6. A series of minerals from Simplon, St. Gothard, the Tyrol,
Transylvania, as well as from Egypt and America. All these articles,
without being striking from their size, and other accessory qualities
to be remarked in costly specimens, incontestably present a rich fund
of instruction to persons delirous of fathoming science, by
multiplying the points of view under which mineral productions may be
observed.
Such is the present state of the mineralogical collection of the
_Conseil des Mines_, which the superintendants will, no doubt, with
time and attention, bring to the highest degree of perfection. It is
open to the public every Monday and Thursday: but, on the other days
of the week, amateurs and students have access to it.
A few years before the revolution, France was still considered as
destitute of an infinite number of mineral riches, which were thought
to belong exclusively to several of the surrounding countries.
Germany was quoted as a country particularly favoured, in this
respect, by Nature. Yet France is crossed by mountains similar to
those met with in Germany, and these mountains contain rocks of the
same species as those of that country which is so rich in minerals.
What has happened might therefore have been foreseen; namely, that,
when intelligent men, with an experienced eye, should examine the
soil of the various departments of the Republic, they would find in
it not only substances hitherto considered as scarce, but even
several of those whose existence there had not yet been suspected.
Since the revolution, the following are the
_Principal Mineral Substances discovered in France._
_Dolomite_ in the mountains of Vosges and in the Pyrenees.
_Carburet of iron_ or _plumbago_, in the south peak of Bigorre. The
same variety has been been found near Argentière, and the valley of
Chamouny, department of Mont-Blanc.
A rock of the appearance of _porphyry_, with a _calcareous_ base, in
the same valley of Chamouny.
_Tremolite_ or _grammatite_ of HAÜY, in the same place. These two
last-mentioned substances were in terminated crystals.
_Red oxyd of titanium_, in the same place.
_New violet schorl_, or _sphene_ of HAÜY, (_rayonnante en goutière_
of SAUSSURE) in the same place.
_Crystallized sulphate of strontia_, in the mines of Villefort in La
Lozère, in the environs of Paris, at Bartelemont, near the _Salterns_
in the department of La Meurthe.
_Fibrous and crystallized sulphate of strontia_, at Bouvron, near
Toul.
_Earthy sulphate of strontia_, in the vicinity of Paris, near the
forest of Montmorency, and to the north-east of it.
_Onyx-agate-quartz_, at Champigny, in the department of La Seine.
_Avanturine-quartz_, in the Deux-Sevres.
_Marine bodies_, imbedded in the soil, a little above the _Oule de
Gavernie_.
_Anthracite_, and its direction determined in several departments.
_Other marine bodies_, at the height of upwards of 3400 _mètres_ or
3683 yards, on the summit of Mont-Perdu, in the Upper Pyrenées.
_Wolfram_, near St. Yriex, in Upper Vienne.
_Oxyd of antimony_, at Allemont, in the department of L'Isère.
_Chromate of iron_, near Gassin, in the department of _Le Var_, at
the _bastide_ of the cascade.
_Oxyd of uranite_, at St. Simphorien de Marmagne, in the department
of La Côte d'Or.
_Acicular arsenical lead ore_, at St. Prix, in the department of
Saone and Loire. This substance was found among some piles of
rubbish, near old works made for exploring a vein of lead ore, which
lies at the foot of a mountain to the north-east, and at three
quarters of a league from the _commune_ of St. Prix.
In this country have likewise been found several varieties of new
interesting forms relative to substances already known; several
important geological facts have been ascertained; and, lastly, the
emerald has here been recently discovered. France already possesses
eighteen of the twenty-one metallic substances known. Few countries
inherit from Nature the like advantages.
With respect to the administration of the mines of France, the
under-mentioned are the regulations now in force.
A council composed of three members, is charged to give to the
Minister of the Interior ideas, together with their motives,
respecting every thing that relates to mines. It corresponds, in the
terms of the law, with all the grantees and with all persons who
explore mines, salterns, and quarries. It superintends the research
and extraction of all substances drawn from the bosom of the earth,
and their various management. It proposes the grants, permissions,
and advances to be made, and the encouragements to be given. Under
its direction are the two practical schools, and twenty-five
engineers of mines, nine of whom are spread over different parts of
the French territory. General information relative to statistics,
every thing that can concur in the formation of the mineralogical map
of France and complete the collection of her minerals, and all
observations and memoirs relative to the art of mines or of the
different branches of metallurgy, are addressed by the engineers to
the _Conseil des Mines_ at Paris.