272 MINES 



several of them, as Goginan, Cwm Ystwyth, Logylas, and Frongoch, have been highly 

 productive. In 1873 these counties yielded 10;061 tons of metallic lead and 94,826 

 ounces of silver. 



The more complicated geological formations of Carnarvonshire and Merionethshire 

 present, chiefly among the sllty rocks, a number of veins bearing copper, lead, and 

 zinc ores, in which a special point of interest is the occurrence of gold. This metal 

 has been found within the last few years in rich specimens, mostly associated with 

 quartz and blende ; but it has not hitherto been remuneratively raised. The veins 

 occur chiefly in two groups, the one to the NN.W. of the town of Dolgelly, the other 

 in the hills around the Bala Lake. Flintshire and Denbighshire produced in 1873 

 3,712 tons of lead, yielding 23,676 ounces of silver. 



The adjacent isle of Anglesey is celebrated for the copper mines of Mona, and the 

 Parys mountain. The ore is copper pyrites, intercalated among slaty rocks and 

 felstone, and near the surface it occurred in enormous mass. The workings have 

 thence been carried on as open casts ; but beneatli these, again, regular subterranean 

 operations have been conducted, although the veins there show themselves small, and 

 comparatively poor. Large quantities of copper are here obtained by precipitation 

 from the mine-water, and the various ores are treated at furnaces situate at Amlwch. 

 The Isle of Man has two important lead mines, the Foxdale and Laxey ; the former 

 remarkable for the great size of its main lode, and the occasional high percentage of 

 silver ; the latter for its crystalline blende. Ten mines produced lead in 1873, three 

 copper, and four zinc ore. 



The slates of Cumberland and Westmoreland yield lead ores, and a small quantity 

 of copper ore. At Borrowdale, near Keswick, a mine -of graphite (plumbago) has been 

 worked for a long period. It furnishes the black-lead of the English pencils, so cele- 

 brated over the world. The mineral occurs in irregular lumps and nests, in a variety 

 of 'greenstone rock. Coniston copper mine in Lancashire is specially notable. The 

 lead mines of Durham and Northumberland are also very productive ; the total produce 

 of those countries in 1873 being 16,864 tons of lead. The lead mines of Yorkshire 

 produced in the same year 3,704 tons. 



There are famous lead mines in the south of Scotland, at Wanlock-head, in Dum- 

 friesshire and Leadhills in Lanarkshire, the veins of which occur in Silurian rocks. 

 At Cally, in Kirkcudbrightshire, copper ore has been discovered ; and a mine of 

 antimony has been known in Dumfriesshire ; but neither has been turned to good 

 account. 



In the middle part of Scotland the lead mines of Strontian in Argyleshire deserve 

 to be noticed. A lead mine in schist has been also worked by the Marquis of Breadal- 

 bano at Tyndrum. In the Isle of Islay lead is being worked. 



The produce of the Scotch lead mines in 1873 was 2,150 tons of lead. 



In Ireland the Berehaven and the Knockmahon mines have, with great profits to 

 the adventurers, for many years past produced large quantities of copper ore. In 1873 

 7,003 tons of ore were sold. Copper ores are also worked at the Ballycummisk mine, 

 Co. Cork, and at Connorree and four other mines. 



Among the other mines of- Ireland are those of Ballygahan and Tigrony, and of 

 Ballymurtagh, situated 3 leagues S.W. of Wicklow. Their object is to work pyrites, 

 accompanied with some poor ores of copper, galena, sulphide of antimony. Iron 

 pyrites, since 1840, has been a large article of export, amounting in some years to 

 from 60,000 to 100,000 tons. In 1873 the ores of Wicklow amounted to 40,063 

 tons only. 



The granite of Wicklow also contains some lead mines. Luganure and Glendalough 

 were the only mines worked in 1873. 



In the south-west of Ireland indications of copper and lead ores have been met 

 with at many other points, but no important mines have yet been opened upon them. 



An Irish correspondent, writing on the iron ores which are now largely worked in 

 the north of Ireland, states that at Carrlough immense quantities of iron ore and 

 limestone are shipped. The former, which is not of the best quality, is carried to 

 Seaham, there to meet the coal from the mines on Lord Londonderry's estate. A 

 railway is being constructed from Red Bog to the top of Glenariff. This undertaking, 

 which will cost 50,000. to 60,000/., is entirely in the hands of an English company, 

 and will bo used only for the transit of iron ore. Close to Red Bog is a wire tramway, 

 the property of the Antrim Iron Ore Company. It has four stationary engines along 

 its route to work it, and extends a distance of 6 miles. At Red Bog three distinct 

 companies are employed shipping iron ore, which is of a very superior quality, and 

 contains over 50 per cent, of pure iron.. The bleak moorland at Glenravel is now 

 varied by the numerous mouths of tunnels driven into hills, which appear as if they 

 were composed of iron ore in inexhaustible abundance. A great part of the iron 

 mountains belong to Lord Antrim. The companies pay largo sums annually for their 



