1865.] Mining, Mineralogy, and Metallurgy. Ill 



VIII. MINING, MINEEALOGY, AND METALLUEGY. 



Mining. 



In every division of metalliferous mining in this country, there is a 

 serious depression. This can be traced, in a great measure, to the dis- 

 turbed condition of the American markets, which has tended to reduce 

 the market prices of the metals. No branch of Mining has suffered 

 so severely as the Tin Mines of Cornwall and Devonshire, and it may 

 be safely asserted that, at the present moment, there are not ten Tin 

 Mines in the West of England which are paying the costs of explora- 

 tion. The high price of tin ore a few years since — 85Z. a ton being 

 realized — induced adventurers to re-open many old tin mines, and to 

 start new ones. The present price — 60Z. per ton — and even in some 

 cases less than this, has left most of these without a chance of profit, 

 even when the strictest economy is observed. 



The system of mining which prevails in connection with our 

 Western, and most of our Welsh Mines, is in the highest degree inju- 

 rious, and by no means adapted to stand the depression which prevails 

 at present, and which appears likely to continue. 



The Mining Share Lists show that a very large number of our 

 mines are worked by companies, divided into an unwieldy number of 

 shares. Ten thousand shares are common ; forty thousand not un- 

 usual ; and fifty to seventy thousand are met with. A very large 

 proportion of these shareholders really feel no interest in the legiti- 

 mate prosecution of the mineral works, their interest being centred 

 in the traffic in shares. The result of this is, that the mines are care- 

 lessly worked, the real business of exploration entirely neglected, and 

 every stratagem is had recourse to for the purpose of giving a fictitious 

 value to the shares in the market. At the present time, in even the 

 best mines, every effort is made to produce the largest possible 

 quantity of tin, that large apparent returns may be obtained, and 

 dividends paid to the adventurers. Consequently, the metal market 

 becomes overstocked, the prices of metal, and therefore of the ores 

 from which it is obtained, still suffer a reduction, and absolute ruin 

 must follow upon the unwise course which is being pursued. 



In relation to mining for tin, we must not in our chronicles fail 

 to record one of the most remarkable discoveries ever made in this 

 country. The adventurers in the well-known Tin Mine, Great Huel 

 Vor, sunk an enormous sum of money in reaching the bottom of the 

 old mine, after it had been abandoned for more than twenty years. 

 There was no tin in the depths of the mine, therefore all the money 

 expended was lost. Immediately adjoining this mine, and forming, 

 indeed, a portion of the property belonging to the company, was a 

 small mine called Huel Metal. Attention was directed to this, and 

 the result has been most satisfactory. The aggregate value of the 

 different points of operation is considerably more than 1,000Z. per 

 fathom. " The lode at Ivey's shaft continues to improve, and is now 

 worth between 250Z. and 300/. per fathom. The 152 West of Metal 



