1869.] Mining. 561 



value of several of the mines near Camborne and Redruth, at the 

 present time, will be seen by the following statement of the monthly 

 labour cost : — 



Dolcouth £2600 paid iu August for Wages. 



Pendarvea United . . .. .. 1800 ., „ 



WestSeton 1400 „ „ 



Wheal Seton 1100 „ „ 



Tin Croft 1050 „ 



Cook's Kitchen 1000 „ 



In round numbers, 15,000?. a-month are now paid in wages by 

 twenty-one mines in the Camborne district only. 



The mineral wealth of Portugal appears to be developing itself 

 in a somewhat remarkable manner. In 1853 there were but two 

 mines in the kingdom, there are now 



23 Coal mines 66 Lead and Silver mines 



45 Iron „ 85 Manganese „ 



98 Copper „ 6 Gold „ 



29 Tin „ 6 Antimony „ 



There are now altogether, in full operation, 220 mines. 



The mining industry of Queensland is rapidly acquiring 

 increased importance. In 1867 the value of the gold exported was 

 189,248/. ; in 1868 it reached 593,616?. The value of the exports 

 of copper and copper-ore have increased during the same period 

 from 66,038?. in 1867, to 72,136?. in 1868. 



Copper in Belgium. — In the neighbourhood of Vielsalm, in the 

 province of Liege, some drainage works were in progress, when at 

 no great depth beneath the surface a piece of native copper weigh- 

 ing about 2 kilos, was found. It was partly hoUow, and exhibited 

 a crystalline structure. A further search was made, and some veins 

 of malachite were discovered. 



Mr. Ball, of the Geological Survey of India, has communicated 

 to the Asiatic Society some interesting notices " On the Ancient 

 Copper Mines of Singhbhiim." As a contribution to the history of 

 mining, this paper is of considerable value. Those mines were pro- 

 bably worked about the same time as those of the Sinaian range, 

 and probably served with them to supply the copper to form the 

 bronzes which were so largely used when the great Eastern mo- 

 narchies were in then* glory. Mr. Bauerman has lately described, 

 in the * Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society,' the copper 

 mines of Arabia Petreea. 



The following remarks from the address of Sir Wm. Armstrong 

 at the Newcastle Meeting of the Institution of Mechanical Engi- 

 neers have, at the present time, a peculiar interest : — " England, with 

 her innumerable steam-engines and manufactories, is more dependent 

 upon coal for the maintenance of her prosperity than any other 

 nation ; and the question of the duration of her coal-fields, now, 

 very properly, occupies the attention of a Royal Commission. The 

 investigations of that commission are not yet completed, but, so far 



VOL. VI. 2 Q 



