Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society Part 37

The _second_, The Soyl where the Mines are.

The _third_, The Signs of Mines.

The _fourth_, The Structure and other particulars belonging to the Mines themselves.

The _fifth_, The Nature and Circ.u.mstances of the Ore.

The _sixth_, the Reduction of the Ore into Metal. {331}

_QUaeRIES_

_About the first t.i.tle._

1. Whether the Country be Mountainous, Plain, or distinguish'd with Vales?

And in case it be mountainous, what kind of Hills they are; whether high, or low, or indifferently elevated? Whether almost equal or very un-equal in height? Whether fruitful or barren; cold or temperate; rocky or not; hollow or solid? Whether they run in ridges, or seem confusedly placed; and, if the former, what way the ridges run, North and South, &c. And whether they run any thing parallel to one another?

2. Whether the Country be barren or fruitful? And, if any way fruitful, what it produces, and what it most abounds with?

3. What Cattle it nourishes, and whether they have any such thing peculiar in point of bigness, colour, shape, longaevity, fitness or unfitness to make good meat, &c. as may be rather adscribed to the peculiar nature of the place, than to the barrenness of the Soyl, or other manifest causes?

4. Whether the Natives, and other Inhabitants, live longer or shorter than ordinary? Whether they live more or less healthy? Whether they be subject to any _Epidemical_ Diseases, that may very probably be imputed to the Mines; and what these Diseases are; and what Remedies are found successful?

5. Whether the Country be, or be not furnish'd with Rivers, Brooks, Springs, and other Waters; and how these waters are conditioned?

6. Whether the Air be dry or moist; hot or cold; clear or foggy; thick or thin; heavy or light; and especially, whether the Weather be more or less variable than ordinarily; or whether it be subject to great and sudden changes, that may probably be imputed to the Mineral and Subterraneous Steams; and what they are? {332}

_About the second t.i.tle._

7. Whether the _Soyle_ that is neer the Surface of the Earth, be Stony; and, if it be, what kind of Stones it abounds with? Whether it be Clayie, Marley, Chalkye, &c. And, if it be of several kinds, how many they are; and by what properties they are distinguish'd?

_About the third t.i.tle._

8. By what _Signs_ they know or guess, that there is a Mine in such a place?

9. These Signs are _either_ upon the Surface of the Earth, _or beneath_ it.

To the _former_ belong these _Quaeries_.

10. Whether the Ground be made barren by Metalline or Mineral Effluviums?

11. Whether it be observed, that Trees and other greater Plants seem to have their tops burnt, or other leaves or outsides discoloured? or whether there be any Plants, that do affect to grow over such Mines; and whether it have been tryed, that other Plants, that would prosper in the adjacent places, will not be made to grow and thrive there?

12. Whether the Stones and Pebles, that are wash'd by the Brooks, Springs, or other Waters, have any colour'd substance left upon them; and if they have, of what colour, weight, &c. these adherences are?

13. Whether the Waters of the place proposed, do by their tast, smell, ponderousness, &c. disclose themselves to contain Minerals? And, if they do, what Minerals they or their residences, when they are evapourated away, do appear to abound with, or to partic.i.p.ate of?

14. Whether _Snow_ will not lye, or _Frost_ continue so long, or _Dew_ be generated or stay upon the ground in the place proposed, as on other neighbouring grounds?

15. Whether the _Dew_ that falls on that ground, will discolour white Linnen or Woollen-Cloths, spred overnight on the {333} surface of the ground, and employed to collect the Dew? And whether the _Rain_ that falls there, and may be supposed to come thither from elsewhere, will discolour such Clothes, or afford any residence of a Mineral Nature?

16. Whether the Place be more than ordinarily subject to Thunder and Lightning, and to sudden Storms or Earthquakes; as likewise to Nocturnal Lights and fiery Meteors.

17. Whether Mists use to rise from Grounds stored with Minerals? What is observable in them, and what Minerals they signify, and may be supposed to be produced by?

18. Whether the _Virgula Divinatoria_ be used to find out the Veins of proposed Mines; and, if it be, with what success?

19. What other Signs above ground afford probability of Mines, or Direction for following a Vein over Hills, Valleys, Lakes, Rivers, &c.

The _second_ sort of _Signs_ belonging to these _Quaeries_, are such as follow.

20. Whether there be any Clayes, Marles, or other Mineral Earths, yellow or liquid matters, that usually give notice of the Ore? And if there be more than one, how and at what depths they are wont to lye respectively? Of what thickness and consistence they are; and in what Order the Diggers meet with them?

21. Whether there be any Stones or _Marchasites_ to be found neer, or not very far from the surface of the ground, by which one may have ground to expect a Mine? As is often observed in the Tin-Mines of _Cornwall_, over which such kind of Stones are divers times found lying above ground?

22. Whether all Stones of that kind do equally signify that Mine? And, if not, how the significant Stones are to be known, as by Colour, Bigness, Shape, Weight, Depth under ground, &c.

23. Whether there be any Earths of peculiar kinds, as to Colour, Consistence, &c. that indicate a Mine beneath or near them; and, if there be, what they are, and what is their consecution, if they have any?

24. Whether Heat or Damps give any a.s.surance or a probability of finding a Mine? {334}

25. Whether Water of any kind, met with in Digging, especially at this or that depth, do betoken a Mine?

26. Whether there be any Signs of the neerness of the Mine, and what they are?

27. Whether there be any Signs of ones having miss'd the Mine, either by being past above, or beneath, or having left it on either hand; and what they are?

28. Whether there be any Signs not only of the distinct and determinate kind of Metals or Minerals; but of the Plenty and Goodness of the Vein; and what they are?

29. Whether there be any Signs of the depth of the Vein beneath the surface of the Earth; and what they are?

30. Whether there be any proper or peculiar Signs, that show it to be hopeless, or at least unlikely, to find a Vein in the place where it is digg'd for; and what those are?

_About the fourth t.i.tle._

31. What is the depth of the Shaft or Groove (which though named in the _singular_ Number; the Questions about it are _generally_ applicable) till you come at the Vein or Ore?

32. Whether the Vein run or lye Horizontal, or dippe? And if it dippe, what _inclination_ it hath, how deep the lowest part lies; and consequently how much deeper than the uppermost? As also, what it's Flexures, if it have any, are? And whether it runs directly _North_ or _South_, _East_ or _West_; or seem rather to have a Casual tendency, than any determinate one by Nature? and how far it reaches in all?

33. What is the Wideness of the Groove at the Top, and elsewhere? Whether the Groove be perpendicular or crooked; and if crooked, after what manner, and with what distance it winds?

34. How the Groove is supported? What are the kinds, length, bigness, and way of placing the Timber, Poles, &c. that are employed to support it? And how long the Wood will last, without being spoyled with the subterraneous fumes and waters? and what wood lasts longest? {335}

35. What Air-shaft belongs to the Mine? Whether it be _single_, or more than One? Of what breadth the Air-shaft is at the Orifice? Whether it be convenient enough, or not? How neer it is placed to the Groove; and in what position? And if there be _several_ Air-shafts, what their Distances and scituation are in reference to the Groove, and to each other? Or how Air is supplied, if there be no Air-shafts?

36. Whether they meet with any Waters in the Mine? And, if they do, how copious they are; at what depths they occur; how they are qualified; and what way they Spring, &c.

37. Whether they are constant or temporary? whether they increase or diminish notably in Summer or Winter, or at any other time of the year; and if they do, at what season that is; how long it is wont to last; and the proportions of Increase and Decrease?