40. Whether the Mine be troubled with _Damps_, and of what kind they are?
whether they come often or seldom at any set time, or altogether
irregularly? what Signs fore-run them? what mischief they do? what remedies
are the most successfully imployed against them, aswell in reference to the
Cleering of the Mine, as to the Preservation and Recovery of the Workmen?
41. What Methods the Mine-men use in following the Vein, and tracing their
passages under ground (which they call _Plumming_ and _Dyalling_) according
to the several exigencies? And whether they employ the Instruments, made
with the help of the Load-stone, the same way that is usual; and if not,
wherein they differ in the use of the same Instruments; or what Instruments
they substitute in their place?
42. What ways they take to secure themselves from the uncertainty, incident
to the guidance of _Magnetick_ Needles from the _Iron-Stone_ or Ore, that
they may meet with under ground? {336} (of which yet perhaps there is not
so great danger, as one may imagine; as far as I could find by a Trial, I
purposely made in a Groove, where I was sure, there wanted not Iron-Ore.)
And what other wayes may be used to direct Miners without the help of a
Load-stone?
43. How the Miners deal with the Rocks and Sparrs, they often meet with,
before they come at the Ore? Whether they use Fire to soften, calcine, or
crack them? How they employ it, and with what measure of success?
44. What wayes and cautions they use, to free the Mine and secure the
Work-men from the inconveniencies and danger accruing from the use of much
fire in it?
45. What Instruments they use to break the Rock &c? And how those
Instruments are conducive; and how long they last?
46. How the Mine-men work; whether naked or cloathed? And what Lights they
use to work by; what materials they are made of, what measure of light they
give; how long they last; and by what wayes they are kept burning in that
thick and foggy air?
47. How Veins are follow'd, lost, and recover'd? And how several Miners
work on the same Vein? And what is the best way of getting all the Ore in a
Vein, and most conveniently?
48. How they convey out their Ore, and other things, that are to be carried
out of the Mine? Whether they do it in Baskets drawn up by Ropes, or upon
Mens backs; and if this last-named way; what kind of Vessels they use for
matter, shape, and capacity? And whether the Work-men deliver them one to
another; or the same Work-men carry them all the way? And whether the
Diggers descend and ascend by Ladders of Wood, or of Ropes, &c.
_About the Fifth Title._
49. Whether the Ore runs in a Vein; or lie dispers'd in scatter'd pieces;
or be divided partly into a Vein, and partly into loose masses; or like a
Wall between two Rocks, as it were in a Cleft; or be interspers'd in the
firm Rock, like speckled Marble? Or be found in _Grains_ like _Sand_ or
_Gravel_; as store {337} of excellent _Tin_ is said to be found in some
parts of _Cornwall_ at the Sides and in the Channels of running Waters,
which they call ...; or whether the Ore be of a softer consistence, like
_Earth_ or _Lome_, as there is Lead-ore in _Ireland_ holding store of
Silver, and Iron-ore in the North parts of _Scotland_ and elsewhere? And
what is observable in it as to Weight, Colour, Mixture, &c?
50. Whether any part of the Metal be found in the Mine perfect and
complete? (As I have had presented me good valuable _Copper_, and pieces of
perfect _Lead_, that were taken up, the one at _Jamaica_, and the other by
an acquaintance of mine, that took them out of the ground himself in _New
England_.)
51. Whether the Mine affords any parcels of Metal, that seem to grow like
_Plants_ (as I have sometimes seen Silver growing, as it seemed, out of
Stone, or _Sparre_ almost like blades of Grass; as also great Grains of a
Metal, which appear'd to me, and which those, that tryed some of it,
affirmed to be Gold, abounding in a stony lump, that seem'd to consist
chiefly of a peculiar kind of _Sparre_.)
52. Whether the Vein lie near, or much beneath the surface of the Earth,
and at what depth?
53. Whether the Vein have or have not any particular Concomitants, or Coats
(if I may so call them;) and, if any, what they are, and in what order they
lie? (As the Veins of _Lead-ore_, with us, have frequently annnext to them
a Substance call'd _Sparre_, and next to that another, call'd _Caulk_.)
54. Whether (besides these Coats) the Vein have belonging to it any other
_Heterogeneous_ substance? (As in _Tin-mines_ we often find that yellow
substance, which they call _Mundick_.)
55. What are the principal Qualities of these Extraneous substances? (As
that _Sparre _ is white, but transparent, almost like course Crystall,
heavy, britle, easily divisible into flakes, &c. _Caulk_ is of a different
texture, white, opacous, and like a Stone, but much more ponderous.
_Mundick_ I have had of a fine golden colour; but, though it be affirm'd to
hold no Metal; yet I found it in weight, and otherwise, to differ from
_Marchasites_; and the Mine-men think it of a poisonous nature.) {338}
56. Whether the Vein be inclosed every way in its Coats; or whether it only
lye between them?
57. Whether the Vein be every way of an uniform breadth, and thickness;
and, if it be, what these Dimensions are; and if not, in what places it
varies, and in what measures? (The like Questions are to be made concerning
the _sparre_, _Caulk_, and other Teguments or mixtures of the Ore?)
58. Whether the Vein be un-interrupted, or in some places broken off; and
whether it be abruptly, or not; and whether it be by Vales, Brooks,
Gullets, &c?
59. How wide the Interruptions are? what Signs, whereby to find the Vein
again? whether the ulteriour part or division of the Vein be of the same
Nature, and hold on in the same Course, as to its tendency upwards or
downwards, or Horizontally, Norward, Southward, &c. with the Vein, from
which it is cut off?
60. Whether, in case the last end of the Vein be found, it terminate
abruptly, or else end in some peculiar kind of Rock or Earth, which does,
as it were, close or Seal it up, without leaving any crack or cranny, or
otherwise? And whether the terminating part of the Vein tend upwards,
downwards, or neither? And whether in the places, where the Vein is
interrupted, there be any peculiar Stone or Earth, that does, as it were,
seal up the Extremity of it?
61. Whether it be observed; that the Ore in Tract of time may be brought to
afford any Silver or Gold, which it doth not afford, or more than it would
afford, if it were not so ripe? And whether it have been found, that the
Metalline part of the Vein grows so, that some part of the Mine will afford
Ore or Metal in tract of time, that did not so before? And whether to this
Maturation of the Mine, the being exposed to the free Air be necessary; or,
whether at least it conduce to the Acceleration of it; or otherwise?
62. Whether all the Ore, contained in the Mine, be of the self-same nature
and goodness; and, if not, what are the differing kinds; and how to be
discriminated and estimated?
63. What is the fineness and goodness of the Ore, by which the Mine is wont
to be estimated? And what are the marks and {339} characters, that
distinguish one sort from another?
64. What proportion of Metal it affords? (As in our _Iron-mines_ 'tis
observed, that about three Tuns of Iron-stone will afford one Tun of Metal:
And I have had _Lead-Ore_, which an Ingenious man, to whom I recommended
such Tryals, affirm'd to me to afford three parts in four of good Lead.)
65. Whether the Ore be pure in its kind from other Metals, and, if not, of
what Metals it participates; and in what proportion? Which is especially to
be Inquired into, in case the Mine be of a _base_ metal, that holds a
_noble_ metal: (As I have known it observ'd, that _Lead-Ore_, that is poor
in its own metal; affords more Silver, than other; and I remember, that the
_Ore_ lately mention'd, being rich in Lead, scarce afforded us upon the
_Cuppel_, an Atome of Silver. And _Matthesius_ informs us, that a little
Gold is not unfrequently found in _Iron-Ore_. And I have by me some Gold,
that never endur'd the Fire, taken out of a Lump of Tin-Ore.)
_About the sixth Title._
66. What are the mechanick and praevious Operations, as Beating, Grinding,
Washing, &c. that are used to separate the Ore from the Heterogeneous
Bodies, and prepare it for the Fire? Or whether the Ore requires no such
preparation? (as it often happens in Lead, and sometimes in Iron, &c.)
67. Whether _Mercury_ be made use off, to extract the nobler from the baser
metals? (as is their practice in _Peru_, and other parts of the
_West-Indies_.)
68. Whether the leaving the Ore expos'd to the open Air and Rain for a good
while, be used as a Praeparative? (as I have seen done in _Iron-stone_.)
69. Whether the Burning and Beating of the Ore be used to prepare it for
the Furnace? (as is practised in _Iron_, and almost always in _Copper_:)
And, in case they use it more than once, how often they do it; (for,
_Copper-Ore_ is in some places washed 8. or 10. times, and in others, 12.
or 14.) and with what circumstances; as, how long the Ignition lasts at a
time, whether the Ore be suffer'd to cool of it self, or be quench'd?
whether it be washed betwixt each Ignition?
70. What Flux-powders, and other ways they have to try {340} and examine
the goodness of the Ore in small quantities?
71. Whether, when they work in _great_, they use to melt the Ore with any
Flux or Additaments, or only by the force of the Fire, or in any way
between both? (As throwing in of Charcoals when they melt Iron-stone does
not only serve to feed the Fire, but perhaps by the _Alchaly_ of its Ashes
to promote the fusior: so Lime-stone, &c.)
72. What kind of Furnaces they use, to melt the Ore in? Whether they be all
of one sort and bigness, or of differing?
73. What are, the Situation, Materials, Dimensions, Shape, Bigness, and in
short what is the whole structure and Contrivance of the Furnace? If there
be any thing peculiar and remarkable? What Tools are used in Smelting,
their Figures, use, &c. And the whole manner of working?
74. What kinds of Fewel, and what quantities of it, are wont to be employed
in the Furnace, within the compass of a day, or week? How much is put in at
a time? How often it is renewed? And how much Ore in a determinate time, as
a week or a day, is wont to be reduced to Metal?
75. In case an Additament be employed, what that is, and in what proportion
it is added? Whether it be mingled with the Ore, before that be put into
the Fire, or cast in afterwards; and, if so, at what time, &c?
78. Whether the Ore be melted by a Wind, excited by the Fire it self; as in
Wind-ovens? Ore by the course of Waters? Or acuated by the blast of
Bellows; and, if so, whether these Bellows be mov'd by a Wheel, turn'd by
Water running under it, or falling on it? And what are, the Dimensions,
Situation, &c. of the Bellows?
79. What contrivance they have, to let or take out the Metal, that is in
fusion; and cast it into Barrs, Sows, Pigs, &c?
80. What Clay, Sand, or Mould they let it run or pour it through? And after
what manner they refrigerate it?
8l. Whether or no they do, either to facilitate the fusion, or to obtain
the more or better Metal, mingle differing sorts or degrees of Ore of the
same metal? (As in some places 'tis usual, to mingle poor and rich Ore; and
at _Mendip_ they mix two or more of these differing kinds of _Lead-ore_
that they call _Frim-ore_, _Steel-ore_, _Potern-ore_, &c.) {341}
82. Whether or no, having once brought the Ore to fusion, they melt all the
Metal it self, to have it the more pure? And, if they do, with what
circumstances they make the fusion?
83. Whether they have any Signs, whereby to know whether the Fusion have
been well or ill perform'd; and the Metal have obtain'd the perfection, to
be expected from such Ore, melted in such a Furnace?
84. Whether they observe any great difference in the goodness of the Metal,
that first melts, from that of the rest of the Metal which comes afterwards
in the same or another operation? And whether the Rule holds constantly?
(For, though they observe in _Tin-Mines_, the best Metal comes first, yet
in the works of an Industrious friend of mine, he informs me, that the best
Metal comes last.)
85. Whether the produced Metal be all of the same goodness? And if it be,
how good it is in reference to the Metal of other Mines, or other parts of
the same Mine or Vein? And if it be not, what differences are observ'd
between the produced portions of Metal; and what disparity that amounts to
in the price?
86. What are the Wayes of distinguishing them, and estimating their
goodness?
87. Whether they do any thing to the Metal, after it is once brought to
Fusion, and, if need be, melt it over again, to give it a melioration? (As
when _Iron_ is refined, and turn'd into Steel;) And what distinct Furnaces,
and peculiar Ways of ordering the Metals are employ'd to effect this
improvement? With a full description of them and the Tools in all
Circumstances, observ'd in the refining of Metals.
88. Whether in those places, where the Metal is melted, there be not
elevated some Corpuscles, that stick to the upper parts of the Furnace, or
Building? And, if there be, whether they be barely fuliginous and
recrementitious exhalations, or, at least in part, Metallin Flowers? (As in
the _Cornish_ Tin-mines, after some years they usually destroy the thatch'd
Houses, where the Ore hath been melted, to get the stuff, that adhears to
the insides of the Roofs, out of which they melt store of excellent Tin.)
89. Whether the Metal, being brought to fusion, affords {342} any
Recrements? (As _Iron-stone_ affords store of a dark Glass or Slagg) And,
if it do, what those Recrements are? How they are separated from the Metal;
and to what Uses they are employed?
90. Whether, after the Metal has been once melted, the remaining part of
the Ore being exposed to the Air, will in tract of time be impregnated, or
ripen'd, so as to afford more Metal? (For, this is affirm'd to me of the
_Cornish_ Tin-Ore; and what remained after the fusion of _Iron-ore_ in the
_Forest of Dean_, is so rich in Metal, that a Tenant of mine in _Ireland_,
though he had on the Land, he held from me, an Iron-Mine, found it less
profit to work it, than to send cross the Sea to the _Forest of Dean_ for
this already us'd Ore, which having lain for some ages, since it was thrown
aside in great heaps expos'd to the Air, he affirm'd to yield as well great
great store of Iron, as very good: though I somewhat doubt, whether this be
_totally_ to be ascribed to the Aire, and length of time; or to the leaving
of Metal in the Slaggs in old times, before great Furnaces were in use.)
* * * * *
_Promiscuous Inquiries about Mines, from the same Author._
1. Whether the Territorie, that bears the Mine, abounds with no other Kind
of Mineral in some distinct part of it? (As in _Kent_ near _Tunbridge_, one
part of the Country which is Hilly, abounds all along with _Iron-Mines_;
the other, which is also Hilly, and divided from it but by a small Valley,
abounds exceedingly (as the Diggers and Inhabitants told me upon the place)
in _Quarry's_, which the Metallin-Country wants, but is quite destitute of
Iron-stone. And so at _Mendip_, in one part of the Hill, I saw store of
_Lead-Mines_, containing several Kinds of Ore of that Metal; another part
of the Hill I found to be full of _Cole-pits_, which had some
_Marchasites_, but no Metal; and in another place, _Iron-ore_, and mixt
Ores, which yet they did not think fit to work.)
2. Whether the Air appear to be really cold in Summer, {343} and hot in
Winter at the bottom of the Mines, by surer proofs than the Testimony of
our Touch?
3. Whether they ever meet with places and Stones actually very hot, as
_Matthesius_ relates? And whether that spring not from the quenching of
_Marchasites_?
4. Whether they find in the Mines any Mineral Gelly, such as the _German_
Naturalists call _Ghur_? And whether in process of time it will harden into
a metal, or Mineral Concretion?
5. What are the Laws, Constitutions, and Customs, _Oeconomical_,
_Political_, _Ethical_, that are receiv'd and practis'd among the Mine-men?
6. Whether the Diggers do ever really meet with any subterraneous _Demons_;
and if they do, in what shape and manner they appear; what they portend;
and what they do, &c?
7. Whether they observe in the Trees and other Plants, growing over or neer
the Mine, not only, (as hath been already intimated) that the Leaves are
any whit gilded or silver'd by the ascending Mineral Exhalations, but also,
that the Trees or other Plants are more solid and ponderous? And if they
have not also some discernable Metalline or Mineral Concretes, to be met
within the small Cavities and Pores of their substance?
8. Whether there be not Springs, and also greater Streams of Water neer the
Mine, that rise, and run their whole course under ground, without ever
appearing above it?
9. Whether the Subterraneous Springs do rise with any wind or determinate
change of weather?
10. How much heavier the _Atmosphere_ is at the bottom of the Mine, than at
the top? And whether Damps considerably increase the weight of it?
11. Whether they find any strange substances in the Mines, as Vessels,
Anchors, Fishes inclos'd in Sparr or Metal, &c.? {344}
* * * * *
__Promiscuous Inquiries_, chiefly about _Cold_, formerly sent and
recommended to Monsieur _Heuelius_; together with his Answer return'd to
some of them._
A considerable piece of the grand Design of the Modern _Experimental_
Philosophers being, to procure and accumulate Materials for a good Natural
History, whence to raise in progress of time a solid Structure of
Philosophy; all possible Endevours are used in _England_, to send abroad
and recommend to as many of Forreign parts, as there is opportunity,
_Directions_ for searching into the Operations of Nature, and for observing
what occurs therein, aswell as in Mechanical operations and practices.
Several Heads of that kind have been already publish'd for this purpose in
several of the former Tracts; to which, as we have added, in this, the
_Quaeries_ about _Mines_, so we shall subjoyn those, that were not long
since committed to the care of that Excellent Promoter of Astronomy and
Philosophy, Monsieur _Heuelius_, Consul of _Dantzick_; who demonstrates so
much zeal for the advancement of real knowledge, that he not only improves
and promotes it by his own Studies, but labours also to incite others to do
the like; having already warmed many of the Northern Climate, particularly
_Poland_, _Prusse_, _Livonia_, _Sweden_ and _Denmark_, into a disposition
to be studious and active in inquiring after such particulars concerning
Philosophy, as are recommended from hence, and rendred them, very willing
to employ themselves in things of that nature.
_The Inquiries sent to _Dantzick_, are these;_
1. What Signior _Burattini_ (an _Italian_ Gentleman, Master of the Mint to
the King of _Poland_, and reputed a great Master in the _Mechanicks_) hath
perform'd in _Diopticks_? Whether at present he employs himself, as is
related, in grinding a _Telescope_ of 120 foot long? And, if so, what way
he means to make use {345} of, commodiously to handle a Tube of that
length?
2. Whether the same have the Art (as has been written from _Paris_) to make
such Glass, as is not at all inferiour to _Venice_-glass, and exceeds any
plate of Glass, hitherto made there, twice or thrice in bigness?