1value, sell them, on which account they
seldom obtain even moderate wealth.
There are some people who wash over the dumps from exhausted and
abandoned mines, and those dumps which are derived from the drains of
tunnels; and others who smelt the old slags; from all of which they make an
ample return.
There are some people who wash over the dumps from exhausted and
abandoned mines, and those dumps which are derived from the drains of
tunnels; and others who smelt the old slags; from all of which they make an
ample return.
Now a miner, before he begins to mine the veins, must consider seven
things, namely:—the situation, the conditions, the water, the roads, the
climate, the right of ownership, and the neighbours. There are four kinds
of situations—mountain, hill, valley, and plain. Of these four, the
first two are the most easily mined, because in them tunnels can be
driven to drain off the water, which often makes mining operations very
laborious, if it does not stop them altogether. The last two kinds of
ground are more troublesome, especially because tunnels cannot be driven
in such places. Nevertheless, a prudent miner considers all these four
sorts of localities in the region in which he happens to be, and he searches for
veins in those places where some torrent or other agency has removed and
swept the soil away; yet he need not prospect everywhere, but since there
is a great variety, both in mountains and in the three other kinds of
localities, he always selects from them those which will give him the best
chance of obtaining wealth.
things, namely:—the situation, the conditions, the water, the roads, the
climate, the right of ownership, and the neighbours. There are four kinds
of situations—mountain, hill, valley, and plain. Of these four, the
first two are the most easily mined, because in them tunnels can be
driven to drain off the water, which often makes mining operations very
laborious, if it does not stop them altogether. The last two kinds of
ground are more troublesome, especially because tunnels cannot be driven
in such places. Nevertheless, a prudent miner considers all these four
sorts of localities in the region in which he happens to be, and he searches for
veins in those places where some torrent or other agency has removed and
swept the soil away; yet he need not prospect everywhere, but since there
is a great variety, both in mountains and in the three other kinds of
localities, he always selects from them those which will give him the best
chance of obtaining wealth.
In the first place, mountains differ greatly in position, some being
situated in even and level plains, while others are found in broken and
elevated regions, and others again seem to be piled up, one mountain upon
another. The wise miner does not mine in mountains which are situated on
open plains, neither does he dig in those which are placed on the summits of
mountainous regions, unless by some chance the veins in those mountains
have been denuded of their surface covering, and abounding in metals and
other products, are exposed plainly to his notice,—for with regard to what
I have already said more than once, and though I never repeat it again,
I wish to emphasize this exception as to the localities which should
not be selected. All districts do not possess a great number of mountains
crowded together; some have but one, others two, others three, or perhaps
a few more. In some places there are plains lying between them; in others
the mountains are joined together or separated only by narrow valleys.
The miner should not dig in those solitary mountains, dispersed through
the plains and open regions, but only in those which are connected and
joined with others. Then again, since mountains differ in size, some being
very large, others of medium height, and others more like hills than
mountains, the miner rarely digs in the largest or the smallest of them,
but generally only in those of medium size. Moreover, mountains have a
great variety of shapes; for with some the slopes rise gradually, while
others, on the contrary, are all precipitous; in some others the slopes are
gradual on one side, and on the other sides precipitous; some are drawn
out in length; some are gently curved; others assume different
shapes. But the miner may dig in all parts of them, except where there
are precipices, and he should not neglect even these latter if metallic veins
situated in even and level plains, while others are found in broken and
elevated regions, and others again seem to be piled up, one mountain upon
another. The wise miner does not mine in mountains which are situated on
open plains, neither does he dig in those which are placed on the summits of
mountainous regions, unless by some chance the veins in those mountains
have been denuded of their surface covering, and abounding in metals and
other products, are exposed plainly to his notice,—for with regard to what
I have already said more than once, and though I never repeat it again,
I wish to emphasize this exception as to the localities which should
not be selected. All districts do not possess a great number of mountains
crowded together; some have but one, others two, others three, or perhaps
a few more. In some places there are plains lying between them; in others
the mountains are joined together or separated only by narrow valleys.
The miner should not dig in those solitary mountains, dispersed through
the plains and open regions, but only in those which are connected and
joined with others. Then again, since mountains differ in size, some being
very large, others of medium height, and others more like hills than
mountains, the miner rarely digs in the largest or the smallest of them,
but generally only in those of medium size. Moreover, mountains have a
great variety of shapes; for with some the slopes rise gradually, while
others, on the contrary, are all precipitous; in some others the slopes are
gradual on one side, and on the other sides precipitous; some are drawn
out in length; some are gently curved; others assume different
shapes. But the miner may dig in all parts of them, except where there
are precipices, and he should not neglect even these latter if metallic veins