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SECT. V.—MINERALS. 
This county is not particularly famous for mines and 
minerals, and indeed Nature has been so propitious to 
its surface, that it is rich enough without searching be« 
neath ; and it is generally in more mountainous coun¬ 
tries that valuable mines and minerals abound ; it is 
not, however, wholly destitute of mines. 
Brick clay, gravel, sand, and marl, are common, and 
limestone in the hills, and various other parts of the 
county, and in some places burnt for use, particularly 
at Whitley, and again at Haddington ; but the distance 
and dearness of coal prevent its being burnt in such 
quantity as to be generally used for manure; it is, 
however, used occasionally. 
Freestone for building is found in various places. 
Coal is raised in the north-west of the county, parti¬ 
cularly at Mamble, which has a communication by a 
railway with the Leominster canal ; and again at Pen- 
sax, where coaks are made of it, highly esteemed for 
drying hops ; they are also used for burning the lime¬ 
stone of Witley Hill; but the vein of coal is but about 
two feet, or two feet six inches thick, and lays at 
about twenty yards deep ; the water is raised in buck¬ 
ets, the mines not being rich enough to support a steam 
engine. The rich coal mines near Stourbridge, as well 
as the glass-house pot clay which lays beneath are in 
Staffordshire. 
Quartzum, a silicious primeval stone, forms the 
basis of the Malvern Chain; a similar substance also 
constitutes the staple of the most precipious swells of 
the Lickey, north-east of Bromsgrove. 
Sal commune, common salt; one of the richest 
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