XIII. Some Observations on the Salt Mines of Cardona^ made during 

 a Tour in Spain^ in the Summer o/'lSH. 



By THOMAS STEAYART TRAILL, M.D. 



MEMBER OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 

 [Read Norember 3d, 1815.] 



JL HESE celebrated mines occupy the head of a small valley in the 

 immediate vicinity of Cardona, a town in the province of Catalonia. 

 This valley extends about half a mile in length, from the river 

 Cardonero to the mines, in a direction from east-south-east to west- 

 north-west. Its north-western side is bounded by a very steep and 

 lofty ridge, the summit of which is crowned by the town and castle 

 of Cardona. The opposite boundary is somewhat less elevated ; but 

 both sides are considerably higher than the upper surface of the 

 fossil salt. On entering this valley, the attention is arrested by bold 

 cliffs of a greyish white colour, which are soon discovered to consist 

 of one vast mass of salt. The sides and bottom of the valley are 

 composed of reddish brown clay, forming a thick bed, from which 

 here and there large imbedded masses of rock salt project in the 

 manner of more ordinary rocks ; especially along the winding ascent 

 which leads up to the town of Cardona. The summits of the ridgeS' 

 which bound the valley on each side, are formed of a yellowish 

 grey sandstone of a coarse texture, and containing many scales of 

 grey mi<;a. 



