Julie is right - scientists don't think of what they do as anything special, so it is all science to them. Science is just knowledge combined with reason, preferably supported by repeatable experiment. Technology is mostly done with some thought as to the causes of what happens, so it is a kind of science. There is some science that is not technology, and that is the sort that is done without regard to being useful at some point, although it always is eventually, and most of the people who do it make a living at it. So all of you, engaged in this not-very-useful pursuit of knowledge about the history of mining for its own sake, are scientists, like me.
In passing, there was a group of people within the Health Service who used to be called (and called themselves) Medical Laboratory Technicians. A few years ago they decided to call themselves Medical Laboratory Scientists. Same people, same job, except that it's more technical (because most of it is done by machines) and less scientific nowadays. No-one minds. What's in a name?
Mike Worsfold, (Scientist).
Dr M. Worsfold
Principal Scientist,
Charles Salt Research Centre,
Robert Jones & Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic & District Hospital.
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