Recently, whilst considering the diffusion of mining technology in Western
Europe during the late medieval / early modern periods, the use of the
crazing mill for ore preparation came to mind.
It is a technology, probably rooted in antiquity, which is only applicable
to certain sectors of non-ferrous metal mining. I am aware of its use on tin
ores, where a finely crushed concentrate was required to separate the waste
before smelting, but not certain as the date it was introduced. I might have
expected it to be used in the preparation of silver rich lead ores but have
no documentary evidence for its use in Devon prior to 1500. There is,
however, good archaeological evidence for its use at Pampailly, in central
France, in the mid 15th century (Benoit, Paul. La Mine de Pampailly
XVe-XVIIIe siècles Brussieu, Rhône, Documents d'Archéologie en Rhône-Alpes
No. 14, (Lyon, 1997)). Its use at Pampailly was on a marginal deposit
exploited during the bullion crisis when the demand to new sources of silver
was at its greatest. Perhaps the heighten demand for silver stimulated
experimentation with new crushing techniques but is there any link with the
introduction of the mill into the tin industry in the south-west of England?
Peter
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Dr Peter Claughton,
Blaenpant Morfil, nr. Rosebush, Clynderwen, Pembrokeshire, Wales SA66 7RE.
Tel. 01437 532578; Fax. 01437 532921; Mobile 07831 427599
University of Exeter - School of Historical, Political and Sociological Studies
(Centre for South Western Historical Studies)
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Co-owner - mining-history e-mail discussion list.
See http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/files/mining-history/ for details.
Mining History Pages - http://www.exeter.ac.uk/~pfclaugh/mhinf/
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