Agricola, Georgius
,
De re metallica
,
1912/1950
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be made serviceable for many things; for water will never be wanting and
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can be carried through wooden pipes to baths in dwelling-houses; it may
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be carried to the works, where the metals are smelted; and finally, if the
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conditions of the place will allow it, the water can be diverted into the
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tunnels, so that it may turn the underground machinery. </
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<
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>Yet on the other
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hand, to convey a constant supply of water by artificial means to mines
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where Nature has denied it access, or to convey the ore to the stream,
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increases the expense greatly, in proportion to the distance the mines are
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away from the river.</
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<
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>The miner also should consider whether the roads from the neighbouring
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regions to the mines are good or bad, short or long. </
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<
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>For since a region
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which is abundant in mining products very often yields no agricultural
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produce, and the necessaries of life for the workmen and others must all be
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imported, a bad and long road occasions much loss and trouble with
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porters and carriers, and this increases the cost of goods brought in, which,
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therefore, must be sold at high prices. </
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<
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>This injures not so much the work
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men as the masters; since on account of the high price of goods, the work
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men are not content with the wages customary for their labour, nor can
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they be, and they ask higher pay from the owners. </
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<
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>And if the owners
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refuse, the men will not work any longer in the mines but will go elsewhere.
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<
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>Although districts which yield metals and other mineral products are
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generally healthy, because, being often situated on high and lofty ground,
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they are fanned by every wind, yet sometimes they are unhealthy, as has
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been related in my other book, which is called “
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De Natura Eorum Quae
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Effluunt ex Terra.
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” Therefore, a wise miner does not mine in such places,
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even if they are very productive, when he perceives unmistakable signs
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of pestilence. </
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>For if a man mines in an unhealthy region he may be alive
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one hour and dead the next.</
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<
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>Then, the miner should make careful and thorough investigation con
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cerning the lord of the locality, whether he be a just and good man or a
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tyrant, for the latter oppresses men by force of his authority, and seizes
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their possessions for himself; but the former governs justly and lawfully
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and serves the common good. </
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<
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>The miner should not start mining opera
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tions in a district which is oppressed by a tyrant, but should carefully
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consider if in the vicinity there is any other locality suitable for mining and
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make up his mind if the overlord there be friendly or inimical. </
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<
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>If he be
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inimical the mine will be rendered unsafe through hostile attacks, in one of
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which all of the gold or silver, or other mineral products, laboriously col
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lected with much cost, will be taken away from the owner and his workmen
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will be struck with terror; overcome by fear, they will hastily fly, to free
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themselves from the danger to which they are exposed. </
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<
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>In this case, not
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only are the fortunes of the miner in the greatest peril but his very life is
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in jeopardy, for which reason he should not mine in such places.</
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<
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>Since several miners usually come to mine the veins in one locality, a
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settlement generally springs up, for the miner who began first cannot keep
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it exclusively for himself. </
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<
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>The
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Bergmeister
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gives permits to some to mine </
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