well-directed management. But, although there is an anxious desire to induce a proper consideration of the advantage of distributing disposable capital in well-chosen and well-regulated operations ; let it not, for one moment, be supposed that, by the position and arguments taken and used, in the hope of causing a dispassionate and unprejudiced view of this subject, there is any intention to excite any of that indiscriminate

INTRODUCTION. Vll

and intemperate rage for Mine Investment which existed a few years since, and was taken advantage of by designing and unprincipled individuals, to an extent that led to much devastation and ruin, and an almost universal condemnation ot every Mine Operation.

Whether my attempt to draw the public attention to this most important subject will or will not be attended with any degree of success — the motive, and an intention to be strictly impartial, may perhaps be deemed sufficient apology for trusting that the following remarks and details may not be wholly useless or uninteresting.

AN ESSAY

MINES OF ENGLAND,

Chapter I

IT is notorious that many parts of Cornwall and Devonshire were anciently wrought for Tin, and many centuries since for Silver and Lead; (see STRABO, lib. iii. p. 147; PLIN. lib. xxxiv. c. 1C;) but the raising of Copper Ores or working Copper Mines in these counties is of comparatively recent introduction ; for though the ancient workings of Cornwall and Devon produced Tin, Silver, and some Lead: — some centuries back, the greater quantity of Copper and Lead appears to have been raised from Derbyshire, Cumberland, Westmoreland, and part of Wales. Edward III., in the 15th year of his reign, granted to the

Duke of Gloucester certain COPPER Mines in the counties of Cumberland, Northumberland, and Yorkshire.

The most extensive, as well as the greater number of ancient workings, appear to have been in the west, south-west, and north-east parts of Cornwall ; those of the east and north-east parts of the county were most productive of Silver and Lead, as were the western and other ancient workings in most departments of the county of Tin. Many of the ancient workings are very extensive near the surface, but it is obvious that, for want of mechanical power and material, they cannot have been wrought to any considerable depth ; indeed, there are very few ancient, or old, deep mines, except such as have been recently abandoned. Many of those mines which have been wrought within the last fifty years, and upon which machinery has been erected, have, through a variety of causes, hereafter adverted to, been compelled to suspend their operations before the workings could be carried to any effective extent or depth, or the mine be sufficiently examined to enable any correct judgment to be formed, as to its natural capabilities.

The greater number of those mines which have had steam machinery erected upon them, have been undertaken as Copper Mines ; as, until very lately, but comparatively few of the Tin Mines have been extensively wrought, in consequence of not having had any effective machinery erected upon them.

Though the Tin Mines of Cornwall and Devon have been so ancient, that it may be argued that metals and minerals never cease to grow (Wyatt, p. 158), — yet it is only within about the last half century that any positive or settled system of working them has begun to operate beneficially in this country. Our miners being totally unacquainted with geology, any induction from geognostic relations, was then totally, and even now is, too frequently, disregarded. Their mineralogical experience and skill were also very limited, as they were constrained to confine their attention to the observance of the few specimens and varieties of mineral within the scope of their individual operations or immediate neighbourhood. Habit and education precluded the possibility of an extensive or general experience ; as it was, and even now is, the general practice of those engaged in Mine Operations, to introduce their children on the mine at an early age, and employ them in wheeling the barrow, and in breaking up and dressing the ores, and other surface operations, till strong enough to go underground, where, by degrees, they are instructed in the arts of boring, blasting, and breaking the rock, as well as in dialling and all the other practical operations, until, through quick perception, personal activity, or family influence, they are, in early manhood, made underground agents or Captains of the Mine, under the superintendence of the chief or directing miner ; in some instances retaining such situation during life.

Should circumstances cause the suspension or shutting up of the mine, the miners must endeavour to find employment elsewhere ; this is most generally in an adjoining or neighbouring mine, by contracting to work on tribute with other miners. Those who cannot there obtain employment, go a little further off, where they continue working till some casualty or strong inducement takes them to another Mine. It thus happens, that comparatively few of our miners have any general knowledge of the country, strata, minerals, indications, or symptoms, — varying from those of their immediate field of observation, — and consequently possess only a limited and local knowledge, instead of an extended or general experience.

There are some few, who having been employed in various unfortunate or profitless concerns, have been compelled to move from one district to another, and by this means have attained to a somewhat more varied knowledge than the absolutely local miner.

A very few, from family connexions, and the influence consequent on being Captains of extensive mines, have on certain occasions been called in at the onset and progress of new undertakings, as inspecting and consulting agents, not only in their immediate vicinity, but in different parts of the county ; by which they gain some practical knowledge of the varieties, changes, and irregularities of ground, and of the different aspects of minerals under a change of circumstance and strata. But this information is extremely limited, as well as very vague, even in most of our best practical miners ; as only very few among the most intelligent Mine Captains know any more of mineralogy than what the varieties and nomenclature of the district present to their observation. Any knowledge of the chemical combination, or of any mode of analysis, is so totally out of the question that they even deny its utility. Geological facts and deductions are not only wholly disregarded and deemed useless, but pretendedly scorned by most of those who are looked up to as the cleverest and best experienced Mine Captains, who are weak enough to flatter themselves that they hoodwink your reason, and give you sufficient answer to your suggestions of the utility and propriety of an attainment, at the least, of some degree of a competent knowledge of these sciences, by stating

(as Captain does) that he has lived many

years, and has been a practical miner from his childhood ; that his relatives are all miners, and that he has had much benefit from their knowledge and experience, and yet never goes under ground in a strange place, but new features, difficulties, and phenomena, are presented to his observation, and that there are many matters and derangements connected with heaves and underground changes, which are quite inexplicable to him, and other most experienced miners of the day ; and that, therefore, it is nonsense to talk of the utility or propriety of any application of a knowledge of geology, mineralogy, or chemistry, to practical Mine Operations. Such persons forget, or appear not to know, that a comparatively slight geological experience would be sufficient to convince them, that many or most of those things which now appear to them irregularities and inexplicable phenomena are not so, but natural consequents, easily accounted for, as the matter-of-course effects of a certain arrangement and disposition of things, and easily comprehensible to those in the habit of regarding and reflecting upon the connexions of cause and effect. But we can scarcely believe that any persons who, from the nature of their occupations, must of necessity have, or from their opportunities of acquiring it ought to have, more than a common discriminative tact, can be sincere in making any such observations ; and therefore we can only conceive them made for the purpose of furnishing excuses for their own ignorance of portions of useful scientific acquirement, which they feel conscious they ought to possess ; or else, that they are made in an illiberal feeling and jealousy of the advantage and superior influence a requisite knowledge would give to the rising Mine Agents.

Such individuals are neither ignorant of the various losses which have been sustained in consequence of an incompetent knowledge of these sciences; nor of the fact that, through such incompetency, a copper-miner from Gwenap would be a prejudiced as well as inefficient reporter and adviser upon a Tin Mine in the districts near St. Just, or of a Lead Mine in the east or north-east part of the county. In Instance I. will be found several circumstances exhibitory of this fact. Many valuable mines have been lost, entirely owing to an ignorance of the effects of stratification, and of the causes and consequents of the dislocation of the veins, and an interruption of their stratum and their course by slides, heaves, flukans, &c. &c. ; and, after a lapse of years, have been recovered, in consequence of the derivative information afforded by the operations in the adjoining or surrounding ground having induced a closer observance, and more intimate knowledge of the nature and prevailing irregularities of the district.

In the face of these mineralogical and geological deficiencies and blunders, our Mine Captains, generally, pretend to question any applicable use of these sciences, and actually take credit to themselves for their individual practical talent and experience, instead of appearing to reflect that their knowledge is derived from combined causes, and acquired by chances not dependent on or resting with themselves, or their appropriate study and scientific attainment (which would have prevented many ruinous consequences) ; and that they ought to be ashamed of their scientific deficiency, instead of boasting and being content to pride themselves upon their present mechanical and practical experience — more especially when, even at this day, you may hear miners of the different parishes of Crowan, Redruth, Gwenap, and Saint Ann's, ridiculing each other for their professional ignorance of the gossans, capels, killas, slides, heaves, fluckans, &c. &c. of their several districts.

The Cornish miner is accustomed to very little variety of strata, chiefly granite, gneiss, and killas ; and so far from having any general degree of information relative to foreign or other strata, he is absolutely very deficient in a proper practical as well as scientific experience and knowledge of the variety and changes of the growan and killas of his own country. A Gwenap miner knows little or nothing about the symptoms, strata, or produce, of Saint Just; a Crowan miner c knows very little of the strata, minerals, or indications, of Saint Agnes; a Redruth miner little or nothing of the geology or mineral habitudes of veins in the north-east of the county, which formerly produced various kinds of minerals, and now abounds in a variety of valuable veins and former workings.

The Cornish miner draws his conclusions, whether of Tin, Copper, Lead, or other mineral veins, from prejudice and his own circumscribed practical experience.

INSTANCE I.

Captains and , two of the most

respectable as well as most experienced mine agents, one from Redruth the other from Gwenap, were called in to inspect and give their report upon a Lead Mine in the eastern part of the county of Cornwall.

They were unaccustomed to the peculiarities of the mineral indications of the district, and as they differed from those of their own parishes, their opinion was unfavourable, and contrary to that of the miners on the spot and in the surrounding neighbourhood. Their report was worded in terms consonant to their prejudice, and they condemned the mine as — " not being in a district likely to make a lasting mine," and as having " an unkindly lode (vein) with hard hungry stuff." It has since been wrought, and has turned out very productive.

One of these same captains was sent by the Committee of Shareholders to inspect and report upon a Tin Mine on the pink lode (vein), Tywarnehayle (the adjoining parish to Gwenap) ; and was perfectly confounded and unable to find the vein, which has a heave peculiar to that district. Had he not been assisted by the local agents, it is more than probable that a valuable vein would have been unfavourably reported, and any Mining Operations condemned.

It is notorious that there are very few Mine Captains capable of giving a fair, judicious, and comprehensive report upon the prospects of a mine or vein out of their particular districts.

In consequence of the prevailing ignorance of mineralogy and geology, Mines which have been undertaken for the production of one species of Ore, have produced a more valuable mineral in larger quantity than the particular Ore sought for c 2 and expected ; and yet, the valuable Ore has been disregarded and thrown away, or otherwise rendered useless, and left without any inquiry into its worth; and after a considerable outlay, the mines have been suspended or abandoned, under circumstances where large returns might have been made, if the Captain or those about him had been in any general degree conversant with mineralogical chemistry, or had had sufficient curiosity to have the mineral properly analysed, instead of being contented with the report of the bungling " assayer of Tin, Copper, and Lead," who contents himself with certifying that it contains none of those metals.

Instances could be given where Ores, rich in a particular metal, have been thrown aside or neglected by the miners and agents as worthless, and have been left for years without any inquiry into their nature or contents ; and when at length they have been taken to the country assayer to be tried, he has been instructed to try it for Tin, Lead, or Copper, according to their notion of which of the three metals it was most likely to contain. If they think the Ore contains Copper, and the assayer reports "none," they are generally content to neglect the Ore without taking the trouble of further inquiry as to Lead or Tin. Any assay for other metals is out of the question with them, and beyond the power of most of the County Assayers.

Thus scientifically deficient, the miners have neither curiosity or disposition to assay Ores which they consider useless, merely because they differ from those they have been accustomed to ; and therefore it has happened that rich Copper and Tin and other Ores have been neglected or thrown away as useless, without any kind of previous assay.

It has often happened that Ores, rich in these metals, but of a different chemical combination to those which the country assayers are accustomed to, have been taken to different assay-masters, who, not knowing how to treat them, have been unable to bring out their produce, and have therefore reported them as valueless for Copper or Tin. The assay or analysis of Ores, for other metals, is scarcely ever attempted : as but few of the assay-masters encumber themselves with the possession of sufficient practical skill and knowledge enabling them to " try" Ores containing other metals. Still fewer are capable of a correct assay of a mineral containing Silver ; much less of a correct analysis of the mineral containing that or any other metal.

These observations only apply generally, not to all— for there are some two or three very clever assayers in the county. However, there are but very few of the miners who are cautious enough to employ them, as they generally apply to the nearest assayer; who, perhaps, has amused himself for some time in trying a very limited number of Copper and Tin Ores, and then has become a professed assay-master.

In a mine only a few miles from Tavistock, in Devon, several hundred tons of Tin stuff were raised after a very heavy expense and extensive outlay upon surface erection. Expectation was sanguine, and the shares ran up to large premiums. After a time some of the Tin stuff was taken to a smelting-house many miles off, and then only — to their utter astonishment as well as bitter disappointment — did they find that it was not Tin, but " a nasty hungry stone."

It is Thummerstone ; but of this they are still content to remain ignorant, no one troubling himself further about it. As it is not Tin, they neither know nor care what it is. It will scarcely be believed, that though the mineral has remained on the surface of the mine upwards of twenty years, and part of the vein is rich in a metalliferous mineral, no one in the neighbourhood, nor any one interested in the mine, knows more about it than that " it is not Tin! "

In one mine, some thousands of pounds worth of rich Copper Ore were thrown away because " it was not Tin;" and some years elapsed before they discovered that they were throwing away the most valuable part of the mine.

In another mine, rich Copper Ore, called " Goose Ore," was thrown into the sea; and after the mine had been abandoned, with considerable loss, they found that the Ore thrown away would not only have saved the mine, but would have given them a profit.

Instances could be given of rich Silver and Copper and other Ores, having been thrown away and used with the shale to mend the high roads !

Shortly since, there were two extensive and profitable mines, which were considered to be under most efficient management and skilful superintendence, throwing away Silver Ores of great value !

In working Tin Mines, many valuable Copper Ores have been thrown away and neglected ; andthere' is no doubt but there now are many mines throwing away Silver Ores. Yet, if inquiry were to be made, it would be generally answered, that in some few instances, such as in the Herland, Great Wheal Alfred, Wheal Mexico, Wheal St. Vincent, and Willsworthy, &c. Mines, some native i*w"has been found; and that in two or three other instances, they have found Silver Ores in small cross veins, not worth working ; and that when they have occasionally heard of any Silver in the Ores from the main lodes, they have sent some of the same kind of Ore, and from the same place, orfpart of the lode, to be tried for Silver, when it has been found " not to contain any;" (probably the Ore had been sent to unskilful assayers ;) and therefore they find the quantity of Ore containing Silver to be so small that they " now take no account of it." The truth is, carelessness and a want of discriminating power have misled them, and induced them to conclude that their Ore is all alike, since it appears very nearly so to the eye, and comes from the same place. Close observation would convince them, that the Ore containing the most Silver is most generally either attached to one side of the main vein, or else in a leader in the centre of the lode. The lode, or Ore, is all broken or blasted away together ; and therefore the Ore from the part of the vein containing Silver is so mixed with the greater quantity of other Ores, that it would be useless to attempt to separate them, even if the surface miners and bucking women were conversant with their peculiarities and external indications and appearances. The mode of saving these to the best advantage will depend upon the intelligence of the superintending miner, and his instructions to the tributers as to the mode of keeping it distinct.

The county assay-masters can manage to obtain Silver from the Lead Ores containing it; but when Copper or other Ore of a peculiar nature, and different from that they have been accustomed to, has been sent them to assay for Silver, some have reported " none," and others have found it rich in that metal.

One feels very serious regret at being compelled to observe, that from the illiberal education, local permanence, and limited field for observation, the Mine Captain or superintendent of the present day-although in many instances incomparably superior in general intelligence and experience to those of a former period— is still very deficient in several requisite acquirements, and lamentably destitute of general information relative to the strata and mineralogy of his country. This deficiency has led to the loss, suspension, and abandonment, of many mines ; and tended to the preservation— if not increase— of the errors still prevailing in regard to the imagined limited and restricted local deposition of particular Ores and Minerals.

The consequence of this limited information and experience is, that when the Cornish miner is called upon to inspect the mines of other districts or counties, being in strata he has never before seen or even heard of, and producing a different species of Ores, dissimilar both in kind and appearance to those he has been accustomed to, — he makes up his mind to condemn the undertaking, and unhesitatingly reports that he cannot recommend the mines as likely to be lasting and productive: as in the whole course of HIS experience, he has never seen or known any mine to be lasting or profitable in such a situation, under such symptoms, or in such a stratum or ground, or with such Ore. Parties who send them to inspect will, as a matter of course, be guided by their report ; and perhaps we might praise the sincerity of the report of such individuals, had they the candour to state that they were totally unaccustomed to, and unacquainted with, either such kind of strata, or such species of Ores.

This kind of report has been made by some of the most experienced and reputable of the Cornish miners, relative to mines in Scotland, Ireland, Westmoreland, and Cumberland ; and there are instances of their having condemned mines in the most favourable strata for the production of lasting and large quantities of Ore, merely because the stratum and mineral varied in appearance from that which they had been accustomed to ; and not from any scientific knowledge, experience, or general information, as to the stratum most congenial to a particular kind of Ore, or from any consideration of the effects of the chemical components of either the stratum, the vein, or the mineral, as being most conducive to the production of an arseniate, carbonate, oxide, sulphuret, or other species of Ore. Hence, until lately, had any one proposed working a

Copper Mine north of Redruth, south of Gwenap, east of Truro, or west of Crowan, the undertaking would most certainly have been condemned ; and the proposer would have been deemed a knave or a fool. However, the results of Great Towan, Wheal Charlotte, Saint George, and Wheal Leisure in the north ; of Wheal Jubilee in the east ; Great Crinnis, East Crinnis, Pembroke, and Fowey and Lanescot, in the south; and of Wheal Fortune, Botallack, and Wheal Rodney, £c. in the west, have proved the misapprehension and prejudice.

In defiance of these and many other facts, which could be adduced to show that the Cornish miners have only a very limited scientific knowledge, and that a more varied experience of localities and strata, with some knowledge of mineralogical chemistry, would be useful in the practice of their profession, they continue to treat such acquisitions as matters of very slight importance, and would wish to induce you to think them useless, by reminding you of their ancient fame, and of the general estimation and repute of <; The Cornish Miner ?" and by appealing to you, and asking whether they are not reckoned the best miners in the country : this one cannot but admit. Yet they ought not to forget that they are chiefly indebted to the introduction of the steam-engine, and the great improvements in their machinery, for their present renown, and not to their geological, mineralogical, or chemical knowledge. In truth, an inattention to this part of their profession has caused them to be held by the Mexicans, generally, in much less estimation than the Germans, of whose skill they have a very high notion ; and, unfortunately, the idle and assuming deportment and unconciliatory conduct of some of the Cornish agents has induced a feeling of disgust, and a tendency to an exhibition of contempt for their general skill, character, and disposition. It may be doubted whether those persons, who have been sent out to Mexico and other places, afford a fair sample of the general talent, tact, and disposition of the Cornish miner ; if so, perhaps, the miners of Germany, Sweden, &c., may feel themselves equally entitled to the like consideration.